Posted: May 14, 2011
The \#14 ranked Gulls (16-5) fell to top-ranked Salisbury University (18-1), despite a hat trick by senior attacker Kyle Jordan (Falmouth, Maine) and timely saves from sophomore goalie Mike Klein (Darien, Conn.). The Seagulls, who reached the 2010 NCAA DIII National Championship and who won 2011 Capital Athletic Conference Championship to get the automatic qualifier into the tournament, saw 10 of their 12 goals scored by three players and goalie Johnny Rodriguez (Gambrills, Md.) stop 10 Endicott shot attempts on goal in the win.
Endicott’s defensive front of Andrew Pochebit (Portland, Maine) and Robert Crossett (Katonah, N.Y.) both caused four Salisbury turnovers while scooping up a combined 10 groundballs. Salisbury’s defenders were equally as successful causing turnovers with Andrew Sellers (Baltimore, Md.) and Nick Mooney (Glenolden, Pa.) tallying four and three caused turnovers, respectively.
In the opening quarter, the Seagulls sprinted out to a 6-1 advantage over the first 8:19 of the game. Junior midfielder Tony Mendes (Chapel Hill, N.C.) scored the first of his three first half goals at the 13:27 mark of the first quarter, unassisted, to put Salisbury up 1-0.
The Gulls quickly responded just 53 seconds later as sophomore attacker Brian Estes (Derry, N.H.) tied it up with an assist to senior Jack Curtis (Chelmsford, Mass.).
Salisbury’s Matt Cannone (Bayport, N.Y.) started a streak of five-straight Seagulls goals with an unassisted tally with 10:23 left on the clock in the first quarter. Salisbury got a goal by Erik Krum (Manhatten Beach, Calif.) and another by Cannone before Mendes found the back of the net twice in-a-row to make it 6-1 in favor of the home team.
The Blue and Green, however, would cut their deficit down to three by the end of the quarter as Estes and junior midfielder Jon Thanas (Cumberland, R.I.) scored within 45 seconds of each other to make the score 6-3.
Endicott, with momentum of their side, outscored Salisbury 3-2 in the second quarter to go into halftime down 9-7. Jordan netted two goals for the Gulls, a top-shelf blast and a crafty maneuver around two defenders, while Pochebit went coast-to-coast down the field to score his first goal of the season. Cannone scored both Seagulls goals in the period.
After a combined 16 goals were scored in the first 30 minutes of play, the third quarter saw both teams net only one goal apiece. Salisbury managed to score only once despite taking 11 shots while Endicott took just two shots. Endicott’s Klein was stellar in the period, making four saves in the cage. Gulls junior Brendan Eppley (Darien, Conn.) beat Rodriguez on an unassisted goal at 2:26, but 19 seconds later Sam Bradman (Canton, N.Y.) scored his first point of the day with a goal assisted by Spencer Smith (Frederick, Md.).
Salisbury scored four goals in the second half, three of which were by Bradman.
Endicott’s Jordan completed his hat trick with 9:33 remaining in the game to pull within three goals of Salisbury at 11-8, but Bradman netted his third goal at the 8:56 mark to cap off the scoring for the Seagulls.
Endicott’s loss was their first since April 23rd, halting a streak of four-straight victories.
The Gulls played the \#1 team in the country for the second time this season. Back on April 12th, Endicott handed then top-ranked and unbeaten Tufts University a 9-8 defeat at Endicott Stadium.
