Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: Salisbury Men's Lacrosse Runs Away Early From Tufts For 19-7 Win In The NCAA Div. III Title Contest

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS:  Salisbury Men's Lacrosse Runs Away Early From Tufts For 19-7 Win In The NCAA Div. III Title Contest

Salisbury junior midfielder Sam Bradman scored a game-high seven goals, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Game, and led the Sea Gulls to a 19-7 victory over Tufts in Sunday's NCAA Division III championship game at Baltimore's Ravens Stadium. 

It is the Sea Gulls' ninth men's lacrosse national championship in 15 title-game appearances.

Bradman broke the NCAA record for most goals in the national championship game in leading the CAC Champion Sea Gulls to a 21-1 overall record. 

In the rematch of the 2010 title game, which Tufts won 9-6, Salisbury's scoring total was the highest against Tufts since the 2008 season.

The 12-goal margin of victory is the most significant in any of the Sea Gulls' nine national championship wins. All nine national championships have come under the reign of 23rd year head coach Jim Berkman.

Bradman's seven goals scored is a new single-game record for a Salisbury University player in the national championship game, surpassing former Sean Radebaugh's (1995) six markers. Bradman, who also had an assist against Tufts for eight points, fell just one point shy of matching Radebaugh's nine points that he set in the 1995 national championship game against Nazareth College.

The Jumbos (18-3) won the game's first face-off and quickly entered the offensive restraining box. Tufts midfielder Matt Witko fired off a shot but it was blocked by SU senior defender Collin Tokosch before senior goalkeeper Johnny Rodriguez scooped up the groundball to start the clear. The Sea Gulls (21-1) tallied their first goal of the game at the 13:18 mark as Bradman took a feed from sophomore midfielder Ryan Clarke and unleashed a shot into the top-left corner of the goal. The Sea Gulls followed up with a pair goals coming from the crease, with junior attackmen Matt Cannone and Tony Mendes netting goals. The three early goals forced the Tufts coaching staff to call a timeout.

Following the timeout, the Jumbos tallied their first goal with Geordie Schafer finishing off an assist from D.J. Hessler. Salisbury closed out the first quarter with goals from Bradman, Cannone and senior midfielder Spencer Smith to take a 6-1 lead; the 6-1 lead was the same score at the end of the first quarter of the 2010 national championship, only with the Jumbos ahead.

Tufts kicked off the second quarter with a pair of goals in the first four minutes to cut the deficit to three, but Mendes ended the run with an unassisted goal with 10:19 remaining in the frame. The Sea Gulls closed out the first half with unassisted goals from junior attackman Erik Krum, Bradman and Clarke to bolster the lead to 9-3 in favor of the maroon and gold.

At the half, Salisbury outshot Tufts 27-14, picked up 18 groundballs compared to 10 for the Jumbos and won 8-of-14 face-offs. 

Clarke tallied his second goal of the contest nearly two minutes into the second half to create a 10-3 lead for SU, before the Jumbos responded with goals from Hessler and a man-up goal from Ryan Molloy. Bradman ended the quarter with his fourth goal of the game, handing SU an 11-5 advantage.

The Sea Gulls added eight goals in the final quarter, which was the most goals in a quarter by Salisbury in a national championship game since the 1995 title game. Bradman posted the first two goals of the quarter, then closed out the scoring for the Sea Gulls with a man-up goal off an assist from senior midfielder Shawn Zordani with 2:41 remaining.

Bradman finished with eight points, which matched his career-high. Cannone (two goals, one assist) and Clarke (one goal, two assists) each collected three points, while Mendes (two goals) followed shortly behind with two points.

Rodriguez, recently named the Division III National Goalkeeper of the Year, claimed the victory with four saves. The Gambrills, Md., native was removed after 47 minutes in the net after suffering cramps, allowing senior goalkeeper Tim Swinburn (three saves) to close out the contest.

Tufts' Hessler posted a team-high five points on two goals and three assists. Molloy recorded two goals for the Jumbos.

Tufts freshman goalkeeper Patton Watkins played the first 23 minutes of the game while registering four saves, before being replaced by senior Steven Foglietta (three saves).

The championship is the 15th team title in Salisbury University history. Along with the nine men's lacrosse titles, Salisbury has also earned five field hockey championships and one title in women's lacrosse. The Sea Gulls have also seen 10 individual national champions, five in wrestling and five in track & field.