Degele nets game-winner in waning seconds vs. TCNJ on Senior Day
SALISBURY, Md. - Senior Natalie Degele scored the game winning goal, off a free position shot, with 42 seconds left in the game as the No. 2 Salisbury University women's lacrosse team came-from-behind to defeat arch-nemesis No. 5 The College of New Jersey 13-12 here Saturday in front of a crowd of 450 on Senior Day.

Salisbury (13-1) trailed by three, 12-9, with 9:17 left in the game but rallied to score the final four goals of the game to defeat TCNJ (8-2), the two-time defending national champions, for the first time since March 15, 2005. In the past 14 meetings the Lions hold a 12-2 series lead since 1998.

"I thought we had a chance," said SU coach Jim Nestor about trailing by three with less then 10 minutes to play. "I think we can play with any one in the country."

With the win Salisbury extends its regular-season home win streak to 31 games with the last loss coming on March 15, 2003 to TCNJ.

"I was nervous. I knew we had less then a minute left and I had to shoot right through them. I am still shaking," said Degele about the game-winning free position goal. "This is so exciting!"

Sophomore Robyn Bishop scored the game tying goal with 1:26 left off an assist from senior Stephanie Shores (three goals, one assist). The Sea Gulls won the ensuing draw control, where the Lions had dominated the entire second half (11-of-16), and marched down the field and drew a TCNJ foul to set-up the game-winner.

The Lions got on the board first as Katie Reuther scored just under two minutes into the contest but Salisbury answered with five consecutive goals to take a 5-1 lead with 12 minutes to play in the first half.

Degele scored her first goal of the game followed by back-to-back goals by Shores, junior Sue Ackermann (three goals, one assist) and senior Katie Simmons.

TCNJ closed out the first half with back-to-back goals to go into halftime down 6-4. The Lions scored the first two goals of the second half to tie the game at six. TCNJ went on a 6-2 second half run, which included three goals scored in 35 seconds. TCNJ junior Diane Haddeland scored at the 9:17 mark, off a feed from Angela Wilmer, to give the Lions their biggest lead of the afternoon, 12-9.

Simmons and Ackermann scored back-to-back unassisted goals to pull the Gulls to within one, 12-11 with 3:33 to play. Ackermann now has 33 goals and 43 assists for the season.

Freshman goalie Natalie Pappas made a career-high 11 saves in the win while TCNJ goalie Caitlin Gregory made nine stops.

The Lions won the battle of the draw control 15-of-27 for the game. Salisbury caused nine of the 17 TCNJ turnovers.

The Sea Gulls return to action on Monday, April 16 as they face Capital Athletic Conference opponent Goucher College at 4:30 p.m. in Towson, Md.