Salisbury Women’s Lacrosse
2004 NCAA Division III Tournament
Championship Round - Team Notes
Rochester, NY

* Salisbury is making its second national semifinal round appearance and fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004. SU’s previous final four berth was in 2000.

* The Sea Gulls bring a #4 national ranking and 16-2 overall record into Saturday’s national semifinal game (11:30 am vs. New Jersey). SU’s 16 wins is a new single-season record, besting the 15-victory mark reached by the 2000 team.

* Salisbury advanced to the national semifinal with victories over Cabrini (18-7) and #5 ranked Gettysburg (8-5) in last weekend’s NCAA Tournament regional, played at home. The Sea Gulls finished 11-0 at home this season. SU is 2-1 in neutral site games.

* Salisbury won its fourth overall and second straight Capital Athletic Conference championship in 2004.

* The Gulls bring an 11-game winning streak – one short of the school-record set in 2003 - into Saturday’s semifinal game. SU’s last loss came on March 23.

* Both Sea Gull losses this season have come against higher ranked teams. SU dropped a 13-8 decision at #3 New Jersey on March 13 and lost 7-5 to #1 Middlebury in a neutral site contest on March 23.

* Salisbury is averaging 14.9 goals per contest and allowing 5.9 goals per game. The Sea Gulls eclipsed the 20-goal mark three times in 2004, with a season-high 23 goals on Feb 28 against Christopher Newport. SU has allowed more than nine goals just once this season (13 at New Jersey on March 13.)

* Head Coach Jim Nestor is serving in his third season with the Sea Gulls, with a 39-10 record at Salisbury, including a 30-4 mark over the last two seasons. He is the 2003 and 2004 Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Award winner.

* Sophomore goalie Ali Goetz recorded a season and career-high 22 saves in last Sunday’s regional final against Gettysburg. She recorded 17 of her 22 saves in the second half and made eight saves on free-position attempts. She brings a 5.95 goals against average and .622 save percentage into Saturday’s game.

* Junior midfielder Linda Ackermann leads a balanced Salisbury offense that features six players with at least 20 goals and four players with at least 30 goals. Ackermann is the team leader with 43 goals and 59 total points.

* Sophomore attack Lysney Bateman leads the team with 20 assists and is second in total points with 52.

* Senior tri-captain Amber Stansbury has scored the game-winning goal in nine of SU’s 16 victories. She is second on the team with 35 goals.

* Salisbury placed five players on the 13-player all-Capital Athletic Conference first team: Lynsey Bateman and Jessica White on attack, Linda Ackermann and Mary Bateman at midfield, and Kelly Murphy on defense. Defender Sarah Davis and goalie Ali Goetz received second team honors.

* Senior defender Kelly Murphy and sophomore attack Lynsey Bateman are trying to win their second national championship of the 2003-04 academic year. Both players were also members of Salisbury’s 2003 field hockey team that won the NCAA Division III national championship in November.


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