Sep 25, 2021
SALISBURY, Md. – The No. 15/17 Salisbury University bounced back to the win column with a 40-14 victory over the Western New England Golden Bears on Saturday in the final non-conference game of the regular season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
- Salisbury scored quickly on its opening possession of the game. An SU fumble near midfield forced a 3rd-and-15. Joey Bilstein took a dive play up the gut and broke off a 50-yard touchdown run for the first score of the game four and half minutes into the contest.
- A perfect punt by Brandon Fink pinned the Golden Bears on their own one-yard line. A play later, Sean Carroll busted an RPO sweep by WNE and tackled E.J. Dudley in the endzone for a safety and push Salisbury's lead up to 9-0 with 3:34 left in the quarter.
- The ensuing safety kickoff went out of bounds to allow Salisbury to start its next drive at midfield. Two long runs by David Fletcher and Jack Lanham put Salisbury in a goal-to-go situation. Lanham plowed through the WNE defense for his first touchdown of the day and put Salisbury up 16-0 at the end of the quarter.
Second Quarter
- WNE cut into the lead with a long 15-play drive on its next possession following the Salisbury score. Bryce Karstetter and Steven Fedorchak connected on a 21-yard touchdown to trim the SU lead to 16-7.
- A fumble and a roughing the passer penalty gave WNE good field position in the red zone. Two plays later, E.J. Dudley scored from a yard out to cut the Salisbury lead to 16-14 with 8:32 left in the half.
- Salisbury marched down the field on the ensuing drive which was capped off by Lanham's one-yard touchdown run to put Salisbury back up nine, 23-14, before the half.
Fourth Quarter
- After a scoreless third quarter, Bert Schrecongost stretched Salisbury's lead to 26-14 with 11:57 left in the game with a 23-yard field goal to end a long 14-play drive that spanned 7:24.
- A sack by Sam Pagella on fourth down gave Salisbury the ball near midfield. Two plays later, Lanham found a hole and ran down the sideline for a 47-yard touchdown.
- Salisbury iced the game with 24 unanswered points when Marcus Wilson bulldozed his way down to the one-yard line and Lanham plunged into the endzone to give Salisbury the final scoring margin.
SALISBURY GAME NOTES
- Salisbury tallied 400 yards of total offense, 359 of which came through the rushing attack.
- Jack Lanham accounted for 127 yards of offense for the Sea Gulls. He carried the ball 20 times for 86 yards with a career-high four rushing touchdowns.
- In his first career start, David Fletcher led the ground game for SU with a career-best 99 yards on 11 carries.
- Joey Bildstein registered 98 yards and a touchdown.
- Salisbury held WNE to 193 yards of total offense, including 31 rushing yards.
- Jamere Furbush led the defense with seven tackles, including a sack and a tackle for loss.
- Myles Christian and A.J. Butler each tallied six tackles and a tackle for loss.
- Sam Pagella and Brad Lomax both notched a sack on Bryce Karstetter.
WNE GAME NOTES
- Bryce Karstetter went 20-for-32 for 162 yards and a touchdown.
- Steven Fedorchak caught seven passes for 89 yards and a score.
- Bailey Devine-Scott and Joshua Salem recorded 12 and 11 tackles respectively.
- WNE forced two Salisbury turnovers.
UP NEXT
- The Sea Gulls open New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play with a pair of games in New Jersey.
- SU opens the conference slate by taking on the Spring 2021 NJAC North Division Champions, Montclair St., on Saturday, Oct. 2.
- Kickoff from Sprague Field is scheduled for 1 p.m.