SALISBURY, Md. – A fast start and a late surge helped Salisbury University fend off a fourth-quarter rally and hold on for a 14-10 win over the Amherst College men's lacrosse team on Sunday in the NCAA Division III Championship round of 16 at Sea Gull Stadium.

The Sea Gulls, ranked second in the nation in the latest USILA Division III poll, improved to 20-1 and will advance to face Washington & Lee in the NCAA quarterfinals.

The eighth-ranked Mammoths wrapped up the season at 12-6, concluding Amherst's ninth straight winning season and eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* The Sea Gulls jumped out to a 5-0 lead, holding the Mammoths off the board for the entirety of the first quarter.

* Amherst's offense found its rhythm in the second quarter, netting the first three goals of the period and outshooting Salisbury by an 18-4 margin while sophomore Nicholas Kopp won all five face-offs. Junior attack Jake Bennett scored in the first minute of the quarter then added another seven minutes later to cut the Salisbury lead to three.

* Sophomore attack Dylan Hsu scored his ninth goal of the season for the Mammoths before senior midfielder Jack Dowd scored for Salisbury to give the Sea Gulls a 6-3 lead at the break.

* The momentum turned back in Salisbury's favor in the third quarter as the Sea Gulls outscored the Mammoths, 6-2, in the period. Senior midfielder Thomas Ehret scored both of Amherst's goals in the third. The Sea Gulls ended the quarter with a 12-5 lead after Salisbury attack Cross Ferrara scored with two seconds on the clock.

* After senior midfielder Luke Nestor opened the fourth with a goal for the Sea Gulls, the Mammoths launched an inspired comeback effort, tallying five straight goals to cut the Salisbury lead to three. After Bennett launched the rally with his third goal of the game, Amherst's last four goals all came from seniors playing their final game in purple and white.

* Senior attack Tanyr Krummenacher scored with 6:38 to play and senior defender Robinson Armour followed at 5:17 on the clock with his fourth goal of the season.

* Ehret scored his third of the game less than a minute later, giving the senior his first career hat trick in his final game.

* Krummenacher cut the Salisbury lead to 10-13 with his 53rd goal of the year, concluding his Amherst career with at least one goal in his final 26 straight games, including every game of his senior season.

* The Mammoths were unable to pull any closer and Ferrara netted his fourth of the game with just over a minute to play to account for the final score.



BY THE NUMBERS:

* Kopp won 22 of 27 face-offs for the Mammoths, including all 13 face-offs in the second and third quarters. He also scooped up a game-high 12 ground balls as Amherst held a 47-28 advantage in ground balls.

* The Mammoths outshot the Sea Gulls, 64-27, but Salisbury sophomore Nicholas Ransom made 11 saves in goal to earn the win.