SALISBURY, Md. – After the most difficult week in program history, the Cabrini men's lacrosse team returned to action today, paying a visit to No. 1 Salisbury University. 

The No. 15 Cavaliers built an early lead but a nearly 24 minute scoreless drought doomed the Blue and White, as the Sea Gulls scored a 17-8 victory.

The nonconference loss drops the Cavaliers to 9-4 on the season, while Salisbury improved to 17-0 overall.

Senior Ethan Heisman led the Blue and White with three goals, one more than freshman Matt LoParo.  Fellow rookie Timmy Brooks paired a goal and two assists to match Heisman's three points.  Freshmen Jordan Krug and Sean Wagner also notched goals.

Sophomore goaltender Tyler Morrell suffered the loss despite recording 11 saves, a team high four ground balls and a caused turnover.   Brooks, junior Evan Downey and senior Dan Hopson secured three ground balls each.

Cabrini surrendered 55 shots in the loss, the most an opponent has attempted since the 2011 season finale at Stevenson.  Just 28 of those shots were on target, just eight more than the Blue and White posted.   

LoParo accounted for 10 of Cabrini's 37 shots on the day, three more than Brooks.  Downey recorded six shots with Heisman and Krug notching five.

Salisbury opened the scoring just over two minutes into the action before Brooks evened the score 49 seconds later.  The freshman found LoParo 90 seconds later to give the Cavaliers their first lead of the day.  The Sea Gulls evened the score at 2-2 and 3-3 but the Blue and White always had an answer, as goals by Wagner and Heisman broke the deadlocks.

Heisman converted a pass from classmate Matt Ward early in the second quarter to expand Cabrini's lead to 5-3.  Following a Salisbury goal, LoParo added an unassisted tally to regain the two point cushion.  Unfortunately, that would be the last time Cabrini marked the scoring column until the fourth quarter.

Salisbury scored three goals in the final 4:02 of the second quarter to carry the game's momentum and a 7-6 lead into the halftime break.

The Sea Gulls took control of the game in the third quarter, outshooting the Cavaliers 14-4, while outscoring the Blue and White 6-0 in the frame.

Krug ended the drought and Salisbury's string of nine unanswered goals four minutes into the fourth quarter to pull the Cavaliers to within 13-7.  Just south of a minute later, the Sea Gulls got the goal back before Heisman's unassisted goal closed Cabrini's scoring with 8:28 to play.  Salisbury added a trio of man-up goals in the final six minutes of action.

Carson Kalama led Salisbury with four goals, while James Burton posted five assists.  Kyle Tucker paired five ground balls and three caused turnovers.  Colin Reymann notched the victory with eight saves.

The Cavaliers will return to Colonial States Athletic Conference action on Wednesday, as they visit Rosemont College (2-10, 1-3 CSAC). Game time is slated for 4 p.m.