After a scare last week to Lynchburg, the Salisbury University Sea Gulls faced another tough test in just their third game this season.

Being shutout in the first quarter for the first time all season, the number one ranked Sea Gulls were able to escape with a 9-7 win over Montclair State Saturday.

Expectations are high for the Gulls coming off a national championship year last season and teams are going full force to try and take down Salisbury.

The Sea Gulls got off to a slow start in the first quarter managing just seven shots against the Red Hawks defense. Montclair State midfielder Shaun Sterner found the only goal of the first quarter beating Sea Gull goalie Colin Reymann just 2:45 into the contest.

Salisbury battled back in the second firing off four consecutive goals to begin the period. Cory Berry and Corey Gwin scored two goals in the second, separated by just 51 seconds.

Montclair State battled back netting two goals of their own to cut the Sea Gull lead to just one, but Brendan Bromwell found the back of the net with less than two minutes remaining into the half to regain momentum for the Gulls. Salisbury reversed struggles they had in the first posting 13 shots to Montclair State’s four in the second.

Headed into the third the Red Hawks seized momentum again placing two in the scoring column with clutch goals by Sterner and Brady Wulster. The Gulls got one of their own in the third thanks to freshman Josh Melton who slammed home a gorgeous feed from Carson Kalama.

Salisbury had control when Melton snagged his second goal of the game in the fourth but two Red Hawk goals knotted the game at seven all.

Sea Gull Garrett Reynolds came up big in the final minutes of the contest weaving his way around the Montclair State cage and finding Kalama for the easy go-ahead score. Reynolds replicated the move again later in the period this time taking the initiative and scoring an unassisted goal.

Kalama continues to lead the Gulls with nine goals and 12 points on the season to go with his 45 shot percent.

Seven different Sea Gulls scored on the day, with five off those goals coming off assists. Salisbury won the shot battle 40-29, 20 of those shots were on goal.

Salisbury moves to 3-0 on the season but will have their hands full Saturday as they will face their first nationally ranked team this season.

Next for the Gulls is a matchup against No. 5 Gettysburg College on Feb. 25. Gettysburg will be looking for payback after falling to Salisbury 14-6 in the national semifinal last season.