GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Gettysburg carried a 6-5 lead into the fourth quarter, but seventh-ranked Salisbury outscored the third-ranked Bullets 3-1 in the final period and the Sea Gulls advanced to the NCAA Division III championship game, winning an 8-7 nailbiter in the semifinals at a hot Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium on Sunday.
 
Emory Wongus scored the game-winning goal on a straightaway shot with 4:15 left for Salisbury (20-3), which moves to face fifth-ranked Wesleyan University, a 19-18 winner over No. 1 RIT in the other semifinal.
 
A large and boisterous crowd witnessed a classic in one of the premier Division III men's lacrosse rivalries. Neither side led by more than two the entire game, and it was the 11th one-goal decision in 36 meetings between the two teams, who were facing off in the NCAA semifinals for the sixth time.
 
Senior goalie Tim Brady (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) closed out an outstanding career for the Bullets (19-3), making eight saves, including several tremendous stops down the stretch. He finishes second in school history in goalie wins (58) and sixth in saves (631).
 
Sophomore defenseman Mitch Wykoff (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) also turned in a big defensive performance for Gettysburg, picking up a season-high seven ground balls.
 
Junior Will DeMartin (Summit, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) scored two goals to lead a balanced Gettysburg offense that saw six different Bullets find the scoring column.
 
Griffin Moroney scored three goals to lead Salisbury, which led for a total of just 5:15 for the game, while Brandon Warren made eight saves, including a game-clinching stop with 21 seconds left. Kyle Tucker paced the Sea Gull defense with four ground balls and four caused turnovers.
 
DeMartin wasted little time putting the Bullets on the scoreboard, bouncing in a runner from the left wing just 58 seconds into the contest. Salisbury answered on a tally from Garrett Reynolds with 13:01 on the clock.
 
Gettysburg went back in front with 5:40 remaining in the quarter, when sophomore Michael McCormick (Lorton, Va./Paul VI Catholic) went top shelf from left side off a feed from freshman Jack Fletcher (Charlotte, N.C./Providence Day School). The Bullets would carry a 2-1 lead into the second quarter.
 
Sophomore Brian Kolen (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) put Gettysburg up 3-1 with 13:18 remaining in the opening half. With the shot clock on, he drove in from 25 yards out, then pivoted away from a defender before delivering a low shot for his team-leading 52nd goal of the season. However, it would be the only two-goal lead of the game for either team.
 
The Sea Gulls came back with the next two goals to forge a 3-3 tie at the half, as Jeremiah LaClair and Moroney scored two minutes apart midway through the quarter.
 
The two sides would trade goals three times to open the second half. The Bullets reclaimed the lead on three occasions, starting with a goal from junior Mike Risser (Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown East) with 9:06 remaining. Fletcher prevented a Gettysburg turnover, batting a loose ball just before it crossed the end line. Risser scooped it up and sprinted in for a point-blank shot from the right post, putting Gettysburg up 4-3.
 
Moroney scored his second goal less than a minute later to tie it again before the Bullets went back in front with 6:57 showing. Junior Jack Harvey (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) accepted a pass from Garstka and drilled in a shot from seven yards out from the left side to hand Gettysburg a 5-4 advantage.
 
Salisbury's Justin Melton struck with 3:45 left before Garstka put the Orange and Blue back in front. Just after a stall warning was called, Garstka drove hard down the lane, lost his footing, but bounced up and fired in a shot from eight yards away to make it a 6-5 game, which held up as the score heading into the final quarter.
 
The Sea Gulls took their first lead first lead of the day after scoring the first two goals of the fourth quarter. Moroney tied it with his final tally of the game before Zach Pompea converted with 9:38 remaining to put the visitors in front 7-6.
 
DeMartin pulled Gettysburg even with 8:38 on the clock, sending home another bouncer from the right side to make it a 7-7 game.
 
Salisbury won the ensuing face-off, but Brady made a terrific save on a rip from FOGO Brett Melamphy. Brady then covered up the ball to give the Bullets possession, and Gettysburg managed four shots on its next possession. However, Warren saved the final shot of the sequence and picked up the loose ball himself. Salisbury then called timeout with 4:58 remaining, setting up Wongus' game-winner – a low shot from 10 yards out.
 
The Gulls also won the following face-off, but with the shot clock winding down, senior defenseman Nick Hill (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) forced a turnover and picked up the ground ball. After a successful clear, Gettysburg called timeout with 1:59 remaining before firing off a pair of shots that missed wide. After another timeout with 36 ticks showing, Fletcher curled around the left post and attempted a high shot that was knocked down by Warren, who covered it up in the crease. The Sea Gulls were then able to kill off the remainder of the clock.
 
Gettysburg outshot Salisbury 33-22 and held a 26-26 edge in ground balls. The Bullets were a perfect 17-for-17 on clears and committed just 11 turnovers. Salisbury won 11-of-19 face-offs.
 
Gettysburg's 19 victories marked the second-highest win total in team history and was just one shy of the school record set by the 2015 team that finished 20-1. The Bullets have now reached the NCAA Division III semifinals in three of the last four years.