May 28, 2000

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Sophomore attackman David Seeley scored five goals and added an assist in leading the Middlebury Panthers to a 16-12 victory over top-seeded Salisbury State in the NCAA Division III championship game Sunday afternoon at Byrd Stadium. It is the first-ever national title for the Panthers (15-1), who avenged a 13-6 loss to the Sea Gulls (17-2) in last season's championship game. It is also the first time in the 20-year history of the Division III championships that a team from Maryland or New York has not won the national title. The game was played in front of 17,431 - the third-largest attendance figure for any Division III collegiate sporting event.

Seeley registered all five of his goals in the first half and garnered Most Outstanding Player honors for his efforts.

After Ryan Fisher opened the Sea Gulls' scoring in the second quarter to give Salisbury a 6-4 advantage, Middlebury exploded with six of the game's next seven goals. Steve O'Neil's goal with 5:49 remaining in the second quarter gave the Panthers a 7-6 advantage - its first since scoring the first goal of the game.

It was part of an eight-goal second quarter for the Panthers - who rode the back of Seeley's five first-half goals. Middlebury scored goals :10 apart early in the quarter and tallied three times in a span of 1:01 late in the quarter to take a 10-7 lead with 2:42 remaining. Salisbury closed to 11-9 at the half on goals by Chris Turner and Tim Parks. The two teams combined for 20 first half goals- the most by two teams in a championship game. Middlebury's eight goals in the second quarter equalled the Division III championship game record for goals in a quarter.

The Panthers held a least a two-goal advantage throughout the second half and extended it to three goals on separate occasions as Ryan Sanchez, Jamie Haire and Greg Carroll all scored. Matt Dunn's goal with 9:29 remaining in the fourth quarter gave the Panthers their largest lead of the game at 15-11.

Middlebury's defense held Salisbury State's top attackman, Joe High, without a point in the game. High came into the game with 74 goals on the season. Panthers' goalie Dave Campbell was a big reason for that, making 14 saves. Josh Bergey and Rob Bates led 10 Salisbury State players in scoring with three points each.

Salisbury State took control early, taking three separate two-goal advantages including Bates' tally with 0:12 remaining in the first quarter to make it 5-3 and went on to take a 6-4 lead on Ryan Fisher's unassisted goal.

GAME SCORING
Middlebury (15-1)      3 8 3 2 -- 16
Salisbury State (17-2) 5 4 2 1 -- 12

Qtr.-Time Team, Goal (Assist) MC-SSU
1 - 10:55 MC, David Seeley (Holt Hopkins) 1-0
1 - 8:02  SSU, Rob Bookhamer (Ryan McKenzie) 1-1
1 - 6:45  SSU, Tim Parks (unassisted) 1-2
1 - 5:50  MC, Zach Herbert (unassisted) 2-2
1 - 4:18  SSU, Josh Bergey (unassisted) 2-3
1 - 3:53  SSU, John Karcher (Hirbod Azmi) 2-4
1 - 2:34  MC, David Seeley (unassisted) 3-4
1 - 0:12  SSU, Rob Bates (Josh Bergey) 3-5
2 - 13:54 MC, David Seeley (unassisted) 4-5
2 - 12:32 SSU, Ryan Fisher (unassisted) 4-6
2 - 10:49 MC, Matt Dunn (unassisted) 5-6
2 - 10:39 MC, David Seeley (Peter Soden) 6-6
2 - 5:49  MC, Steve O'Neil (Holt Hopkins) 7-6
2 - 4:43  SSU, Kevin Fox (Rob Bates) 7-7
2 - 3:43  MC, Jamie Haire (Steve O'Neil) 8-7
2 - 3:27  MC, David Seeley (unassisted) 9-7
2 - 2:42  MC, Holt Hopkins (Curt Goldman) 10-7
2 - 1:32  SSU, Chris Turner (unassisted) 10-8
2 - 0:58  MC, Holt Hopkins (unassisted) 11-8
2 - 0:28  SSU, Tim Parks (unassisted) 11-9
3 - 12:06 MC, Bryan Sanchez (unassisted) 12-9
3 - 3:51  SSU, Rayn Fisher (unassisted) 12-10
3 - 1:58  MC, Jamie Haire (unassisted) 13-10
3 - 0:54  SSU, Ryan McKenzie (Josh Bergey) 13-11
3 - 0:19  MC, Greg Carroll (unassisted) 14-11
4 - 9:29  MC, Matt Dunn (unassisted) 15-11
4 - 5:59  SSU, Rob Bates (Rob Bookhamer) 15-12
4 - 3:17  MC, Zach Herbert (David Seeley) 16-12


TEAM STATS
Category         Middlebury                       Salisbury State
Shots            9-15-9-3=36                      16-11-13-11=51
Saves             3-4-4-3=14                      2-6-4-1=13
Face-Offs        (3/9),(9/13),(2/6),(1/4)=15/32   (6/9),(4/13),(4/6),(3/4)=17/32
Groundballs      13-25-16-16=70                   16-16-14-22=68
Clears           (4/6),(6/6),(6/11),(9/11)=25/34  (7/7),(4/4),(5/7),(6/7)=22/25
Extra-Man Opp.   (0/0),(0/1),(0/0),(0/1)=0/2      (0/0),(0/0),(0/0),(0/0)=0/0
Penalties        0/0                              2/1:00

INDIVIDUAL SCORING
Middlebury
Scorers            Goals-Asst.-Pts.
David Seeley             5-1-6
Holt Hopkins             2-2-4
Matt Dunn                2-0-2
Jamie Haire              2-0-2
Zach Herbert             2-0-2
Steve O'Neil             1-1-2
Greg Carroll             1-0-1
Bryan Sanchez            1-0-1
Curt Goldman             0-1-1

Salisbury State
Scorers            Goals-Asst.-Pts.
Rob Bates                2-1-3
Josh Bergey              1-2-3
Ryan Fisher              2-0-2
Tim Parks                2-0-2
Rob Bookhamer            1-1-2
Ryan McKenzie            1-1-2
Kevin Fox                1-0-1
John Karcher             1-0-1
Chris Turner             1-0-1
Hirbod Azmi              0-1-1

GOALIES
Middlebury
Goalies            Saves GA Min.
Dave Campbell         14 12 60

Salisbury State
Goalies            Saves GA Min.
John Dodson            8 11 30
Pat Tewes              5  5 30

ATTENDANCE: 17,431