With a one-goal lead and time running down in the national championship game, Salisbury goalie Colin Reymann made the save he'll remember the rest of his life to preserve the Sea Gulls' 14-13 lead and win the 2016 NCAA Division III men's lacrosse title.

Box Score

The title game, held at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadalphia, marked the fourth time in the last seven games Salisbury and Tufts met in the NCAA Championship contest.  Tufts won the crowns in 2010 (9-6) and 2014 (12-9) while Salisbury emerged victorious in 2011 (19-7) and 2016.  Salisbury finished with a 23-1 overall record while Tufts finished with a 20-3 overall mark this season.

In a streaky game for both teams, SU's 11-1 run over a 23-minute span from late in the first quarter until midway through the third quarter proved decisive in the Gull's 11th national championship victory.  

Seven different Sea Gulls scoring during the run that helped build a 12-4 lead just six minutes into the second half, including two goals each by Nick Garbarino, James Burton and Carson Kalama. Included in that run were goals by Thomas Cirillo (first period) and Nathan Blondino (second period) that hit the back of the net as time ran out in the period.

Garbarino and Burton each had team-highs of three goals and five points for the champs.

After Kalama's second goal that gave SU the 12-4 lead with 9:12 left in the third quarter, the face off wins and momentum shifted to the Tufts end of the field.  The two-time defending national champion Jumbos strung together seven-straight goals in a nine-minute span that cut SU's lead to 12-11 with 13:09 left in the contest.

The Gulls slowed down Tufts with Cirillo's man-up goal, regaining a two-goal lead and a quick respite for the SU defense.  But John Uppgren's game-high fourth goal of the game just over a minute later again erased Salisbury's margin for error.  

The teams then traded goals in the final six minutes before Salisbury gained control of the ball and tried to run out the clock.  With the shot clock running down in the final minute, Salisbury surrendered possession after a time out, giving Tufts about a half minute to try to force overtime.  

As the clock ticked down to single digits, Uppgren got a quick pass while circling the goal and tried to sneak it past Reymann.  The SU keeper had his hands up, made the save, realized the ball was in his possession and he flung it down to the far end of the field as time ran out and his teammates rushed toward him to begin the championship celebration.

Reymann, who missed much of the first half of the season with a foot injury, finished with a season-best 15 saves and was named the Championship Game's Most Outstanding Player.

SU's first national title since 2012 was the 10th since the Sea Gulls joined the CAC in 1994-95.  It's also the 19th NCAA Division III crown for a CAC team in the conference's 26-year history.  Salisbury's 23 wins also ties a CAC record - set by the Gulls in the 2007 and 2012 national championship seasons - for most wins in a season.