Salisbury, MD – Defending NJAC champion and 16^th-ranked Salisbury scored on each of its first three possessions as the Sea Gulls handed Montclair State a 40-20 setback on Saturday afternoon.

Quarterback Ryan Jones rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown while adding 108 yards and a TD passing helping Salisbury up its record to 2-0 (1-0 NJAC). The Sea Gulls also posted their second consecutive win in the all-time series and third overall in 11 contests.

Freshman quarterback RYAN ADZIMA threw for 198 yards and two touchdowns for MSU (1-1, 0-1 NJAC), which was looking for its first 2-0 start since 2011.

Jones and Connor Canonico combined for all 66 yards on the ground as Salisbury's option attack drove 66 yards on the opening possession for a 7-0 lead. Canonico finished off the eight-play drive with an 8-yard touchdown with 11:17 remaining.

Montclair State quickly erased that deficit 15 seconds later on its first touch of the ball. Running back JOHN DISTEFANO took a handoff from Adzima and raced 75 yards for a touchdown. It's the second straight week DiStefano had scored on a touchdown run of 70-plus yards.  

The back-and-forth continued as Salisbury countered with another 66-yard drive, this one capped off by  one-yard Canonico plunge making the score 14-7 with 5:40 to play in the opening quarter. After forcing a Montclair punt, the Sea Gulls added to the lead. Michael Fowler had the big play in the drive, a 13-yard run on a 3^rd-and-12 down to the MSU 13. Two plays later Jones hit Brad Rose from 10-yards out as Salisbury went up 21-7 with 12:14 to go before halftime.

Late in the half, the Sea Gulls threatened for more moving the ball to the MSU 4 in the closing seconds. However junior Vincent Cordsaco sacked Jones ending the half as Salisbury led 21-7. The Sea Gulls would score on its first possession of the second half needing just three plays. Taking over at the MSU 45, Ryan Kolb rushed for 21 yards with Brady Curley following that up with a 24-yard touchdown run as the lead increased to 28-7.

Salisbury turned a Montclair turnover into another score as Jones ran in from two yards out with 1:31 left in the third for a 34-7 lead.

The Red Hawks got back into the scoring column early in the fourth as Adzima found JULANEE PRINCE for a 30-yard touchdown on 4^th-and-6 bringing MSU within 34-14. Salisbury answered with a 13-play, 82-yard drive that took 8:17 off the clock. Kolb ran it from nine yards out for the touchdown.

Adzima got his second TD toss on Montclair's next possession hitting KYIESE LOPEZ on a 42-yard strike.

Kolb finished with 95 yards rushing while Curley and Canonico ran for 74 and 73 respectively as the Sea Gulls rushed for 461 yards and finished with 569 yards of offense.

DiStefano collected 106 yards on the ground. Prince had three catches for 63 yards while Lopez and JAEDON STEPHENS each had two receptions for 48 and 34 yards respectively. VINNY LOVERDE and JOE SCHULTZ led MSU with four receptions each.

Cordasco had 10 tackles with Shaone Stephenson and DYLAN ELLIOTT had posting nine. JOE FALATO added seven with JOSHUA BETTS and NICK CATALANO registered four apiece.

Montclair State comes home for the first time this season next Saturday, September 24. The Red Hawks will host Rowan University in a "Color Rush" game at Sprague Field beginning at Noon.