SALISBURY, MD -- Salisbury's Michael Cox scored from two yards out with 17 seconds to give #6 Salisbury a 42-35 decision over Rowan on Saturday in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game.

Quarterbacks Nate Maiers and Matt Welsey combined to throw for 351 yards as the Profs outgained the Sea Gulls, 426-417, on the day. Luke Hoke had game highs of nine receptions for 117 yards as the freshman also grabbed a TD. Michael Zarfati snagged five catches for 84 yards and a score. Defensively, Eric Bryant logged a team-high six tackles with Chris Rodgers adding five stops.

The Sea Gulls struck first, scoring on its second possession of the game. Starting at the Rowan 49, Ronald Clark ran 51 yards on the first play for a touchdown, however the extra point was no good.

The Profs looked to answer early in the second quarter, driving into Salisbury territory but a Rowan fumble turned the ball back to the home team. SyRus McGowan connected with Dario Belizaire on an 18-yard score to give SU a 13-0 edge.

Maiers cashed in on a defensive pass interference call that negated at Salisbury interception on the vey next play as the sophomore found Michael Zarfati on a 33-yard TD pass, capping a six-play, 73-yard drive. Clark's fumble on the next SU possession gave the Profs the ball at the Sea Gull 11 yard-line. Now faced with third and goal from the one-yard line, Shane Martin recovered a fumble on a Matt Welsey QB sneak in the end zone. Tommy Laperriere's extra point was good to give Rowan a 14-13 lead with 3:03 left in the second quarter

The defense forced a punt, giving the ball back to the offense with under two minutes in the half, where Maiers hit for back-to-back 30-yard plus plays to get the Profs in the red zone. On a 1st and 10 from the SU 13, Maiers hit Mac Carlin for a score for the senior's first career TD with just 36 seconds before halftime and give the Profs a 21-13 lead at the break.

The Sea Gulls drove 65 yards on 17 plays to open the third quarter where a one-yard scoring run from Michael Cox made it a one-score game seven minutes into the half. Maiers was intercepted on the next Rowan possession, where Salisbury would start at the RU 38 yard-line. Clark added his second score of the day, this time on a 38-yard run. McGowan would run it in on the two-point conversion for a 28-21 lead by the home team with 6:49 in the third.

Rowan responded with a 13-play, 75 yard scoring drive capped with a Joseph Riina QB sneak to the right side from a yard out on the first play of the first quarter. An offside penalty on the extra point, gave the Profs a crack at a two-point try, but it was no good.

McGowan put the home team up 35-27 with his nine-yard TD run.

Bryant recovered a fumble at the Salisbury 23 yard-line where in five plays, the Profs found paydirt. Hoke snagged a 30-yard TD pass from Welsey with 3:05 in the contest. The two-point conversion was good as Welsey ran it in to knot the game at 35-35.

Salisbury started game-winning drive at its own 10, going 90 yards on nine plays. Rowan gave it one last attempt, but a pass play near midfield after a lateral was stopped as time ran out.

Clark finished with 113 yards on nine rushing attempts and 55 yards on three receptions. Cox also scored twice, gaining 63 yards on nine carries. McGowan threw for 143 yards on 10-of-12 passing.

Rowan will return home to Coach Richard Wackar Stadium next Saturday as Rowan welcomes Montclair State for Homecoming. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.