Box Score BOSTON – Norwich University sophomore forward Alec Brigante (Colchester, Vt.) netted a hat trick to lead the Cadets past Emmanuel College 6-2 on Wednesday evening at Roberto Clemente Field. Norwich improved to 11-4-2 overall on the year and moved to 5-1-2 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action. The loss dipped the Saints to 5-8-2 and 4-4 in the GNAC.
Both squads battled the elements for the game's entirety with constant downpours as well as heavy wind gusts of up to 75 MPH. After winning the coin toss, Norwich elected to have the wind at its backs to open the match which would aid in the game's first score. Following an Emmanuel foul at midfield, NU freshman Jeff Purdy (Grantham, N.H.) sent a ball into the box that sailed over the defensive line. Sophomore forward Jacob Zimmerman (Litchfield, N.H.) was able to track the ball with through the wind, heading home the only marker of the half to give the Cadets a 1-0 lead 19:42 into the action.
Norwich dominated play in the opening stanza, outshooting the Saints 12-2 while also holding a 6-0 advantage on corners.
With the wind now at its backs, Emmanuel looked to even the game but it was the Cadets who struck first to make it 2-0 at the 54:55 marker. Brigante fed senior Chris Bristol (Clinton, Conn.) for his sixth goal of the season and just 65 seconds later it was Brigante who delivered the eventual game-winner on a brilliant touch in traffic just in front of the EC goal. Zimmerman delivered a well stuck ball towards the back post and with his back facing the goal, Brigante redirected the ball through the legs of an Emmanuel defender in past senior goalkeeper Garrett Charette to make it 3-0 Norwich.
The Cadets added a fourth goal during the 63rd minute of play as Zimmerman potted his second goal of the match, finishing an unassisted score to make it 4-0, but Emmanuel answered less than a minute later to cut the lead to 4-1. Sophomore Colin O'Donnell fired a laser from 35 yards out, finding the side netting for his second goal of the year making it a three-goal game with 27 minutes remaining.
Emmanuel continued to surge as freshman Cameron Messier played a through ball to the feet of senior James Carroll deep in NU territory. Carroll took one touch towards the goal before burying his fifth goal of the year, beating Norwich keeper Christian Hallstrom (Laz Vegas, Nev.) to the near post to make it 4-2.
Brigante made sure to not allow the hosts to get its hopes up, scoring his second goal of the evening in the 72nd minute to make it 5-2. Zimmerman played a ball to senior Derek Morin (South Paris, Maine) who blasted a shot on frame. Charette was able to make the initial save but the rebound found the head of Brigante to bump the visitor's lead back to three goals.
The sophomore finished off the hat trick with his third score of the night coming minutes later, with Morin getting credit for the assist, capping the scoring at 6-2.
Norwich owned a 24-7 shots advantage.
Hallstrom earned the victory in goal making four saves for the Cadets, while Charette posted seven saves for Emmanuel.
Both teams return to action on Saturday in their final GNAC regular season contest. The Saints travel to Saint Joseph's College (Maine) for a 12 p.m. kick off while Norwich will play host to Mount Ida at 4 p.m.
(Release courtesy Emmanuel Sports Information)
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