NORTHFIELD, Vt. -Despite a late-match comback bid, the Norwich University men's rugby team fell to the University of Vermont 27-19 in NECRC regular season action on Saturday afternoon.
The Catamounts jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first half before Cadet junior Matt Ulufanua scored a try in the 30th minute to make it 10-5.
UVM added a penalty try in injury time at the end of the half to take a 15-5 lead into halftime.
The Catamounts added a try followed by a succesful conversion in the 49th minute to stretch their lead to 22-5.
Norwich senior Dan Miller scored a try at the 56 minute mark followed by a succesful conversion by junior Keegan Frick (Thornton, Pa.) to cut the defecit to 22-12 but UVM answered with a try seven minutes later to lead 27-12.
The Cadets capped the scoring with a try by junior Eric Pierone followed by a Frick conversion in the 75th minute for a 27-19 final score.
In the second side matchup Norwich came away with a 15-5 win thanks to tries by sophomores Jacob Kemppainen (Livonia, Mich.) and Rhys Humphrey (Warwick, R.I.) and freshman Bradley Fennell (White Plains, N.Y.).
The Catamounts improve to 5-2 on the season while the Cadets fall to 3-4. Norwich is next in action on Saturday, October 31st for a home match against the University of New Hampshire. That game kicks off at 1:00 p.m. at the Dog River Rugby Pitch.
