NORTHFIELD, Vt. - On a night that was about more than just the final score, the Norwich University men's lacrosse team put forth a commanding performance, defeating Vermont State University Castleton, 18-9, in the 10th annual Connor Roberts Memorial Game at Sabine Field.

The non-conference victory was a reflection of the deep bonds and shared respect between the two programs, as they came together once again to honor the memory of Connor Roberts, a former Norwich standout whose legacy continues to unite both teams.

Roberts, a talented midfielder for the Cadets, tragically passed away in 2014 after his sophomore season.  Since 2015, Norwich and Castleton have proudly upheld this tradition to celebrate his life, with the game holding special significance for both sides.  Connor's brother, Ben, was a member of the Castleton lacrosse and hockey programs, while his sister, Dani, played women's lacrosse for the Spartans.  Norwich honored Connor's legacy with a memorial in the President's Box at Haynes Family Stadium.

Christian Rainis (Wynantskill, N.Y.) orchestrated the offense, totaling seven points on three goals and four assists to go with three ground balls and four caused turnovers.  David Gosselin (South Burlington, Vt.) also earned a hat trick, while Drew Fleury (Nashua, N.H.) split four points behind two goals and two helpers.

Nicholas Wolfgang (New Port Richey, Fla.), Jake Marcotte (Old Orchard Beach, Maine), Case MacDonald (Burke, Va.), and Alex Johnston (Franklin, Tenn.) ripped in two goals apiece, while James Raymond (Tracy's Landing, Md.) and Chris Smith (Dawsonville, Ga.) rounded out the scoring with a tally each.  Jackson Forbes (Merrimack, N.H.) earned an assist, alongside seven ground balls and 11 face-off victories.

Both teams struck early, with Gosselin threading the needle to put Norwich ahead, 1-0, just two minutes into the contest.  Braydon Goddard promptly responded 36 seconds later, but Norwich wasted no time setting the tone for the remainder of the contest, erupting for 11-straight goals, in a span that stretched into the second frame.

MacDonald, Fleury, Rainis, Marcotte, Wolfgang, Gosselin, and Smith all found themselves racking up goals during the sequence, before the Spartans trimmed the advantage down to single-digits on back-to-back goals.  Both squads exchanged scores, as the Cadets provided an answer to every Spartan rally throughout the second half.

A man-up opportunity by Raymond off a Rainis feed, quickly followed by a Johnston score, pushed the Cadets back ahead by 11, 17-6, but VTSU Castleton equalized it with a pair of goals.  Johnston capped off Norwich's offensive output, finding the back of the net with 2:56 remaining, and the Cadets quelled any potential comeback bid by the Spartans despite a late tally from the visitors.

While the offense provided the fireworks, Norwich's defense played a crucial role in controlling the game.  The Cadets caused 14 turnovers, led by Rainis with four and Fleury with three, while Clayton Cisar (Aberdeen, Md.) and Gavin Youngclaus (Middleboro, Mass.) each forced two.  Norwich also dominated on ground balls, securing 49 in total, including 19 in the first quarter alone.

Between the pipes, Mason Dils (Watervliet, N.Y.) earned the win with four saves over 45 minutes of play.  Thomas Hopkins (Chelmsford, Mass.) took over in the final frame, turning away two shots to preserve the Cadets' lead.  Norwich was also highly efficient in transition, successfully clearing 13 of 15 attempts on the night.

Cam Frankenhoff led VTSU Castleton offensively, posting four points on three goals and an assist, alongside four ground balls.

Norwich will now turn its focus to conference play, hitting the road for two straight games.  The Cadets open Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Saturday, Mar. 15, at Anna Maria College in a 2:30 p.m. matchup, followed by a trip to face JWU (Providence) on Wednesday, Mar. 26.  They will return home to host Emmanuel College on Saturday, Mar. 29, closing out the month at Sabine Field.