NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University men's lacrosse team went toe-to-toe with one of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC)'s top offensive squads on Saturday afternoon, riding a third-quarter surge to pull within one goal before Dean College pulled away late for a 13-8 win on Sabine Field.

Despite the final margin, the Cadets showcased one of their most complete efforts of the season across the midfield and defensive zones, holding the Bulldogs scoreless for nearly 13 minutes to close the third quarter and keep the game within reach.

Drew Fleury (Nashua, N.H.), Jake Marcotte (Old Orchard Beach, Maine), and James Raymond (Tracy's Landing, Md.) each netted two goals to lead the Norwich attack.  Case MacDonald (Burke, Va.) and Nicholas Wolfgang (New Port Richey, Fla.) also found the back of the net, while Christian Rainis (Wynantskill, N.Y.) and Alex Johnston (Franklin, Tenn.) tallied assists.

Dean came out firing, jumping to a 5-0 lead after the opening quarter, fueled by fast breaks and timely finishing.  Norwich found its footing in the second period, sparked by Fleury's unassisted goal just 56 seconds into the quarter.  Wolfgang and Raymond followed with tallies, cutting the deficit to 7-3 heading into halftime

The Cadets came out of the locker room with renewed energy, dictating the pace in the third quarter.  Fleury opened the frame with his second goal before Marcotte buried back-to-back unassisted strikes, paired with a MacDonald tally, to bring Norwich within one at 8-7.  A key man-up goal from Dean late in the quarter shifted momentum, and the Bulldogs added four more in the final stanza to pull away.

Raymond's second goal early in the fourth briefly trimmed the margin to 10-8, but three unanswered goals in the final five minutes allowed Dean to seal the win.

Goalkeeper Mason Dils (Watervliet, N.Y.) turned in a solid performance in net, finishing with 16 saves, including several standout stops on doorstep shots and transition looks that kept Norwich in striking distance for most of the game.  Dils also added a ground ball in the effort.

The Cadet defense made life difficult for the Bulldogs at times, forcing 13 turnovers while staying aggressive throughout.  Clayton Cisar (Aberdeen, Md.) forced three turnovers, while Fleury and Jackson Forbes (Merrimack, N.H.) collected four ground balls apiece.

The Cadets now turn their attention to a pivotal GNAC North Divisional matchup on Tuesday, Apr. 15, traveling to Standish, Maine, to face Saint Joseph's College of Maine at 5:00 p.m. Norwich then returns to Sabine Field on Saturday, Apr. 19, for Senior Day against defending GNAC champion University of Saint Joseph (Conn.).