NORTHFIELD, Vt. – In a hard-fought battle at Sabine Field under clear late-summer skies, the Norwich University women's soccer team showcased offensive firepower yet was held to a 0–0 draw by a resilient Vermont State University Johnson in their season opener. The Cadets dominated the stat sheet, peppering Badger keeper Isabel Atkisson with shot after shot, but the visitors' backline and netminder stood firm, making six stops on the night.

From the opening whistle, Norwich set a relentless pace, crafting multiple dangerous trips into the opponent's box—and nearly breaking through early on several occasions. The first two opportunities came off the foot of Bella Roy (Weare, N.H.), which were stopped before a cross intended for Roy misfired. Lily Briggs (Fair Haven, Vt.) also had several chances that were turned aside, making it a scoreless contest at halftime with Cadets holding all seven shot attempts.

Norwich kept turning up the pressure in the second half, keeping the ball in the attacking half, with Johnson weathering the storm as the early attempts sailed wide. Later in the period, Kat Probst (Gouverneur, N.Y.) had two chances that Atkisson turned aside. Soon after an 80th-minute yellow card, the Badgers had a chance to break the deadlock, but Michaela Dubey (Belchertown, Mass.) shut the door, making one of her two saves on the night. As time wound down in the contest, Norwich was awarded a late corner, but could not find the twine, bringing the scoreless stalemate to its conclusion.

Probst led the way with five shot attempts, with Roy and Colby Magoon (Loudon, N.H.) notching three each in a contest where the Cadets totaled 18 shot attempts. Norwich's back line, led by Abby Kirrane (Lunenburg, Mass.) and Beatrice Lake (Brookfield, Vt.), held the Badgers to just two attempts in 90 minutes.

The Cadets will remain on home turf for their next contest, with another intrastate clash against Vermont State Castleton at 7 p.m. on Sept. 3.