Box Score 

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University women's soccer team could not keep up when a defensive struggle turned into an offensive showcase, dropping a 3-2 decision to Johnson & Wales Saturday afternoon at Howard Field. 

Johnson & Wales' Samantha Reynolds scored all three goals in the second half to lead the Wildcats (3-0-0, 1-0-0 GNAC) to the win in the conference opener for both squads.

After the teams battled to a scoreless tie after one half of play, Reynolds opened the scoring five minutes into the second stanza when she scored off an assist from Katlyn Gerrish to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.  Norwich junior GK Nicki Hunsicker came out to the top of the goal box to challenge the cross by Gerrish, only to have it deflect off her body and have Reynolds shoot it into the back of the net.

Norwich (2-2-0, 0-1-0 GNAC) answered quickly when junior F Nikki Szczepanski tied the game at 1-1 less than a minute later. She corralled the ball at the top of the penalty area and blasted it into the upper right-hand corner of the net in the 52nd minute.    

Johnson & Wales continued the frenetic pace when Reynolds added her second goal of the contest in the 56th minute.

Reynolds completed her hat trick in the 68th minute when she gathered a loose ball in the box and slipped it past Hunsicker.

Norwich started to rally when freshman F Bianca Bogda scored her first career goal off an assist from junior F Karissa Doyon at the 82:45 mark. The Cadets could not maintain the momentum, however, and failed to net the equalizer.

Hunsicker finished the game with two saves. Johnson & Wales keeper Jennifer Hurley made three stops for the Wildcats.

Norwich will return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 16, when the Cadets travel to Boston, Mass., to battle GNAC rival Emerson College at 5:30 p.m.