NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University men's rugby team advanced to the New England Collegiate Rugby Conference (NECRC) championship match with a 32-17 win over the University of Vermont on Saturday afternoon at the NU Dog River Rugby Pitch.
No. 2-seeded Norwich (7-2 overall) scored two quick tries by Gianni Miceli (South Boston, Mass.) and Matt Maloney (Burlington, Vt.) in the opening five minutes of the match to take a 10-0 lead on Vermont.
However, UVM stormed back with a try in the 20th minute and then converted a 3-point penalty kick to tie the match up at 10 midway through the opening half.
The Cadets seized the momentum back though in the 38th minute when Josh Nowak (Arlington, Mass.) plunged over the end line to make it 15-10 NU heading into halftime.
Vermont didn't take long to get going in the second half as the visitors scored less than 1:30 into the stanza to take its first lead of the game at 17-15.
Norwich took control of the match from there though as the Cadets scored 17 unanswered points to close out the match with a 32-17 win. Richard Shear (South Africa), Miceli and Brandon Drennan (Jersey City, N.J.) each scored tries for NU to clinch its second victory of UVM this season. The Cadets beat Vermont 33-29 earlier in the regular season in Burlington.
Norwich now advances to the NECRC championship match where it will travel to New London, Conn. to face the No. 1-seed Coast Guard next Saturday at a time still to be determined. Coast Guard beat Norwich 27-24 earlier in the regular season in their lone meeting on the year at the NU Dog River Rugby Pitch.
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