Photo courtesy Nikki Therrien, Norwich University

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The Norwich University men's soccer team dropped its eighth straight meeting with perennial NESCAC powerhouse Middlebury on Tuesday afternoon by a score of 2-0.

Middlebury (1-1-0, 0-1-0 NESCAC) scored in the eighth minute when senior captain Alvand Hajizadeh roofed a shot over Norwich starting goalkeeper Greg Payne's (State College, Pa.) head off a crossing pass from Josh Lyvers.

The Cadets (3-2-0, 1-0-0 GNAC) didn't back down however and had an excellent opportunity to tie the game with 28:45 left in the half when freshman Ludo Kamga (Tunis, Tunisia) had a bicycle kick shot blocked away by a Middlebury defender. Kamga got past Middlebury keeper Zach Abdu-Glass after he came off his line to a challenge a loose ball but his acrobatic attempt was foiled by Middlebury's Graham Knisley.

Knisley also provided the final dagger in the Cadets' hopes when he headed home a ball in the box off assists from Hajizadeh and Sam Redmond with just 3:22 remaining in the game to push the Middlebury lead to 2-0.

Payne made six saves for Norwich in his first collegiate start. Middlebury outshot the Cadets 14-2 and had nine corner kicks to NU's two.

Norwich returns home this Saturday to host Suffolk University at Howard Field at 1 p.m. as part of a men's and women's soccer doubleheader on NU Homecoming Weekend 2012.

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