Box Score NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Freshman midfielder Fabian Chaparro scored two second-half goals 2:20 apart to help the Plattsburgh State men's soccer team hand Norwich University its first loss of 2012 on Wednesday at Howard Field in non-conference action.
Chapparo broke a scoreless draw in the 53rd minute when he knocked home a crossing pass from Matt Martin to give Plattsburgh a 1-0 lead that the Cardinals would never look back from.
Martin got past the Norwich defense on the right side of the field and then found Chapparo in the middle of the penalty area. Chapparo settled the pass and then beat Norwich goalkeeper Christian Hallstrom (Las Vegas, Nev.) high to the left side of the net.
Chapparo wasted little time adding an insurance tally as he took another cross pass in the middle of the penalty area, this time coming from Nick Parella on the left side of the field and then promptly beat Hallstrom again to the left corner of the net.
Plattsburgh (3-0-0, 0-0-0 SUNYAC) dominated the first half possession and shot total. The Cardinals sent 18 shots at the Norwich (2-1-0, 0-0-0 GNAC) net, but only three found their way on goal.
Hallstrom, who dropped to 2-1-0 on the year with the loss made two outstanding saves to keep Plattsburgh off the board in the first half. He robbed the Cardinals' Jarred Antonucci on a point blank shot with 24:07 left in the first half when he kicked his leg out at the last second to deflect the ball away from the goal. He also tapped a header by Joe Aratari off the goal post with 11:41 left to keep the game scoreless.
Norwich had its best opportunity of the game with 9:20 left in the second half when Nathan Bacon (Sharon, Vt.) got a head on a corner kick service from Chris Bristol (Clinton, Conn.), but his attempt went straight into the arms of Plattsburgh State goalkeeper Andy Heighinton.
Heighinton made two saves for Plattsburgh to improve to 3-0-0 on the year.
With the win, Plattsburgh picked up their first win at Norwich since 2006 and increased their lead in the all-time series to 16-4-4.
Norwich hits the road this weekend for the first time in 2012 when it travels to Rivier University on Saturday, Sept. 8 to open up GNAC league play.
-CADETS-
