Box Score (Photo Courtesy Sheridan Steiner, Norwich University)
NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University men's soccer team ended its three-game winless streak in dramatic fashion on Friday night with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Emmaneul College on Sabine Field at Haynes Family Stadium in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action.
Senior forward Joe Young (McLean, Va.) scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 81st minute by burying the ball into an open net between two Emmanuel defenders after junior midfielder Derek Morin (South Paris, Maine) fed him a pass from the end line.
Morin got behind the Emmanuel defense after a Saints' defender couldn't play the ball forward with his head. Morin streaked past the defender and dribbled the ball toward the Emmanuel cage to draw the Saints' goalkeeper Garrett Charette off his line. Morin centered the ball to Young who was making a run through the center of the box and he took care of the rest to score his second goal of the season.
Young's heroics came just 1:13 after Emmanuel's Wojciech Kopacz tied the match up at one by one-touching the ball past Norwich starting goalkeeper Greg Payne (State College, Pa.) off a pretty feed from Kurt Pruner from the right wing 25 yards out.
Kopacz's goal briefly stunned the raucous crowd, but Young sent the Norwich faithful back into a frenzy with his goal.
Coming into Friday night's match, Norwich (6-3-2, 2-1-1 GNAC) had only scored one time in its last three matches. However, it didn't take long for the Cadets to strike as freshman forward Jacob Zimmerman (Litchfield, N.H.) knocked home his fourth goal of the season off a pass from the right wing from Anthony Amell (Northfield, Vt.).
Morin once again had a hand in setting up the goal as he played the ball forward to Amell to set up the goal just 3:27 into the match to give Norwich a 1-0 lead.
Emmanuel (5-8-0, 2-2-0 GNAC) narrowly outshot Norwich 19-17, while Norwich had eight corner kicks to the Saints' six. Payne registered six saves to improve to 5-1-2 on the season. Charette made four saves to fall to 3-7-0 on the year.
Friday night's win marked NU head coach Kyle Dezotell's 100th career victory at Norwich. He has compiled a 100-46-13 in eight seasons for the Maroon & Gold. Last year, he became the all-time coaching wins leader in NU men's soccer program history.
Norwich returns to action on Wednesday, Oct. 9 when it hosts Lyndon State at 7 p.m. in its final non-conference match of the season at Sabine Field at Haynes Family Stadium.
Highlights Courtesy of Tanner Acebo, Norwich Sports Information
