Box Score (Photo Credit: Gabe Dickens, Plattsburgh State)
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Norwich University men's soccer team fought valiantly for 109-plus minutes against perennial regional power Plattsburgh State on Wednesday night at the PSU Soccer Complex.
However, Plattsburgh's Matt Hamilton scored on a direct free kick from the top of the box with 31 seconds left in double overtime to spoil Norwich's effort and hand the Cadets their first loss of 2013 in a 3-2 heartbreaker.
Hamilton sent a low shot just around the right side of Norwich's three-man wall and then a Plattsburgh player jumped out of the way as the ball skipped into the bottom right corner of the net past a diving Christian Hallstrom (Las Vegas, Nev.).
Hallstrom was brilliant all game long for the Cadets, making 12 saves, including numerous on a grade-A scoring chances to keep the powerful Cardinals' offense at bay as they outshot NU 27-8.
Plattsburgh took a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute when Chris Bowden headed home a rebound in the box off an initial shot by Ethan Votraw.
NU countered less than two minutes later when freshman forward Alec Brigante (Colchester, Vt.) netted his second goal of his career on a header off an assist from senior defender Wesley Keslin (Brossard, Quebec).
Senior defender and team captain Ryan Campbell (Damascus, Md.) gave NU its first lead of the match in the 59th minute when he headed home a ball off a set-piece service from junior midfielder Chris Bristol (Clinton, Conn.).
Plattsburgh answered in the 76th minute when Nick Parrella scored off a pass from Matt Hamilton to knot the match back up at 2-2.
Plattsburgh's Mitchell Jordon made three saves on five shots on goal with none bigger than a save with 1:30 left in the second overtime to rob Brigante at point blank range from the left side of the goal with a diving save with his left hand.
Norwich continues its three-game road trip by heading to the CIAO Classic in North Adams, Mass. this weekend where it will take on in-state rival Castleton on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 2:30 p.m. and then follow up with MCLA on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
-CADETS-
