Box Score
Highlight Video by Tanner Acebo, NU Sports Information
NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University men's soccer team claimed its third straight Cadet Kickoff Classic title on Saturday afternoon with a 7-1 victory over Green Mountain College on Sabine Field at Haynes Family Stadium.
Sophomore Jacob Zimmerman (Litchfield, N.H.) and freshman Chase Hainey (Fryeburg, Maine) each scored twice to lead Norwich (2-0) to the victory. Sophomore Alec Brigante (Colchester, Vt.) earned Offensive Most Valuable Player honors after adding a goal and two assists for a four-point day
Norwich claimed the title over Mass. College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) by winning the tiebreaker due to goals scored. Norwich was +8 (goals capped at five per match), while MCLA was +7. MCLA beat Johnson State 2-0 prior to the Norwich/Green Mountain match.
The Cadets needed less than two minutes to get on the board as sophomore Moab Schiers (South Weber, Utah) scored his second penalty kick goal in as many games. Schiers got the PK attempt following a Green Mountain College player being sent off with a red card after he blocked a ball on the goal line with his hand.
Zimmerman and Brigante hooked up for the next two goals at the 6:52 mark and the 19:28 mark to increase the Norwich lead to 3-0. Brigante sent centering passes on both goals to Zimmerman wide open in front of the net for tap in goals.
Brigante scored his first goal of the season in the 35th minute off an assist from Hainey to make it 4-0 Norwich.
Green Mountain (0-2) got on the board in the 42nd minute when Jordan Manikas roofed a shot off a scrum in front of the net following a corner kick. Matt Kukola got a foot on the ball initially before Manikas found it and beat NU starting goalie Christian Hallstrom (Las Vegas, Nev.).
However, Norwich responded 29 seconds later with Hainey's first goal of the game and then Hainey scored again in the 44th minute to make it 6-1 Cadets heading into halftime. Bryan Mazzola (Ridgefield, Conn.) and DJ Spears (San Antonio, Texas) picked up assists on the goal.
Freshman Greg Zydanowicz (Newington, Conn.) picked up his first career goal in the 58th minute off a crossing pass from Spears. Zydanowicz ripped a low shot that a Green Mountain defender got a cleat on but couldn't keep it out of the net.
Schiers, Chris Bristol (Clinton, Conn.) and Christian Albrecht (Albuquerque, N.M.) were also named to the All-Tournament team for Norwich. MCLA's Anthony Bonacio was named the Defensive MVP, while Romeo Gray, Anthony Basile and Kwadwo Kusi joined him on the All-Tournament team. Green Mountain's Matt Kukola and Nazar Zhukovskyy, as well as Johnson State's Dominic Caforia and Matt Boltzer rounded out the All-Tournament team.
Norwich outshot Green Mountain 27-6 and earned nine corner kicks to Green Mountain's one.
Hallstrom made one save to improve to 2-0 on the season and win his 20th career game in a Cadet uniform.
Norwich wraps up its three-game home stand to start the 2014 season on Wednesday, Sept. 3 in a showdown with Lake Champlain rival Plattsburgh State. Plattsburgh won 3-2 in double-overtime last season over Norwich.
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