Box Score
Video Highlights by Tanner Acebo, Multimedia Specialist
NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University men's soccer team continued its impressive offensive start to the season, scoring nine goals en route to a 9-0 win over Johnson State in its 2015 home debut as part of the fourth annual Cadet Kickoff Classic.
Freshman striker Ethan Melia (Shrewsbury, Mass.) continued his hot start to his NU career, scoring twice to lead the offense in the victory. Sophomore forward Chase Hainey (Fryeburg, Maine) added a hat trick in the second half as well for the Cadets.
Senior Eric Beecy (Stowe, Vt.), juniors Alec Brigante (Colchester, Vt.) and Moab Schiers (South Weber, Utah), as well as sophomore Marty Elliott (Buckhannon, W. Va.) also scored for the Cadets, who have outscored their opponents 14-1 through two games in 2015.
Melia opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a low shot that beat Johnson State goalkeeper Alex Pakatar off a cross from the right from Moab Schiers.
The second Norwich (2-0, 0-0 GNAC) goal was nearly a carbon copy of the first goal with Elliott burying a shot into the bottom of the net for the first goal of his collegiate career in the 40th minute.
Norwich opened the floodgates in the second half, tallying seven goals with Hainey scoring all three of his to push his season total to four.
Brigante scored his first of the year in the 48th minute burying a rebound past Johnson State goalkeeper Alex Pakatar off an initial set-piece shot from freshman midfielder Chris Clain (Proctor, Vt.).
Melia scored his second goal of the night and third of the season just 17 seconds later when he blasted a shot into the top left corner of the net after making a long run through a couple of Johnson State defenders.
Moab Schiers notched his second goal of the year with an early candidate for goal of the year on a brilliantly struck ball into the top right corner of the net leaving Pakatar no chance to make a play on it. Colin Lozito (Wilmington, Vt.) picked up the assist on the goal.
Hainey poured two more quick goals into the net, just 45 seconds apart off assists from Matt Hilton (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Greg Zydanowicz (Newington, Conn.) respectively.
Beecy scored in the 84th minute and Hainey capped the scoring and his hat trick in the 89th minute off an assist from Ransford Ahenkora (Bronx, N.Y.)
Norwich outshot Johnson State 40-3. Freshman goalkeeper Stefan Skoff (San Jose, Calif.) picked up his second straight victory without having to turn aside a shot. Junior goalkeeper Jay Carter (Glassboro, N.J.) came on for the final 30 minutes to preserve the team clean sheet.
Norwich returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Green Mountain College at 2 p.m. in the Cadet Kickoff Classic finale. Johnson State faces Newbury at 11:30 a.m. in the other matchup.
-CADETS-
