THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – With his team ahead by a 17-14 margin in overtime, senior Benjamin Hummer (Annapolis, Md.) recovered a fumble by the host team to propel the Norwich University football team to a victory over SUNY Maritime on Saturday. 

Norwich evens its overall record at 4-4, moving to 4-1 within the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference, while the Privateers dip to 4-4 on the year alongside a 2-3 mark within league play. 

Maritime dramatically tied the game at 14 with a one-yard touchdown run from Brett McKinley, crossing the goal line as time expired in the fourth quarter. The Matthew Murphy point-after attempt was good, sending Norwich to its first overtime game since Nov. 10, 2010. 

On the first possession, quarterback Philippe Bazinet (Otterburn Park, Quebec, Canada) and freshman Patrick Brown (Pooler, Ga.) netted a combined eight rushing yards to set up senior Wesley Medeiros (Gilford, N.H.) to make a 34-yard field goal, propelling his team to a 17-14 lead. 

After two rushing plays, the Privateers handed the ball off to Severino Torelli, who gained two yards before fumbling the football – Hummer swooped in and emerged from the chaos with the game-winning recovery for Norwich, netting its first overtime win since a 31-30 win over Hartwick on Oct. 30, 2004. 

Norwich scored first in the contest as senior Tyler Simmons (Auburn, Mass.) hauled in a three-yard pass from junior signal-caller Nolan Aurelia (Stratford, Conn.) – a Medeiros point-after granted the Cadets a 7-0 lead with 11:09 remaining in the first half. A huge 42-yard reception by freshman Dayvon Medina (Lauderhill, Fla.) preceded Simmons' clutch score. 

On the very next possession, however, Maritime quarterback Joseph Butterworth fired a pass that was reeled in by Matt Ward and brought back 30 yards for the hosts first touchdown of the afternoon. The Murphy point-after was successfully converted, knotting the score at seven. 

After a scoreless third quarter, the Cadets began their scoring drive with only 10:59 remaining in regulation time. At the Norwich 35-yard line, Bazinet held the ball and ran it forward a whopping 31 yards to place his team in prime position for a score. 

On first-and-10 from the Maritime 13-yard line, Bazinet took the ball across the goal line himself to capture the lead. A Medeiros extra point would create a 14-7 advantage before the Privateers would dramatically knot the score in the waning seconds of regulation. 

Maritime and Norwich were nearly even statistically as the Privateers had 17 first downs, including three on fourth down, while the Cadets posted 16. Furthermore, the hosts picked up 283 total yards of offense while Norwich trailed by only three yards despite holding the edge in rushing yards, 168-to-139. 

Aurelia finished the game 7-for-17 through the air, netting Norwich 104 yards while throwing for one touchdown and one interception. Bazinet was 1-for-4 through the air, gaining 50 yards on the ground. Butterworth was 14-for-29 passing for Maritime, tallying 144 passing yards in the loss. 

Brown led Norwich with 89 rushing yards while Bazinet and Aurelia, the Cadets quarterbacks, finished with 66 yards on the ground. Butterworth led all Privateers with 53 rushing yards while Torelli ran for 52 yards, but had a costly fumble in overtime that sealed the Norwich victory. 

Senior Adam Cox (Audubon, N.J.) posted a team-leading 12 tackles while senior Derek Lotito (Swanzey, N.H.) registered 11 takedowns. Senior Cody Lindell (Cranston, R.I.) and classmate Jake Apthorpe (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) joined Hummer with 10 tackles on the afternoon while David Heinsohn (Lorton, Va.) accumulated 2.5 tackles for a combined loss of five yards. 

Norwich hits the road this Saturday, Nov. 5, traveling to Maine to take on Husson University at 12 p.m. in what will be a pivotal contest in the ECFC standings. The Cadets return home on Saturday, Nov. 12, taking on Castleton University at 1 p.m. for the Battle of the Maple Sap Bucket.