EAST BOSTON, Mass. - The Norwich University men's soccer team's offense continued to sizzle on Saturday night as the Cadets scored five goals en route to a 5-2 win over Suffolk University in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action. 

Sophomore Luke Gleadle (Gilbert, Ariz.) netted his first collegiate hat trick to lead the offense to the victory and stretch the Cadets' unbeaten streak vs. league opponents to 19 straight games. Norwich's offense has been red hot as of late, scoring 16 goals in the last three games after scoring just 14 in the first 11 of the year. 

Junior Chris Clain (Proctor, Vt.) and a Suffolk own goal accounted for the other two Norwich goals on the day. 

Norwich (7-3-4, 5-0-3 GNAC) opened the scoring in the sixth minute with Gleadle tallying his first of the game and sixth of the season by beating a defender towards the left side and then putting the ball into the net.

Gleadle struck again in the 11th minute scoring on a cross from Staige Davis (Shelburne, Vt.) for his second of the game and seventh of the season. He finished off the natural hat trick in the 19th minute by chipping the ball over the goalkeeper on a breakaway for his team-leading eighth goal of the season.

Suffolk (6-6-1, 3-5-1 GNAC) got on the board in the 31st minute with a penalty kick goal to cut the deficit to 3-1.

However, that's as close as Suffolk would get as Norwich added two more second half goals with Clain scoring his second of the season and Suffolk scoring on themselves to increase the lead to 5-1. Suffolk scored with 34 seconds left in the game to cap the scoring.

Suffolk outshot Norwich 13-12 and had three corner kicks to Norwich's zero. 

NU junior goalkeeper Brendan Germano (Monroe Township, N.J.) made four saves to pick up the victory for the Cadets. 

Norwich travels to Mount Ida on Wednesday for a big showdown that will likely determine who gets the No. 3 seed for the GNAC Tournament. Norwich currently holds a three-point lead on the Mustangs. However, a victory on Wednesday by Mount Ida would give the Mustangs the tie-breaker. 

Norwich sits one point back of Johnson & Wales for second place in the standings. The Wildcats play at Albertus Magnus on Wednesday.