Box Score PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Norwich University men's soccer team shocked No. 2-seed Johnson & Wales (RI) 2-1 on Wednesday night in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) semifinals at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex.
The Cadets (11-3-5, 6-0-4 GNAC) capitalized on two Johnson & Wales' own goals to advance to their fifth GNAC title game appearance in the last seven years. NU will take on No. 1 seed St. Joseph's (Maine) for the second straight year in a rematch of the 2016 title game. The two teams battled to a 0-0 scoreless tie through two overtimes, before Saint Joseph's (Maine) won 4-2 in penalty kicks to claim the crown.
Norwich won in Providence for the first time since 2011, ending a four-game winless streak at Johnson & Wales, including two previous playoff defeats in 2014 and 2015.
The Cadets ended Johnson & Wales' (15-2-2) season for the second straight year after they beat the Wildcats 2-0 in last year's semifinals. JWU had ended Norwich's season the last two years in the middle of their three straight GNAC titles streak.
Norwich took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute with a shot by Staige Davis (Shelburne, Vt.) deflected off a JWU defender and into the back of the net for just the sixth goal against the Wildcats this season.
JWU tied the game back up in the 54th minute with Jason Cruz scoring his second of the season off an assist from Yohann Assouramou. Cruz tapped in a through ball into the bottom left corner of the net to level the score.
Norwich took the lead for good in the 69th minute with Matt Mazzola (Ridgefield, Conn.) heading a ball off a JWU defender's foot into the right corner of the net to take a 2-1 lead. Davis took the corner kick service from the right and Mazzola was the first to get a head on the ball in the box.
JWU outshot Norwich 22-11 in the game, including a 16-6 edge in the second half. The Cadets had five corner kicks to JWU's one.
NU junior goalie Brendan Germano (Monroe Township, N.J.) made six saves to improve to 11-3-5 on the season. Nicholas Mancini made five saves for JWU to close the year at 14-2-1.
Norwich stretched its unbeaten streak to 24-straight games vs. GNAC opponents with the victory. The Cadets last loss to a GNAC opponent came to Johnson & Wales in the 2015 GNAC semifinals.
Norwich will now travel to St. Joseph's (Maine) for a 1 p.m. showdown with the top-seeded Monks on Saturday at the SJC Athletic Complex. The two teams have played to three straight scoreless 110-minute draws in the last three meetings.
The two teams have met in the GNAC finals twice before with the Monks scoring a 4-1 win in 2011 and winning last year as well in penalty kicks.
Saint Joseph's (Maine) has won three GNAC titles (2009, 2011, 2016), while Norwich has won four (2000, 2001, 2002, 2008).
