Box Score WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Norwich University men's lacrosse team posted the 12th shutout in program history after blanking University of St. Joseph (Conn.) 13-0 in the team's Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opener on USJ Lacrosse Field on Tuesday afternoon.
Norwich (2-2) last posted a shutout back in 2012 when the team held Rivier without a goal in a 19-0 win.
USJ (2-2), the first-year program, received great support from its goalie Trey McCann who kept the Cadets off the scoreboard until the midway point of the first quarter making six saves. The hosts benefitted from some solid post work as well with Norwich sending several shots careening off the metal in the early going.
Norwich took advantage of an extra-man opportunity after a pushing penalty by the Blue Jays to open the scoring at the 6:57 mark of the first. Senior attackman Jack Anzalone (Ridgewood, N.J.) promptly deposited his sixth goal of the season off a feed from senior midfielder John Jennings (Riva, Md.).
Sophomore attackman Parker Campbell (Rockland, N.J.) scored on an unassisted effort circling out from behind the net and firing to the far low side to build a 2-0 lead for the visitors heading into the second period.
Norwich would score five more in the second quarter to extend its lead to 7-0 heading into halftime.
Campbell had a hand in four of the five goals registering a pair of goals and assists giving him 9 goals and eight helpers on the year.
Sophomore attackman Jake Andrews-Pestana (Napa, Fla.) got into the action scoring his first two goals of the season and helping on another to give the Cadets a 10-0 lead shifting over the fourth period.
Senior midfielder Russell Gilligan (Fountain Hills, Ariz.) potted two of his three goals on the afternoon in the final stanza to help close out the scoring.
Norwich held a 44-25 edge in shots and went 2-for-4 in its extra-man opportunities.
Senior goalie Brandon Milburn (Bridgewater, N.J.) made 10 saves in his first start of the year to earn the shutout win. Sophomore netminder Andrew Morgan (Derry, N.H.) stopped one shot in the final minutes in his first action of the season. McCann made some excellent stops as a part of his 14-save performance in the loss for the Blue Jays.
Campbell and Gilligan each recorded a hat trick for the Cadets with Campbell also notching a pair of assists while Gilligan helped on another. Andrews-Pestana was the only other multiple-goal scorer for Norwich potting a pair. Face-off specialists Chris Ward (Westfield, Mass.) and TJ Wess (Cantonsville, Md.) each won seven draws and were collectively 14-of-17 at the X with Ward leading the team with six ground balls.
Norwich will be back in action tomorrow as it remains on the road to face Mass. Maritime in a 5 p.m. start.
