NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University men's rugby team flexed its muscle with a 42-6 statement victory over the Univ. of Vermont in a battle of top-five ranked teams in the latest National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) Division II poll. 

Norwich (3-1, 3-0 NEWCRC) scored 42 straight points after falling behind 6-0 in the opening 10 minutes on two successful penalty kicks from the Catamounts.

Sophomore Ben Steen (Sandwich, Mass.) scored two tries to lead the Norwich offense. Junior captain Leo Clayburgh (Brussels, Belgium), senior Jack Tellifson (Bow, N.H.), Brandon Hussey (Miami, Fla.), Yandres Cintron (Vegabaja, Puerto Rico) and Anthony Kowalski (Yamhill, Ore.) also scored tries for the Cadets. 

UVM (2-1, 2-1 NEWCRC) flyhalf Keegan Bliss hit successful penalty kicks at the 4:35 and 8:30 mark of the first half to stake UVM to the early 6-0 lead.

Norwich got on the board at the 10:40 mark with Clayburgh hitting a penalty kick to cut the deficit to 6-3.

The Cadets finally took their first lead of the game at the 23:50 mark with Kowalski touching down for a try to make it 8-6. Steen scored his first of two tries on the day at the 38:42 mark and then a successful conversion from Clayburgh made it 15-6 Norwich at the half.

Cintron scored just 1:10 into the second half to push the lead to 20-6, while Steen touched down again at the 44:31 mark to increase the lead to 25-6. Hussey scored at the 60:20 mark and then Tellifson scored at the 68:50 mark with a successful conversion from Clayburgh to make it 37-6. Clayburgh capped the scoring with his team-leading seventh try of the season at the 78:54 mark.

Norwich will host Boston University on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. in its final regular season home contest of the season.