NEWTON, Mass. – Norwich University men's lacrosse suffered a heart-breaking 12-11 loss to Lasell University in an important Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchup at Grellier Field on Saturday afternoon. The Cadets had an opportunity to seal the game with an offensive possession with under a minute to play, but Lasell scored the game-winning goal with 29 seconds remaining to steal the victory. 

The win boosts Lasell's record to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in the GNAC, while Norwich drops to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference. The two teams will play again on Tuesday, April 20, also at Lasell.

There were four second-half lead changes in the contest that included the two finalists of the most recent GNAC Championships in 2019. Senior Andrew Fidalgo potted the game-winner on a transition goal set up by junior James Anderson. 

Norwich grad student Jack Anzalone (Ridgewood, N.J.) had tied the game at 11-11 just moments earlier after sophomore Callum Jones (Burlington, Ontario) caused a turnover, picked up the ensuing groundball, and fed Anzalone for the equalizer. The Cadets had possession coming out of a timeout but were unable to convert within the tight window of time. 

Lasell subsequently took the ball down the field clearing quickly and Anderson found Fidalgo all alone on the doorstep for an easy one-timer type goal. 

Anderson led the Lasers with six points on three goals and three assists, while grad student Chase Kapuscienski finished with three goals and two assists. Fidalgo and junior Bash Cunningham scored twice each. 

Norwich got its 11 goals from eight different players. Anzalone finished with two goals and one assist, seniors Payden Masaracchia (Enola, Pa.) and Clyde Tamburro (Elizabethtown, Pa.) scored two goals apiece, and Jones and junior Parker Campbell (Rockaway, N.J.) tallied a goal and two assists each. Freshman Thomas Muraski (Keller, Texas) was stellar again at the X winning 18-of-27 faceoffs. 

Norwich jumped out to an early 2-0 Norwich, but that quickly evaporated as Lasell scored six-consecutive goals from the 10-minute mark of the first period through the 4:20 mark of the second. Anderson and Kapuscienski had two goals each in the rally. Each team scored one more as the Lasers took a 7-3 into halftime.

The Cadets came alive out of the break, scoring five-straight goals by five different players to pull ahead 8-7. Kapuscienski and Cunningham went back-to-back with goals as Lasell regained the lead before Muraski answered for Norwich to tie the game after three quarters, 9-9. Each team pulled ahead by one once in the fourth quarter before Fidalgo's dramatic game-winner in the final minute.

Junior goalie Alex Beauchemin earned the win in goal for Lasell, making 11 saves. Senior Nick Kandra (Crofton, Md.) made 13 saves for Norwich. 

Norwich plays its next game on Thursday at Rivier University at 7 p.m.