NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Junior quarterback Mitchell Theal (Elma, N.Y.) threw for a career-best 350 yards and connected on four touchdowns, sending Norwich to a hard-fought, 31-23, New England Men's and Women's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) win over Coast Guard on Saturday afternoon at Sabine Field. Norwich improves to 2-3 on the year following the victory and open conference play with a victory for the third consecutive year.

Three of Theal's touchdown passes were caught by senior Trevor Chase (Eliot, Maine), who set a new career-high with 185 yards on the afternoon and set the program record for career touchdown receptions in spectacular fashion with a 71-yard touchdown on the first offensive play. Freshman Tykell Stewart (Locust Grove, Ga.) caught Theal's fourth touchdown, closing out the contest with 121 yards on eight receptions. Theal closed out the contest completing 25-of-36 passes, and helped the Cadets' passing game average 14.4 yards per reception. Junior Justin Bryant (Eliot, Maine) and junior Jehric Hackney (Jehrico, Vt.) anchored the run game, with Bryant racking up 52 yards on 12 carries and Hackney adding 47 yards on nine carries.

Senior linebacker Patrick Keefe (Andover, Mass.) matched last week's career-high output with nine tackles to lead the defense as Norwich helped turn the tide on the Bears with a key red zone stop in the second quarter. Junior Declan Kapusta (Walhalla, S.C.) recorded an unassisted sack, and senior Sulaiman Jalloh (Somerset, N.J.) led the team with 1.5 tackles for loss, added a half sack and was one of five Cadets to record six tackles.

The two teams traded touchdown drives during the first quarter, as Theal connected with Chase on touchdowns of 71 and 45 yards to send the team into the second tied, 14-14. Coast Guard took a 17-14 lead with 9:03 remaining in the quarter, and after being stalled Norwich responded with a seven-play, 80-yard drive late in the half that concluded with a 58-yard strike from Theal to Stewart to give the Cadets the lead back, 21-17, heading into halftime.

Norwich received the second half kick-off and marched down the field again, moving into the Bears' red zone and setting up junior kicker Zach Buchy (Suffolk, Va.) for a 25-yard field goal that increased the lead to seven points. The Cadet defense held steady on two consecutive drives, forcing a three-and-out before holding Coast Guard to a field goal on a drive that started at their own 35-yard line, sending the game into the fourth with Norwich holding onto a four-point lead.

In the fourth quarter, Norwich over with 8:52 remaining in the fourth, and held the ball for 6:27 on a 12-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by a critical insurance touchdown on a three-yard pass from Theal to Chase. Coast Guard scored with 35 seconds remaining, but Norwich secured the onside kick to clinch the victory.

Norwich will return to action next Saturday at 12 p.m., when the Cadets travel to Kings Point, New York to battle Merchant Marine Academy.