NEW HAVEN, Conn.- In the final game of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Quarterfinal slate on Saturday night, the fifth seeded Norwich Men's Soccer team took on the fourth seeded Falcons of Albertus Magnus. Of all the road teams to compete in GNAC playoff action to this point, the Cadets were the first road team to take home a victory by a score of 3-2.
 
Things started off quickly for the Cadets. In the sixth minute, after working the ball around the attacking midfield, a cross from Kyle Dunn (Las Vegas, Nev.) found the head of a diving Nathan Statires (Hampton, N.H.) which found the lower left corner of the goal. The lead did not last though, as Roger Baldwin sent a ball from outside the box to tie the score. Later in the half, Norwich regained the lead. In the 31^st minute, a clearing attempt by an Albertus defender found its way to the right foot of Diego Fuentes (Valencia, Spain) at the top of the box, which he promptly sent inside the right post, giving the Cadets a 2-1 halftime lead.
 
Out of the intermission, the Falcons started pressing for the tie. In the 68^th minute, Johan Stagnaro would send a free kick off some well-played theatrics into the goal for the equalizer. The game remained tied until the 85^th minute. Cullen Swett (Williston, Vt.) sent a ball from the deep midfield to Jami Lashua (Williston, Vt.) in the middle of the box. Lashua, juked out the two Falcon defenders, as well as the goalkeeper sending a right foot boot to the bottom left corner to break the deadlock. The Cadet defense held the line in the final minutes clinching the 3-2 win and a berth in the GNAC Semifinal.
 
"It's always tough to go on the road, especially to a place like Albertus," Head Coach Staige Davis said. "The guys showed great toughness to continue to push for goals after Albertus came back twice to tie the game. I'm proud of their effort.
 
The GNAC Semifinal will come against top seeded Saint Joseph's College of Maine. Kick off is set for 4 PM on Oct 31 in Standish, Maine.