NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Athena Merck (West Yarmouth, Mass.) drilled the game-tying and game-winning goals, leading the Norwich University women's lacrosse team to their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory of the season in a 12-10 thriller at Albertus Magnus College on Saturday afternoon.

Merck set a career-high, pacing the Cadets with four goals to go with two helpers.  Six Norwich players scored in the contest, as Quinn Mustone (Medford, Mass.), Valentina Drown (Acton, Maine), and Michaila Furchak (Nyack, N.Y.) found the back of the net twice each, while Maddie Etherton (Johnstown, N.Y.) and Neris Archambault (Pepperell, Mass.) added a goal apiece.

After the Falcons took an early 1-0 lead just 30 seconds in from Alexandra Barrett, the Cadets got to work in a game of runs, as Drown, Furchak, Merck, and Mustone netted four-straight in the first frame to give Norwich a 4-1 lead at the intermission.  Promptly, Albertus Magnus responded with three of their own to open the second quarter, tying things at 4-all.

A triage of unassisted tallies, including two in the final minute of the opening half, granted the Cadets a three-goal lead, swiftly whittled down to two in the waning seconds of the second quarter.  Amanda McGeehan added another for the Falcons out of the gates, as both squads proceeded to exchange goals over the third period.

McGeehan gave the Falcons some momentum heading into the fourth after knotting the contest, 9-9, with just a second remaining in the third.  Barrett would bookend the Falcons' output with a goal with 12 minutes left, as stalwart defense by the Cadets, spearheaded by Maeve Noble-Lowe (Freedom, Maine), allowed the Norwich offense to ignite.

Merck sniped a pair of unassisted goals in a seven-minute window to both tie the contest and break a 10-all deadlock, before Furchak added an insurance goal in the closing minutes.

Noble-Lowe finished with 16 saves between the iron, while Furchak and Julia Proto (Orange, Conn.) each logged an assist to go with Merck's deuce.

The Cadets thrived offensively, going 19-22 on clear attempts while scooping up 32 ground balls.

Norwich will look to keep the momentum alive on Wednesday, Mar. 29, when Elms College comes to Sabine Field for a 7:00 p.m. GNAC clash.