WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - A man-down goal in the waning minutes of regulation from Maddie Etherton (Johnstown, N.Y.) gave Leocadia Clark (Stowe, Vt.) the go-ahead to drill the game-winning shot in overtime for the Norwich University women's lacrosse team, who captured a pivotal 12-11 victory over the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) at USJ Lacrosse Field in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Wednesday evening.

It was an all-around team effort as six Cadets logged goals, spearheaded by a pair of hat tricks from Quinn Mustone (Medford, Mass.) and Neris Archambault (Pepperell, Mass.), as the latter set a career-high in addition to dishing out a helper.  Etherton and Clark finished with two apiece, while graduate students Michaila Furchak (Nyack, N.Y.) and Emma O'Neill (Hamburg, N.Y.) added one each.

The opening half was a 30-minute onslaught of runs after Mustone opened up the scoresheet with a man-up opportunity just three minutes in, with the Blue Jays responding with a pair in quick succession.  Clark and O'Neill wasted no time reclaiming the lead for Norwich, ripping a pair in in a 31-second span before USJ got two back to end the first quarter.

Ashley Rufo extended USJ's edge to 5-3 out of the break, but Archambault and Mustone swiftly went to work to knot the contest back up at 5-all.  The Blue Jays again scooted ahead by two on a pair of occasions in the third quarter, but another two-goal spurt, this one initiated by Etherton and Archambault, tied the contest at 8-8.

Neither team would lead by more than one goal after Archambault's goal at the 5:07 mark in the third quarter, as the Cadets and Blue Jays exchanged goals.  Despite Mustone's third goal ranting Norwich another deadlock, USJ appeared primed to claim victory after Makenzie Dinger pushed the Blue Jays ahead, 11-10, with 12:34 remaining, as USJ's defense ramped up and the Cadets were faced with a man-down situation in the closing minutes.

Etherton made the best out of it, however, seizing the opportunity on a wrap-around shot that caught an unsuspecting Colleen Stringer off guard in the crease to send the contest into overtime.  Norwich would subsequently dominate in the extra frame, as O'Neill won opening possession on the draw control and the Cadets would never surrender the ball.  Less than a minute in, Furchak, on a high pass over a defender, found Clark, who wormed her way through a trio of Blue Jays and ripped a falling shot directly into the nylon for the win.

The Cadets rolled in draw controls, 17-10, while causing 13 USJ turnovers.  Maeve Noble-Lowe (Freedom, Maine) earned a hard-fought win between the pipes, logging seven saves in over 60 minutes of action.

Rufo and Dinger led the Blue Jays in scoring with four and three goals apiece.

Norwich will now return home for a weekend GNAC duel against Anna Maria College on Saturday, Apr. 8.  Prior to opening face-off, scheduled for 11:00 A.M., the Cadets will honor their senior class with Senior Day festivities on Sabine Field at Haynes Family Stadium.