NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Under the snowy clouds over Sabine Field, the Norwich University women's lacrosse team saw a strong late rally quelled by Emerson College in a 20-16 loss to the Lions on Monday afternoon.

Seven different Cadets struck the back of the net, with Caitlyn Fielder (East Calais, Vt.), Tori Jarvis (South Windsor, Conn.), and Julia Proto (Orange, Conn.) all tallying hat tricks.  Ellie Moriarty (Stowe, Vt.), Leocadia Clark (Stowe, Vt.), and Julia Gutke (Stockholm, Sweden) logged two goals apiece, while Athena Merck (West Yarmouth, Mass.) added a score.

Moriarty made history in the contest, dishing out a career-high seven assists, which tied the program-best mark set by Allison Daniels against Pine Manor College on Apr. 18, 2008.  Moriarty's nine points rank among the top marks in program history, joining just six other players who have reached the nine-point plateau in a game.

The Cadets hit the ground running, striking first just two minutes into the frame as Moriarty picked up her first assist, finding Jarvis for the first tally.  Gutke added another just a minute and a half later, but Norwich's momentum came to a halt as the Lions roared past Norwich in the opening quarter, scoring eight of the ensuing nine goals to close the frame.

The two teams exchanged goals throughout the second before Emerson embarked on another run, picking up three straight tallies to extend their lead to 13-6 at halftime.

Norwich mounted the comeback out of the gates, as Proto opened up a 7-3 third period just over a minute into the frame.  While the Lions subsequently answered, Jarvis, Moriarty, and Proto rallied for three straight before Fielder, Moriarty, and Clark combined for three more goals to close the third stanza.

On an extra-man opportunity, Merck took advantage minutes into the final period, as Fielder found her to bring the Lions' lead down to two, 16-14.  It was not meant to be, however, as Emerson's defense held the Cadets scoreless for the ensuing nine minutes while racking up four goals to extend their lead.  Clark and Fielder snagged two goals in the waning minutes, but time ran short on Norwich's advance.

The Cadets and Lions combined for a whopping 79 shots in the wildly offensive affair, as the Cadets scooped up 31 ground balls while winning 19 draw controls.  Norwich's success particularly surged in the second half, as the Cadets took 25 combined shots and won 11 draws.  

Addison Reil (East Barre, Vt.) helped anchor the defensive effort with three caused turnovers, while Maeve Noble-Lowe (Freedom, Maine) turned away 13 shots between the pipes, in her first action in goal this season.  Fielder, Clark, and Quinn Mustone (Medford, Mass.) claimed four draw controls each.

The Cadets will have a quick turnaround, traveling to Plattsburgh State on Wednesday, Mar. 13, for a 4:00 p.m. duel.  Norwich then returns home to host Rivier University on Saturday, Mar. 16.