PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - The Norwich University women's lacrosse team completed a furious rally in the second half to take down SUNY Plattsburgh, 14-12, in a come-from-behind non-conference victory at the Fieldhouse Complex on Wednesday afternoon.

Nine different Cadets scored, carrying out a well-balanced offensive effort.  Caitlyn Fielder (East Calais, Vt.) paved the way, posting three goals to go with an assist.  Leocadia Clark (Stowe, Vt.), Julia Proto (Orange, Conn.), and Breanna Ricker (Laconia, N.H.) logged two each, while Julia Gutke (Stockholm, Sweden), Quinn Mustone (Medford, Mass.), Athena Merck (West Yarmouth, Mass.), Tori Jarvis (South Windsor, Conn.), and Ellie Moriarty (Stowe, Vt.) rounded out the scoring with one goal apiece.  Moriarty led the team in points with five, handing out four helpers.

The Cadets found themselves down early and fast, as the Cardinals struck first on a pair of man-down goals before adding a man-up score in the opening six and a half minutes.  Norwich struck a little over halfway into the first quarter as Merck put the Cadets on the board.  Both teams exchanged goals throughout the second, as SUNY Plattsburgh controlled, 7-4, at halftime.

A pair of Plattsburgh goals that book-ended Proto's first score kicked off the third quarter, granting the Cardinals their largest lead of four.  Facing a 9-5 hole, the Cadets mounted their comeback, outscoring the hosts 3-1 to close the frame, courtesy of goals from Ricker, Fielder, and Proto.

Fielder notched her second just over a minute into the fourth to bring the Cadets back within one, but SUNY Plattsburgh's Lillian Gilroy responded to push the Cardinals back ahead by one.  Moriarty found Clark for the answer almost immediately after.

Despite an ensuing scoreless stretch of three minutes, the Cadet offense spurred back to life, as Fielder found herself responsible for the equalizer and go-ahead goals, dishing an assist to Moriarty to knot things up at 11-all before completing the hat trick 47 seconds later to push the Cadets forward.

The Cardinals seized an opportunity on a man-up sequence, tying the contest at 12-12 with three minutes remaining, but Moriarty earned her fourth assist on the game-winning goal with 2:05 left, as Clark buried a shot between the pipes to hand Norwich the lead.  Ricker added an insurance goal in the waning minutes, ensuring the Cadets a 14-12 victory.

Norwich thrived in the second half in generating offensive opportunities, finishing with 37 total shots, with 14 coming in the fourth quarter, while holding the Cardinals to just five in the final frame.  The Cadets generated 14 Plattsburgh turnovers while scooping up 27 ground balls.  Merck caused three Cardinal miscues, while Fielder won nine draw controls.

Bailey Manning-Ingala (West Hartford, Conn.) claimed her first collegiate victory in the crease, denying 12 shots in a full 60 minutes of action.

The win marks the first for Norwich over SUNY Plattsburgh since the 2019 season and just the second over the Cardinals in program history.

The Cadets will return to action on Saturday, Mar. 16, entertaining Rivier University in a 4:00 p.m. showdown on Sabine Field in conference action.  Norwich then heads to Emmanuel College the following Saturday, Mar. 23, for another Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) bout.