WESTON, Mass. - The Norwich University men's lacrosse team exploded for seven unanswered goals in the first quarter and never looked back, securing a 14-9 victory over Regis College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match-up on Saturday afternoon at Regis Stadium.

Drew Fleury (Nashua, N.H.) led the offensive charge with five goals and two assists for a game-high seven points.  Alex Johnston (Franklin, Tenn.) recorded a hat trick, while James Raymond (Tracy's Landing, Md.) and Jake Marcotte (Old Orchard Beach, Maine) each netted a pair.  Christian Rainis (Wynantskill, N.Y.) and Case MacDonald (Burke, Va.) added a goal apiece to round out the Cadets' attack.  Norwich's playmaking was on full display, with Raymond, Marcotte, and Rainis tallying two assists, while David Gosselin (South Burlington, Vt.) and Chris Smith (Dawsonville, Ga.) also chipped in with helpers.

The Cadets wasted no time setting the tone, as Raymond connected with MacDonald just under a minute into the contest to ignite the early scoring spree.  Marcotte, Johnston, and Fleury all found the back of the net in rapid succession, forcing Regis onto its heels.  Norwich continued to pour on the pressure, with Fleury striking twice more before Rainis capped the dominant first quarter with a goal to push the lead to 7-0.

Regis finally broke through early in the second quarter with back-to-back goals, but Norwich responded emphatically.  Johnston's unassisted tally kickstarted another offensive surge, with Fleury adding three more goals before halftime, giving the Cadets an 11-2 advantage at the break.

The Pride mounted a late push in the second half, outscoring Norwich, 7-3, in the final two quarters, but the early deficit proved too steep to overcome.  Raymond and Marcotte notched crucial fourth-quarter goals, with Marcotte's coming on the man advantage, helping the Cadets secure the road victory.

Defensively, Norwich was relentless, causing 22 turnovers to stifle the Regis attack.  Clayton Cisar (Aberdeen, Md.) and Cyrus Guillet (Glens Falls, N.Y.) helped pace the ground ball battle with five pickups each, while Fleury secured a team-high six. Cisar also recorded five caused turnovers, tying the game-high, while David Myers (Hainesport, N.J.) forced three turnovers to add to the defensive effort.

In net, Mason Dils (Watervliet, N.Y.) earned the win, playing just under 38 minutes while allowing only two goals and making one save.  Thomas Hopkins (Chelmsford, Mass.) took over for the final 22 minutes, recording five saves to close out the game.

Norwich dominated in several key statistical categories, outshooting Regis, 58-20, and winning the ground ball battle, 50-39.  The Cadets were efficient in transition, converting 11-of-15 clear attempts while limiting the Pride to a 12-of-20 mark.  Special teams played a role as well, with Norwich capitalizing on 2-of-3 extra-man opportunities while holding Regis scoreless on two attempts.

With the victory, Norwich improves its standing in GNAC play as it prepares for the stretch run of the regular season.  The Cadets return to action on Saturday, Apr. 12, hosting Dean College at Sabine Field at 2:00 p.m., before traveling to face Saint Joseph's College of Maine on Tuesday, Apr. 15.