NORTHFIELD, Vt. – For the second consecutive season, the Norwich University men's soccer team has earned a place in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Semifinals, setting up another postseason showdown with Rivier University for the second straight season on Wednesday evening in Nashua, N.H. The Cadets will look to turn the page on last year's narrow semifinal defeat and earn a spot in the GNAC Championship game when they take on the Raiders at 6 p.m. at Merrill Field.
Norwich enters the matchup at 9-5-4 overall after advancing through a dramatic quarterfinal contest against Albertus Magnus College on Saturday. Following a 1-1 draw through 110 minutes, the Cadets prevailed in a 7-6 penalty shootout to secure their second straight semifinal appearance. The result showcased the resilience and determination that have become hallmarks of the program under third-year head coach Rob Emmett.
Since taking over the program in 2024, Emmett has helped guide a significant transformation of Norwich men's soccer, establishing a foundation of consistency, competitiveness and postseason success. After leading the Cadets to six victories and four GNAC All-Conference selections in his first season, Emmett has continued to elevate the program, bringing Norwich back to the conference semifinals in consecutive years. The back-to-back appearances represent meaningful progress for a program that has steadily developed into a postseason contender under his leadership.
The Cadets have backed up that progress with a productive 2026 campaign on the field. Norwich has scored 38 goals through 18 games, averaging 2.11 goals per contest, while recording 263 shots and 27 assists. Defensively, the Cadets have allowed just 18 goals, an average of 1.00 per game, while limiting opponents to 9.3 shots per contest.
Senior midfielder Diego Fuentes (Valencia, Spain) and freshman forward Brian Baek (Fairfax, Va.) lead the Norwich attack with five goals apiece. Fuentes has added four assists for a team-best 14 points, while Baek has contributed 12 points in 15 appearances. Junior forward Daniel Hennessey (Dubai, U.A.E.) has also been a key contributor with four goals and four assists, giving the Cadets another consistent playmaking presence. Cristian Habiniak (North Branford, Conn.) has added four goals, including Norwich's equalizer in the quarterfinal against Albertus Magnus.
Norwich's latest postseason victory offered another example of the team's ability to respond when facing adversity. After Albertus Magnus took a 1-0 lead late in the first half, the Cadets found an equalizer in the 63rd minute when Habiniak finished a feed from Hennessey. The teams remained deadlocked through regulation and two overtime periods, with goalkeeper Victor Kalorin (Raleigh, N.C.) recording seven saves to keep Norwich in contention. After both teams converted their first six penalty attempts, Alejandro Pena (Annapolis, Md.) stepped up and buried the decisive kick to secure the 7-6 shootout victory.
The semifinal matchup brings Norwich back against a familiar opponent. The Cadets and Raiders met earlier this season on Oct. 7 at Merrill Field, where Rivier came away with a 4-1 victory. Norwich finished that contest with 12 shots and put eight attempts on target, while Hennesey scored the Cadets' lone goal in the 49th minute off an assist from Fuentes. Despite the result, Norwich generated opportunities throughout the match and will look to build on that attacking production in Wednesday's rematch. That match will serve as more fuel for the Cadets to come out fast against a Raiders team thar has plenty of history with them.
The two programs met in last year's GNAC Semifinals, with Rivier earning a 1-0 victory to bring Norwich's 2025 season to a close. The tightly contested matchup remained scoreless until the 70th minute, when the Raiders converted a penalty kick. Norwich continued to push for an equalizer, outshooting Rivier 10-6 in the second half and creating several late opportunities, but was unable to find the breakthrough.
With another postseason meeting now on the horizon, the Cadets will have an opportunity to turn last year's heartbreak into a different result. Norwich's attacking balance, defensive improvement and ability to respond under pressure have carried the team back to this stage, while Emmett's continued work in building the program has positioned the Cadets for another opportunity to compete for a conference championship.
A victory would send Norwich to the GNAC Championship game for the first time under Emmett and give the Cadets a chance to take another major step forward in the program's development.
