CASTLETON, Vt. – The Norwich University women's soccer team continued its strong start to the 2026 campaign on Sunday afternoon, earning a 2-0 shutout victory over interstate rival Vermont State University Castleton at Dave Wolk Stadium.
Norwich and Castleton battled through a scoreless opening 45 minutes, with the Cadets controlling much of the possession and consistently applying pressure and opportunities in the attacking third. Norwich generated nine shots and six corner kicks during the opening half, forcing Castleton goalkeeper Julie Cooper to make five saves to keep the Spartans level at halftime.
The Cadets continued to push forward after the halftime break, and the sustained pressure on the Spartan backline finally earned a break through in the 68th minute. Lily Briggs (Fair Haven, Vt.) opened the scoring with her first goal of the season, finishing off a chance created by freshman standout Sophie Guaralillo (Barre, Vt.) to put Norwich ahead 1-0.
Norwich wasted no time adding the insurance goal.
Just 58 seconds later, Guaralillo found the back of the net just 1 minute later, doubling the Cadets' advantage to 2-0. Emma Korrow (Northfield, Vt.) was credited with the assist on the goal, giving Norwich two goals in just over a minute and turning a tightly contested match into a comfortable two-goal Cadet advantage.
The two-goal outburst capped a strong offensive performance for Norwich, which finished the afternoon with a 19-10 advantage in total shots and put 13 attempts on frame. The Cadets also controlled the set-piece opportunities, earning 10 corner kicks compared to two for Castleton.
Briggs was a constant threat in the attacking third, leading all players with five shots and four shots on goal while recording the game-winning goal. Guaralillo was equally as active throughout the match, registering six shots, four on goal, one goal and one assist in the victory.
While the Cadets' attack eventually provided the difference, Norwich's defensive effort kept Castleton off the scoreboard for the full 90 minutes. The Spartans managed 10 shots, but Norwich goalkeeper Sophie Olivo (Sanford, Maine) turned aside all eight shots she faced to secure the clean sheet. Olivo made seven of her eight saves in the second half as Castleton attempted to generate pressure and find a way back into the contest.
Castleton created several opportunities early in the second half, including consecutive shots that Olivo turned away in the 57th and 58th minutes. Olivo continued to command the box as the Spartans pushed forward, making additional saves in the final 15 minutes to preserve Norwich's second shutout of the season and her second shutout of her young career.
After taking control of the match with their quick two-goal sequence, Norwich remained attacking minded in the attacking half. The Cadets continued to generate chances, earning three additional corners and putting multiple shots on Cooper in the closing stages as they saw out the 2-0 victory.
The Cadets return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m., when Norwich travels to SUNY Canton for their next match.
