NORWICH EDGES EMMANUEL IN KEY GNAC SOCCER MATCH
Oct. 21, 2008
NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Sophomore forward Nikki Szczepanski netted the game-winning goal midway through the second half to propel the Norwich University women's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Emmanuel College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match Tuesday afternoon at a cold and wet Howard Field. With the win, the Cadets (13-4, 9-2 GNAC) remain in first place in the conference standings. The Saints now drop to 9-6 (7-3 GNAC).
Neither team was able to score in the first half, as each team's goalkeeper made three saves apiece. Emmanuel had the best chance in the opening 45 minutes as freshman Melanie Hoffman (Topsham, ME) clanged a shot off the crossbar midway through the period.
Emmanuel broke through with the game's first goal less than two minutes into the second stanza as sophomore forward Amber Di Nucci (Assonet, MA) tallied her 12th marker of the season off an assist from junior Meghan Long (Smithfield, RI). Long served the ball into the box off a direct kick and Di Nucci deftly headed it past NU goalkeeper Nicki Hunsicker to put the Saints on top 1-0 at the 46:09 mark.
Norwich evened the score at 1-1 in the 54th minute as senior defender Leanne Waterman took a pass from Ashley Sanford and slipped the ball past Emmanuel's senior goalkeeper Laureyn Furtney (Barrington, NH). It marked Waterman's second goal of the season.
The game went back and forth for the next 15 minutes, until Szczepanski collected the ball near midfield and sprinted down the left sideline. An Emmanuel defender was with her step for step before Szczepanski turned on the jets, cut into the middle of the field near the 18-yard line and fired a low laser to the left-hand corner of the net to give the Cadets a 2-1 advantage. The goal, Szczepanski's team-leading sixth of the season came at the 69:07 mark, and put NU in front for the first time all day.
The Saints refused to go away, however as they generated several quality scoring chances in the game's final 20 minutes. One shot attempt hit the right goalpost, and another had to be headed away by NU freshman defenseman Stacey Flint after Hunsicker had wandered out of the goal momentarily. Hunsicker finished the afternoon with six saves, while Furtney made five stops. Norwich out-shot Emmanuel, 18-14, and each team attempted five corner kicks on the day.
Norwich returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 25, when the Cadets travel to Providence, R.I., to tangle with GNAC foe Johnson & Wales University in another pivotal conference match. Should NU defeat JWU, the Cadets would clinch the No. 1 seed in the upcoming GNAC Tournament. Emmanuel will play at Pine Manor College on Thursday (10/23). The Saints will take on the Gators in a 4pm start.