Women’s Soccer: Cadets Swim Past Sharks on Cornellier’s Late Goal

BOSTON, Mass.- The Norwich Women’s Soccer team concluded their schedule on Tuesday night with an impressive come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Simmons.

Both teams were unable to find the back of the net in the first half, although the Cadets had a slight advantage in shots (7-5) with three shots on target compared to Simmons’s two. Early in the second half, the Sharks managed to take the lead with a goal from Maria Nikolakopoulos. This ignited Simmons’s momentum, resulting in four shots in a three-minute span as they sought to increase their lead. However, against the tide of momentum, Bella Roy (Weare, N.H.) launched a powerful shot, leaving the defenders clueless, which eventually found the back of the net and leveled the score.

The Sharks continued to put pressure on Norwich, aiming to regain the lead with two more shots on target. Nevertheless, Rebecca Karis (Fayetteville, N.C.) stood firm, making two saves in the half and a total of five throughout the game. Eventually, the Cadets managed to advance the ball into their offensive end and earn a corner kick. It was from this set piece opportunity that Lindsey Duggan (Belmont, N.H.) found Harleigh Cornellier (Tyngsborough, Mass.) with a perfectly placed header by the right post, finding the bottom left corner and breaking the tie in the 76^th minute. The score remained unchanged until the final whistle.

“We didn’t make things easy for ourselves tonight, but I’m incredibly proud of the team for fighting through and securing the win,” said Head Coach Jared Cipriano. “It was wonderful to see certain individuals step up and make significant contributions when we needed them the most. We have made substantial progress this season, and it’s fantastic that we can conclude it with consecutive victories.”

With these back-to-back wins to end the season, the Cadets exceeded their win total from the previous year.