MEN'S RUGBY

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Many alumni and friends turned out on Saturday of Homecoming weekend to cheer for the Cadets as they battled Brown University. The game was an intensely-fought battle, and ended up in a 15-15 draw.

Under oppressively hot conditions, Norwich applied pressure and took control early in the match. Pinpoint throw-ins from freshman Ryan Wunder and catches by senior jumper Miley Massed at the lineouts helped the ‘Wick' maintain possession in Brown territory.

At the 15 minute mark, Norwich hooker Justin Aubin stole one against the head during a five-meter scrum. While Norwich's pack drove forward, #8 Peter Beamer picked up at the base and bulled his way in for the first try of the warm afternoon, giving Norwich a 5-0 lead.

As play resumed, Brown became progressively more focused, and the two teams battled back and forth for another 15, but neither club was able to score.

Thirty-one minutes into the half, senior scrumhalf Todd Howe intercepted Brown's pass at the lineout, broke through the Bruno defense, dashed 30 meters, and dove in for the try between the posts. Unfortunately, Todd was unable to convert.  With eight minutes remaining, the score stood at Norwich 10, Brown 0.

Brown mounted their own attack and scored an unconverted try just before the half ended, cutting Norwich's lead to 10-5.

At the start of the second half, the momentum swung toward the boys from Providence as Brown scored two tries within the first seven minutes to gain the lead 15-10.

Junior prop Brad Panasiti, throughout the rest of the play, made some hard tackles in defense and presented the ball in attack. With under 10 minutes remaining, Brown had a 10-meter scrum. Norwich's stiff defense held, and on the boot of sophomore Kevin Bishop Norwich changed the direction of play. 

Bishop followed his kick downfield 75 meters and continued to dribble it further. As Bishop and senior center Drew Caplin put pressure on, Brown was forced to touch the ball down in their in-goal.

Wick's aggressive pressure resulted in a five-meter scrum of its own. Norwich capitalized as #8 picked, delivered to scrumhalf Todd Howe who passed out to weak side winger senior Matt Samson. Samson broke a tackle and proceeded to dive over in the corner for his first try. The unconverted try locked the score, 15-15, with just under five minutes remaining.

At the following kickoff, Norwich kept up the pressure with two line-outs and a scrum inside Brown's twenty-two meter line. In the closing minutes it appeared that Norwich's pressure would result in victory, but the final whistle blew to end the match tied at 15 points apiece. Norwich ends the preseason with a 1-1-1 record.

Norwich opens its regular season on Sunday, Sept. 16 versus reigning Northeast Champion West Point. Kickoff for the home match is slated for 11 a.m.