Courtesy Norwich Sports Information

NORTHFIELD –– The Norwich University men’s soccer team defeated Castleton University 3-1 on Tuesday night in a non-conference matchup on Sabine Field at Haynes Family Stadium.

Norwich (4-1-1, 0-0-1 GNAC) scored two late goals in the first half and then added another in the second half to pick up the intrastate state showdown victory and improve to 21-20-7 against the Spartans all-time.

Senior Andrew Kalombo (Worcester, Mass.), as well as freshmen Hunter Lortie (Manchester, N.H.) and Joseph Thongsythavong (Salem, Mass.) each scored to lead the Cadets’ offense in the victory.

Freshman goalkeeper Robert Wagenseller (Poway, Calif.) made five saves, including stopping a penalty kick to improve to 4-1-1 on the season.

Norwich dominated the shots and possession for a large portion of the first half and finally was able to convert in the 41st minute with Lortie striking a ball into the left corner off the net off a deflected pass from Julius Davis (Peabody, Mass.). The goal was Lortie’s first of his collegiate career and the assist was Davis’ second of the season.

Thongsythavong scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season with 31 seconds left on a header off a service from the far side from Dashiell Vermilya (Montpelier, Vt.).

In the 65th minute Castleton (2-4-0) cut into Norwich’s lead with Jack Kingdon scoring on a penalty kick, beating Wagenseller to the left after the Cadets’ keeper dove right.

Norwich answered just 1:11 later though Kalombo scoring his third goal of the season, heading home a free-kick service from 50 yards out by Alex Brannan (Oneonta, N.Y.). The assist was also Brannan’s team-leading fifth helper of the year.

Castleton nearly cut the deficit to one-goal again in the 74th minute but Noah Swainbank was denied by a team save from Vermilya on the near post to keep the score at 3-1.

Norwich will host Emmanuel (Mass.) on Friday, Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m. to kickoff Norwich’s Bicentennial and Homecoming Weekend on Sabine Field at Haynes Family Stadium.