Box Score PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Matt Hamilton put an end to a chippy game with 31 seconds left in the second overtime Wednesday night at the Field House Turf Complex, giving the Plattsburgh State men's soccer team a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Norwich Cadets.
The Cardinals (3-0-0) held an 11-2 edge in shots in the first half, but Norwich goalkeeper Christian Hallstrom was the made the difference by coming up with six stops in the half, including the denial of a Hamilton free kick in the 18th minute.
The two teams remained scoreless for most of the half until Chris Bowden's header found to back of the net to give Plattsburgh State a 1-0 lead at 41:11. Ethan Votraw picked up an assist on Bowden's first collegiate goal.
The lead was short-lived one though as Norwich's Alec Brigante scored on a header shot at 43:00 to send the game into halftime knotted at 1-1.
The Cadets (2-1-0) took the lead at 58:48 of the second half on a header from inside the box by Ryan Campbell. Norwich maintained the one-goal lead until the 75th minute when Hamilton weaved through a cluster of Cadets and made a long pass through the box to Nick Parrella, who knocked the ball past Hallstrom with one touch to tie it at 2-all.
Norwich held a 2-1 advantage in shots in the first overtime, but the two sides remained deadlocked at 2-2 to force the second extra session.
Offensive opportunities were limited in the second overtime until Brigante fired a close shot on net but Plattsburgh goalkeeper Mitchell Jordon made a game-saving diving stop to keep the game tied with just 1:33 remaining on the clock.
In a game littered with fouls, the Cadets were called for a foul with less than a minute to play which gave the Cardinals the chance they had been waiting for. Hamilton took a free kick from the top of the box that sailed to the left of Hallstrom to give Plattsburgh State the comeback victory.
The Cardinals finished the night with a 27-8 advantage in shots. Plattsburgh State drew 16 corner kicks, while Norwich took two. The two teams combined for 36 fouls – each racking up 18 on the evening. The officials also gave out eight yellow cards in the contest with six of them coming on the Cardinals.
Hallstrom was stellar for the Cadets in the loss, making 12 saves. Jordon earns his second win for Plattsburgh State with three stops.
Plattsburgh State continues its non-conference schedule Saturday with a matchup against Bard College. Saturday's game is set for 6 p.m. at the Field House Turf Complex.
