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Photo Credit: Steve McLaughlin Photography
Photo Credit: Steve McLaughlin Photography
Posted: Sep 19, 2025

Gabriel's Late Goal Lifts Men's Soccer Over Norwich Friday Night

Video Box Score
Scoring Summary
2nd - 88:44 - Nate Gabriel (Saint Joseph (Conn.))
Game Leaders
Saint Joseph (Conn.)
G: Nate Gabriel - 1
A: N/A
Sh: Emmanuel Ofori - 6
Sv: Will Slayton - 6
Norwich
G: N/A
A: N/A
Sh: 3 Players (#9, #10, #12) - 2
Sv: Tyler Ziminski - 3
Team Stats
Full stats

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Junior midfielder Nate Gabriel (Naugatuck, Conn.) scored the game-winning goal with 1:16 left to play, lifting the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team past Norwich University (Norwich), 1-0, during Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play Friday night on Sabine Field at Haynes Family Stadium in Northfield, Vt. With the result, the Blue Jays improved to 3-3-0 overall and 2-0-0 in conference play, while the Cadets dropped to 3-2-2 overall and 1-2-0 in GNAC play.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

  • The opening 20 minutes saw both teams trade possession, with few clear chances on either end.

  • Norwich tested sophomore goalkeeper Will Slayton (Manchester, Conn.) in the 21st minute, but he turned away the effort to keep the match scoreless.

  • Senior forward Emmanuel Ofori (East Hartford, Conn.) nearly put the Blue Jays in front in the 41st minute, forcing a save from the Cadets' keeper.

  • The match went into halftime tied, 0-0, with Norwich holding a narrow 4-3 edge in shots.

  • Ofori remained a threat in the second half, testing the keeper twice more in the 64th and 72nd minutes, though both efforts were stopped.

  • The Cadets thought they would find the game's opening goal at the 77:25 mark, but Slayton produced three-straight world class saves, keeping the game scoreless.

  • With the match still deadlocked late, USJ finally broke through in the 89th minute. Gabriel intercepted a loose ball outside the box, before weaving his way past the Norwich defense and delivering a left-footed strike into the top corner from nine yards out, giving the Blue Jays a 1-0 edge.

  • The Blue Jays' defense and Slayton held firm in the final seconds to close out the win, 1-0.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

  • Gabriel scored his second goal of the season, which stood as the game-winner.

  • Slayton finished with six saves to record the win (2-2-0) and his first clean sheet of the season.

  • Ofori led all players with six shots, including three on target.

  • Norwich outshot USJ, 9-8, including a 7-4 advantage in shots on goal. 

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays round out a quick two-game road trip with a stop at intrastate foe Mitchell College for a GNAC clash on Tuesday, September 23. Kickoff against the Mariners on Alumni Field in New London, Conn. is set for 3:00 p.m.

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