NORAT SCORES TWICE IN MEN'S SOCCER 4-3 WIN OVER ST. FRANCIS (NY)
Freshman Spanos tallies first career goal late for the game-winner

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Behind back-to-back goals from sophomore Connor Norat (Wilmington, Del.) and the first collegiate goal by freshman Teddy Spanos (Garden City, N.Y.), which also proved to be the game-winner with under five minutes remaining, the Bulldogs picked up a key 4-3 win over NEC Conference opponent St. Francis (NY) Sunday.  

In a game that included just as many goals as yellow cards, the Bulldogs earn a much-needed win on the road to improve to 3-5 in the NEC.

The Terriers struck first in the 10th minute, when Riccardo Milano and Gabriel Bagot connected on a give-and-go for Bagot's fourth marker of the season, granting the home team an early 1-0 lead.

The Black and Gold answered with three-straight scores of their own, with the first coming in the 19th minute from senior Ryan Stone (Wakefield, R.I.). Off a free kick, senior Eddie Curry (Massapequa, N.Y.) delivered a ball into the box where Stone deflected it past St. Francis (NY) keeper Tyler Clarhaut.

Norat tallied the second goal for Bryant in the 38th minute off a corner kick taken by Curry. Curry lifted the ball into the box, past the keeper, allowing Norat to put home his first marker of the day.

In the 56th minute, Norat found the back of the net yet again, blasting a strike from just inside the box to increase the Bulldog-lead to 3-1.

The Terriers would answer, however, with a pair of their own goals. The first score came in the 66th minute from Adam Maddbdi to cut Bryant's lead to just one, and the equalizer occurred in the 83rd minute from Kevin Correa.

Less than three minute later, the Bulldogs would score the seventh and final goal of the match when Spanos cleaned up a rebound to register his first collegiate tally and the first game-winning goal in a Bulldog uniform.

Freshman Chris Knaub (Yarmouth, Maine) recorded an impressive eight saves, while Clarhaut stopped two Bulldog chances.

The Bulldogs will take the pitch again on Wednesday when they head to Holy Cross for a non-conference match that was postponed earlier in the season. Bryant has only two NEC games remaining on their 2012 schedule, Sunday, Oct. 28 at home against Fairleigh Dickinson and Sunday, Nov. 4 at Central Connecticut State.

For all the latest news on Bryant University men's soccer, visit BryantBulldogs.com.