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Photo Credit: Steve McLaughlin Photography
Photo Credit: Steve McLaughlin Photography
Posted: Mar 07, 2026

Pestrichello’s Eight-Point Day Leads Men’s Lacrosse Past Norwich, 15–7, in GNAC Opener

Game Program Video Box Score
Game Leaders
Norwich
G: 2 Players (#4, #41) - 2
A: 2 Players (#4, #41) - 2
Sv: Mason Dils - 9
GB: 2 Players (#23, #30) - 5
Saint Joseph (Conn.)
G: Nick Pestrichello - 6
A: Brycen Kennedy - 4
Sv: Noah Isleib - 14
GB: Nick Wesley - 7
Team Stats
Full stats
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's lacrosse team opened Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play with an emphatic 15-7 victory over Norwich University Saturday afternoon at the USJ Lacrosse Field in West Hartford. Senior attack Nick Pestrichello (Newington, Conn.) delivered a career performance, tallying eight points on six goals and two assists to power the Blue Jays to victory. With the result, USJ improves to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while the Cadets drop to 1-2 and 0-1 in GNAC action.
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • USJ wasted little time grabbing the lead, as Pestrichello netted his first goal at the 12:02 mark to make it 1-0.
  • Senior attack Freeman Johnson (Swanzey, N.H.) continued his man-up success, scoring off a feed from sophomore attack Dominic Oakes (Southington, Conn.) at 11:12 to push the lead to 2-0.
  • Norwich responded with a goal, but Oakes answered with one of his own off an assist from graduate student attack Brycen Kennedy (Southington, Conn.), then scored again on a pass from Pestrichello to give the Blue Jays a 4-1 advantage entering the second quarter.
  • Pestrichello stayed hot to open the second, scoring a man-up goal off a Kennedy assist at 12:34, then burying an unassisted strike less than a minute later for a 6-1 lead.
  • Norwich broke the run with a goal at 6:28, but Pestrichello responded with his fourth of the day at 5:34 to make it 7-2.
  • Junior faceoff specialist Benjamin Bausch (Holliston, Mass.) won the ensuing draw, raced downfield, and scored, before Oakes completed his hat trick at the 2:30 mark to give USJ a 9-2 halftime advantage.
  • Junior midfielder Brenden Tedeschi (Orange, Vt.) opened the third-quarter scoring at 11:39 to push the lead to 10-2.
  • Norwich added a man-up goal, but Kennedy answered with his second of the game at 7:52 for an 11-3 margin.
  • The Cadets scored twice to cut into the deficit, but Tedeschi halted the run with his second of the day at 2:52, giving USJ a 12-5 edge heading into the fourth.
  • Tedeschi stayed hot in the fourth with the first goal of the quarter, before Pestrichello notched his fifth off a feed from freshman attack Landon Lapointe (Lutz, Fla.) at 12:01 to extend the lead to 14-5.
  • Norwich scored back-to-back goals, but Pestrichello capped his stellar outing with a man-up strike as time expired, sealing the 15-7 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

  • Pestrichello paced the Blue Jays with eight points (6g, 2a).
  • Kennedy dished out a game-high four assists.
  • Tedeschi and Oakes each recorded hat tricks with three goals apiece.
  • Senior defenseman Nick Wesley (Wakefield, Mass.) collected a team-high seven ground balls.
  • Freshman defenseman Landin Boutot (Bristol, Conn.) caused a team-high three turnovers.
  • Bausch led USJ at the faceoff "X," going 13-for-21.
  • Junior goalkeeper Noah Isleib (Easton, Mass.) earned the win (3-1), making 14 saves while allowing seven goals.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays continue GNAC play on Tuesday, March 10, hosting Dean College in West Hartford. Opening faceoff at the USJ Lacrosse Field is set for 4:00 p.m.

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