Match Report - Harvard University vs Norwich Academy 66-5

Harvard hosted Norwich Saturday afternoon in a largely one-sided encounter. Norwich was looking to rebound from last week’s heavy loss to tournament favorites Army, but the men from Harvard had different plans.

Harvard came out strong early and sought to gain territorial advantage in order to capitalize on Norwich mistakes. The tactic paid off as Harvard dominated the breakdown area and Norwich struggled to secure clean ball. The Harvard pack produced many turnovers which provided sterling attacking opportunities.

Leading the way was prop and Man of the Match Nery Porras ’09 who worked tirelessly to get around the pitch and came away with two tries for his efforts. Also on the score sheet was Dan Deighton ’10 who returned to his favored position at fullback and used his pace to exploit gaps in Norwich’s defensive line for a hat trick. In all, the Crimson would dot down ten times – eight converted – as both the forward pack and the backline worked together efficiently.

To their credit, Norwich never let up and defended with plenty of heart and passion. Toward the end of the second half, some well placed kicks, Harvard penalties, and solid forward play resulted in a well-worked try. But the day belonged to Harvard who can be satisfied with the final scoreline, 66-5.

Next week, Harvard travels to the University of Connecticut whereas Norwich hosts Yale.