Varsity Six Defeats Norwich, 6-2 As Fischer, Balboni Pace Attack

NORWICH, Vt., Dec. 14--A revitalized varsity sextet led by sophomores Dick Fischer and Maurice Balboni, romped to its first win of the year tonight as it defeated Norwich College 6 to 2.

The game, which marked the dedication of Norwich's new Taylor War Memorial Rink, saw the Crimson in control throughout most of the contest. Only the excellent goal-tending of Cadet Captain Bruce Gillies, who was called upon to make some 40 saves in all, kept the game from turning into a rout.

Fischer led the Crimson scoring with one goal and two assists, while Balboni gained the remarkable distinction of scoring two goals while playing defense. Varsity Coach Cooney Weiland's major experiment of the evening saw forwards Bob Owen and Bob McVey transferred to first defense in an effort to give the Crimson more power and depth at these positions. The experiment was an unqualified success as Owen and McVey checked well and consistently broke up Norwich scoring attempts.

The varsity starting line of Bob Cleary, Lyle Guttu, and sophomore Paul Kelley only managed to score once but they worked well together and kept up constant pressure on Gillies. All three lines overcame their first-game kinks exhibited against Providence and as a result formulated many more scoring opportunities. The all-sophomore second line of Fischer, George Higgenbottom, and Dave Vietze was particularly effective.

The Crimson took the lead at 5:45 of the first period when sophomore Dave Holmes took a face-off pass from Les Duncan and beat Gillies with a shot to the lower left hand corner of the nets. Fischer made it 2 to 0 for the varsity midway through the period when he scored on a rebound from a shot by Vietze. Freshman John Norris scored for Norwich on a solo rush just before the period ended.

For the first half of the second stanza, the Cadet defense tightened and held off repeated rushes by Cleary and Guttu. Higgenbottom made it 3 to 1 when he tallied on a rebound from defenseman Dick McGlaughlin's slap shot and Balboni scored the first of his two goals two minutes later on a fine shot from the blue line. Cleary also scored on a rebound, this time from McVey, and the period ended with the Crimson well out in front by a 5 to 1 count