Navy Men’s Soccer Blanks Presbyterian for John Hackworth’s First Win
Navy 3, Presbyterian 0.
The Navy men’s soccer team delivered its most complete performance of the young season Monday afternoon, defeating Presbyterian, 3-0, at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility to give head coach John Hackworth his first victory with the Midshipmen.
Freshman Will Smith opened the scoring with a late first-half penalty kick. Alex Galloway and Cohen Nance added headed goals after halftime, while goalkeeper Sam Clark made two saves to record his first collegiate shutout.
Navy improved to 1-2-1 after opening the season with two losses and a draw. Presbyterian fell to 0-4.
Navy Takes Control of Possession
The Midshipmen gradually established control during the first half and forced Presbyterian goalkeeper Saed Anabtawi to make several early saves.
Braedy Strothkamp tested Anabtawi in the 13th minute. Will Cawlfield and team captain Nate Stewart also placed attempts on goal, but the Presbyterian goalkeeper kept Navy off the scoreboard.
Both teams narrowly missed opportunities later in the half. Presbyterian’s Mo Alahmad sent a low shot just outside the left post in the 35th minute before Navy freshman Jack Illig pulled an attempt to the right of the goal three minutes later.
The Midshipmen continued to push forward as the half neared its conclusion. Smith drew a foul inside the Presbyterian penalty area and stepped forward to take the kick himself.
Smith sent his attempt into the lower-right corner, beating Anabtawi’s outstretched hand in the 44th minute. The goal was the first of Smith’s collegiate career and gave Navy a 1-0 lead entering halftime.
Stephen Nelson helped create the decisive sequence shortly after entering the match. Hackworth praised Nelson for playing forward and making an immediate impact during his limited first-half minutes.
Galloway Doubles the Advantage
Navy continued applying pressure after the break.
Clark made his first save in the 56th minute, denying Presbyterian an opportunity to tie the match. The Midshipmen then doubled their lead off a corner kick in the 64th minute.
Nick Gallucci delivered the corner into the penalty area, and Galloway met the ball in the air. The senior defender directed a header past Anabtawi for his first goal of the season and the second of his Navy career.
The goal gave Navy breathing room after the Midshipmen had struggled to convert their possession into goals during the opening three matches.
Galloway’s experience also helped Navy control the defensive end. Presbyterian managed only six shots throughout the match and placed two on goal.
Nance Completes the Victory
Navy continued attacking rather than protecting its two-goal advantage.
A Presbyterian foul gave the Midshipmen a free kick in the 82nd minute. Strothkamp restarted play quickly and found Cawlfield moving forward along the outside.
Cawlfield delivered a cross into the penalty area, where Nance headed the ball past Anabtawi for Navy’s third goal.
The score was Nance’s second of the season and second of his collegiate career. Nance also scored during Navy’s 2-2 draw against San Diego State.
Strothkamp received his first collegiate point for his role in the goal, while Cawlfield also earned an assist.
Gallucci nearly extended Navy’s lead moments later, but Anabtawi made the save. Presbyterian generated one final opportunity in the 88th minute, when Clark stopped Hayate Furumoto to preserve the clean sheet.
Navy Dominates the Statistics
The Midshipmen finished with an 18-6 advantage in total shots and a 7-2 edge in shots on goal.
Navy also earned seven corner kicks compared with Presbyterian’s four. The Midshipmen increased their offensive pressure after halftime, recording 12 shots and six corners during the final 45 minutes.
Anabtawi made four saves for the Blue Hose. Clark stopped both shots he faced to secure the first shutout of his Navy career.
Presbyterian forward Kenshin Akimoto led the Blue Hose with two shots. Navy’s defensive unit prevented the visitors from developing sustained pressure and kept Presbyterian from generating a corner until the second half.
Ryan Skandalis made his first collegiate start for Navy and played 86 minutes.
The match was the first meeting between the programs, giving the Midshipmen a 1-0 advantage in the all-time series.
A Milestone for Hackworth
The victory marked Hackworth’s first win since taking over Navy’s program in December.
Hackworth became the seventh head coach in the program’s 105-year history after bringing more than three decades of experience to Annapolis. His career has included coaching positions with the Philadelphia Union, Louisville City FC, St. Louis City SC and the United States national-team system.
Navy opened Hackworth’s first season with a difficult trip to California. The Midshipmen lost their opener at UC San Diego before rallying for a 2-2 draw against San Diego State.
Navy then dropped its home opener to George Washington, 2-0, despite controlling much of the second half. The Midshipmen finally turned their improved play into a result against Presbyterian.
Hackworth emphasized Navy’s depth after the win and pointed to Nelson’s impact as an example of a reserve entering at the right moment and helping change the match.
The Midshipmen responded by producing three goals from three different players, five total goal contributions and a shutout.
MSB Take
This was more than Hackworth’s first victory at Navy. It was the first time this season that the Midshipmen turned their possession, depth and defensive improvement into a complete 90-minute result.
Navy showed encouraging stretches against San Diego State and George Washington, but early defensive mistakes and missed opportunities prevented the Midshipmen from earning a win. Against Presbyterian, Navy avoided those mistakes and remained patient until Smith broke the scoreless tie.
The timing of Smith’s penalty kick mattered. Entering halftime scoreless could have increased the pressure on a team still looking for its first win. Instead, Navy carried a lead into the break and played with confidence throughout the second half.
Galloway and Nance scoring on headers also demonstrated an important dimension of Navy’s attack. The Midshipmen were dangerous from both corner kicks and free-kick situations, giving opponents another area to defend beyond open play.
Clark’s shutout should provide confidence to the defensive unit. He made the saves Navy needed, while the back line limited Presbyterian to only two shots on goal.
Presbyterian entered the match winless, so Navy will face stronger tests. However, a young team learning a new coach’s system needed a result, and the Midshipmen earned one convincingly.
Hackworth’s first win is now secured. The challenge is using it as the foundation for consistent play as Patriot League competition approaches.
Navy will complete its homestand against Temple at 8:05 p.m. Saturday at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility. The match will air on ESPN+.
Sources: Navy Athletics recap, official box score, Presbyterian Athletics recap.
