Navy Women’s Soccer Answers Colgate Equalizer in 34 Seconds, Rolls to 3-1 Patriot League Win

By Brian Hradsky

The Navy women’s soccer team did not allow Colgate much time to celebrate Saturday afternoon.

After controlling much of the match and carrying a 1-0 lead into the second half, Navy watched Colgate tie the game in the 64th minute. Just 34 seconds later, sophomore Faith Graziano put the Midshipmen back in front, and freshman Sofia Grundy added another goal less than four minutes later as Navy pulled away for a 3-1 victory at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility in Annapolis.

The win gave Navy its first Patriot League victory of the 2026 season and improved the Midshipmen to 8-4-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play. Colgate fell to 1-8-2 overall and 0-2 in the Patriot League.

Navy produced one of its more complete attacking performances of the season, outshooting Colgate 21-10 and putting 10 attempts on goal. The Midshipmen also generated five corner kicks while Colgate finished with three.

Three different Navy players scored, and sophomore Jessica Black played a major role in the decisive second-half surge by assisting on both goals after Colgate tied the game.

Black’s performance later earned her Patriot League Forward of the Week honors.

Jones gives Navy an immediate lead

Navy wasted little time putting pressure on the Raiders.

The Midshipmen entered Saturday looking for a response after dropping their Patriot League opener 2-1 at Boston University. Navy had led that match before the Terriers scored twice over the final 20 minutes to steal the conference opener.

Against Colgate, Navy again struck first.

This time the Midshipmen made sure the lead eventually held.

Freshman Stella Jones opened the scoring just 6:11 into the match.

Emmalea Sidorsky provided the assist, and Jones converted the opportunity for her second goal of the season to give Navy a 1-0 advantage.

The early goal allowed Navy to play from in front for nearly an hour.

More importantly, the Midshipmen continued generating opportunities instead of simply protecting the advantage.

Navy attempted 10 shots during the first half compared with only two for Colgate. Five of the Midshipmen’s first-half attempts were on target, forcing Colgate goalkeeper Emma Hickey into four saves.

The Raiders managed two shots on goal before halftime, but Navy goalkeeper Natasha Stramrood stopped both.

Navy therefore entered halftime ahead 1-0.

The score remained close.

The underlying numbers were not.

Navy controls possession and opportunities

Navy’s ability to create chances became one of the biggest themes of the afternoon.

The Midshipmen finished with 21 total shots, their second-highest total over their previous five games. Navy had attempted 21 shots against VMI earlier in September and 22 against Radford.

Ten of Navy’s attempts against Colgate reached the target.

That pressure eventually became too much for the Raiders.

Colgate managed to keep the deficit at one throughout the remainder of the first half and into the second, giving the Raiders an opportunity to completely change the match with one successful attack.

That opportunity finally arrived in the 64th minute.

Colgate ties the game

Despite Navy controlling much of the afternoon, the Raiders found their equalizer at 63:47.

Lydia Thornton scored her first goal of the season off an assist from Jess Urena, suddenly tying the match 1-1.

For Navy, it could have become a troubling moment.

The Midshipmen had experienced a similar situation one week earlier.

Navy led Boston University 1-0 in its Patriot League opener before Boston tied the match in the 71st minute and scored the game-winner in the 85th. What had appeared to be a potential conference-opening victory became a 2-1 defeat.

Colgate had suddenly created the possibility of another second-half reversal.

Navy’s response could not have been much quicker.

Thirty-four seconds.

That was all the Midshipmen needed.

Graziano immediately puts Navy back ahead

Navy went directly back onto the attack following Colgate’s goal.

Black found Graziano, who finished the opportunity at 64:21 to restore Navy’s advantage at 2-1.

The goal was Graziano’s third of the season.

It was also the defining moment of the match.

Instead of allowing Colgate’s equalizer to alter the momentum, Navy immediately erased it.

A match that had suddenly become 1-1 was back under Navy’s control before the Raiders had even enjoyed a full minute of level play.

Black received the assist, but her afternoon was far from finished.

Grundy scores first collegiate goal

Navy kept attacking.

Just 3:38 after Graziano’s go-ahead goal, the Midshipmen struck again.

Black helped create the opportunity with an athletic no-look back-heel pass that reached freshman defender Sofia Grundy. Grundy connected on a one-time attempt and scored at 67:59, giving Navy a 3-1 advantage. Margo Pritchard also received an assist on the play.

It was Grundy’s first collegiate goal.

Within less than five minutes of game time, the entire complexion of the match had changed.

At 63:47, Colgate had tied the score.

At 64:21, Graziano put Navy back ahead.

At 67:59, Grundy doubled the advantage.

What briefly looked like another potential second-half problem for Navy had become a two-goal lead.

Black was directly involved in both responses.

Jessica Black takes over

Black did not score Saturday, but she may have been Navy’s most influential attacking player.

The sophomore finished with two assists, four shots and one attempt on goal during 52 minutes of action. Both assists came during Navy’s decisive second-half burst.

The Patriot League recognized that performance Monday by naming Black its Forward of the Week.

Through 12 appearances, Black had accumulated three goals and three assists for a team-high nine points. At the time of Monday’s announcement, she was tied for second in the Patriot League in assists, tied for fifth in points and tied for sixth in goals.

That production has become increasingly important for a Navy attack featuring contributions from throughout the roster.

Saturday illustrated that depth.

Jones scored.

Graziano scored.

Grundy scored.

Sidorsky assisted.

Pritchard assisted.

Black assisted twice.

Six Midshipmen therefore recorded at least one point.

That type of scoring distribution makes Navy considerably more difficult to defend.

Stramrood makes five saves

Colgate became more aggressive after halftime.

After attempting only two shots during the opening 45 minutes, the Raiders generated eight during the second half. Six of Colgate’s 10 overall shots were on goal.

Stramrood stopped five.

Thornton’s 64th-minute goal was the only Colgate attempt that beat her.

That continued an encouraging season for Navy defensively. Before Patriot League play began, the Midshipmen had already recorded shutouts against Robert Morris, Marywood, Maryland, Radford, VMI and Youngstown State.

Navy’s defense did not produce another shutout Saturday, but it protected the two-goal advantage after Grundy scored.

Colgate did not find a second goal over the final 22 minutes.

A major response after Boston University

The timing of Saturday’s victory was important.

Navy had completed nonconference play with a 7-3-1 record, putting the Midshipmen in a strong position entering the Patriot League portion of the schedule.

Then came the difficult loss at Boston University.

Navy had played well enough to lead the Terriers but could not close out the match.

Starting conference play 0-2 would have created immediate pressure.

Instead, Navy returned home and evened its league record.

The way the Midshipmen did it should be particularly encouraging for head coach Carin Gabarra.

Navy did not simply escape with three points.

The Midshipmen generated twice as many shots as Colgate, put 10 on target and responded immediately when adversity arrived.

The response following Thornton’s equalizer showed a team that had learned something from the previous week’s loss.

Navy’s offense continues producing

Navy has demonstrated the ability to score in bunches throughout 2026.

Through 13 games following Saturday’s victory, the Midshipmen had scored 28 goals while allowing 14.

There have been several explosive performances.

Navy scored four against Robert Morris.

The Midshipmen scored four against Marywood.

They scored three against Marist.

They scored five at Radford.

They scored three at VMI.

Now they have scored three against Colgate.

That gives Gabarra several attacking options as the Patriot League schedule intensifies.

Senior Chiara Cosenza has also been a major part of that production.

Cosenza earned Patriot League Forward of the Week honors earlier in September after helping Navy sweep a road weekend in Virginia. She recorded a goal and assist during the Midshipmen’s 5-0 victory at Radford.

Black has now earned the same conference honor.

The development of multiple offensive threats could become one of Navy’s greatest strengths during the second half of the season.

Jones continues impressive freshman season

Jones deserves attention as well.

Her seventh-minute goal Saturday was her second of the year and continued an encouraging freshman campaign.

Jones also played a critical role in Navy’s Patriot League opener at Boston University. With the Terriers threatening to score in the 16th minute, Jones cleared a shot away for a team save. Four minutes later, she assisted Cosenza on Navy’s opening goal.

One week later, Jones was the one putting Navy ahead.

That type of early contribution from a freshman gives Gabarra another option in a lineup already containing experienced players.

Grundy gets a memorable first

Saturday will also be a match Grundy remembers.

The freshman defender entered the game without a collegiate goal.

She left with one scored against a Patriot League opponent in Navy’s conference home opener.

And it was not simply an insurance goal after the outcome had been decided.

Grundy scored less than four minutes after Navy regained the lead, turning a precarious 2-1 advantage into a much more comfortable 3-1 margin.

Black’s back-heel setup made the sequence even more impressive.

Pritchard helped begin the play, Black improvised and Grundy finished.

For a team attempting to develop depth throughout a long conference schedule, getting a goal from a freshman defender is another positive sign.

Midshipmen dominate the statistical battle

The final numbers reflected Navy’s overall control.

Final score: Navy 3, Colgate 1
Shots: Navy 21, Colgate 10
Shots on goal: Navy 10, Colgate 6
Corner kicks: Navy 5, Colgate 3
Saves: Navy 5, Colgate 7
Attendance: 355

Navy did commit 12 fouls compared with only three for Colgate, and Helen Bonner received a yellow card in the 81st minute.

Still, Navy dictated the match offensively.

The Midshipmen attempted 10 shots in the first half and another 11 in the second.

That consistency matters.

Navy did not rely on one brief stretch of offensive pressure to create its 21 attempts. The Midshipmen generated chances throughout the afternoon and eventually received the finishing they needed.

Navy improves to 8-4-1

Saturday’s result moved Navy to 8-4-1 overall.

The Midshipmen’s season has included several impressive victories, including a 2-0 home win over Maryland on Aug. 27 and a dominant 5-0 road victory against Radford. Navy also defeated VMI 3-0 and Youngstown State 1-0 during its extended September road stretch.

That made Saturday something of a homecoming.

The Colgate game was Navy’s only home contest during September after the Midshipmen spent much of the month on the road.

They made it count.

More importantly, they picked up three Patriot League points.

Those conference results will determine Navy’s postseason position.

Patriot League schedule intensifies

Navy now has little time to enjoy the victory.

The Midshipmen travel to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Wednesday for a 6 p.m. matchup against Lehigh.

Navy then returns to Annapolis Saturday to host Holy Cross at noon at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility. Both matches are scheduled for ESPN+.

That gives Navy three Patriot League matches in an eight-day period.

The Colgate victory provides some momentum entering that stretch.

Navy is back to .500 in conference play.

The offense just generated 21 shots.

Black is coming off a two-assist performance.

Three different players scored.

And perhaps most importantly, Navy demonstrated it could respond immediately when an opponent landed a punch.

MSB Take

The most important number from Saturday might not be three goals, 21 shots or even Navy’s eighth victory.

It might be 34 seconds.

Navy had every reason to be frustrated when Colgate tied the match. The Midshipmen had controlled much of the afternoon, carried a lead for nearly an hour and had already experienced the disappointment of losing a second-half advantage against Boston University one week earlier.

Instead of allowing those frustrations to take over, Navy immediately went back down the field and scored.

Thirty-four seconds after Colgate tied it, Graziano made it 2-1.

Less than four minutes later, Grundy made it 3-1.

Game over.

That is the type of response Navy will need throughout Patriot League play.

Black was outstanding as a creator, and her conference Player of the Week honor was well earned. Jones provided the early goal, Graziano delivered the biggest goal and Grundy put the game away with the first score of her college career.

Navy also showed impressive attacking depth. Six different Midshipmen recorded points, and the team generated 21 shots.

The Boston University loss put Navy in an early conference hole.

Saturday’s performance prevented that hole from getting any deeper.

At 8-4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Patriot League, Navy now heads to Lehigh with an opportunity to turn one conference victory into a winning streak.

The Midshipmen wanted a response after Boston.

Against Colgate, they delivered one in 34 seconds.