Explosive Three-Goal Run Powers Navy Women’s Soccer Past Holy Cross, 3-1
Navy women’s soccer overcame an early deficit and exploded for three unanswered goals to defeat Holy Cross, 3-1, Saturday afternoon at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility in Annapolis. The Midshipmen improved to 10-4-1 overall and 3-1 in Patriot League play, extending their winning streak to three games and climbing into second place in the conference standings. Helen Bonner, Chiara Cosenza and Jessica Black supplied the goals, while goalkeeper Natasha Stramrood delivered a tremendous eight-save performance.
Holy Cross controlled much of the opening half and nearly scored less than three minutes into the contest when Abigail Cushing worked around Stramrood and fired toward an open net. Navy senior Ali Barrow rescued the Midshipmen with a team save, preventing what appeared to be an almost certain opening goal. The Crusaders continued applying pressure and produced the first six shots of the game before eventually breaking through.
Ava Graham gave Holy Cross a 1-0 advantage in the 26th minute, heading an Adi Botet cross into the net for her first goal of the season. The goal reflected the flow of the opening half, as Holy Cross ultimately outshot Navy 8-2 and held a 3-1 advantage in shots on goal before the break. Navy struggled to generate sustained possession or dangerous opportunities, but one late chance completely changed the momentum.
Bonner collected a bouncing loose ball inside the box in the closing moments of the first half and lofted her shot over Holy Cross goalkeeper Antriana Mila. The goal came at 43:56 according to Navy’s game recap and sent the teams into halftime tied 1-1 despite Holy Cross controlling most of the opening 45 minutes. It was Bonner’s third goal of the season and provided Navy with exactly the response it needed before entering the locker room.
Head coach Carin Gabarra made adjustments at halftime, but Holy Cross again came out aggressively and fired five shots during the opening seven-and-a-half minutes of the second period. Four of those attempts reached the goal, forcing Stramrood to make four saves while keeping the game tied. The junior goalkeeper’s performance during that stretch proved critical because Navy soon rewarded her by turning the game completely around at the other end.
Cosenza put Navy ahead in spectacular fashion at 57:57 after pressuring a Holy Cross defender and winning possession deep in Crusaders territory. The senior carried the ball toward goal before launching a shot from more than 20 yards away into the upper-right corner, giving Navy a 2-1 advantage. It was Cosenza’s third goal of the season and Navy’s second goal on only its second shot on target of the afternoon.
Holy Cross nearly answered immediately when Cushing sent an attempt toward the upper corner, but Stramrood produced another outstanding save. Navy quickly moved the ball in the opposite direction, where freshman Sophia Ryan and Black combined on an attack into the penalty area. Ryan was tackled while attempting to shoot, but Black collected the loose ball and calmly finished into the lower corner at 59:58 to suddenly make it 3-1.
Navy had gone from trailing 1-0 to leading 3-1 in a span of just over 16 minutes, with the three goals coming between 43:56 and 59:58. Even more remarkably, Cosenza and Black scored only 121 seconds apart, transforming a competitive 1-1 match into a two-goal Navy advantage. Black’s goal was her fifth of the season and continued an outstanding stretch for the sophomore striker.
Holy Cross still held significant statistical advantages, finishing with an 18-8 edge in total shots, a 10-4 advantage in shots on goal and an 8-1 margin in corner kicks. Those numbers make Stramrood’s performance even more important, as she matched her career high with eight saves and repeatedly denied the Crusaders during their strongest stretches. Navy, meanwhile, showed remarkable efficiency by scoring three times on just four shots on goal.
Once Black provided the insurance goal, Navy’s defense did a much better job limiting Holy Cross during the final half-hour. The Crusaders managed only three more shots over that span, with two reaching the goal and both being stopped by Stramrood. Navy protected its two-goal advantage through the final whistle and secured its third consecutive 3-1 Patriot League victory.
The Midshipmen have now defeated Colgate, Lehigh and Holy Cross by identical 3-1 scores during their three-game winning streak. Navy has scored nine goals while allowing only three during that run, rebounding impressively from a 2-1 loss to Boston University in its Patriot League opener. Through 15 games, Navy has scored 34 goals while allowing only 16, illustrating the balance that has helped the Midshipmen reach 10 victories.
Black’s emergence has become another major storyline for Navy, and her performance against Holy Cross helped her earn Patriot League Forward of the Week honors for the second consecutive week. She recorded two goals and two assists across Navy’s victories over Lehigh and Holy Cross, contributing to four of the Midshipmen’s six goals during the week. Her production gives Navy another dangerous attacking option as the schedule moves into its most important stretch.
Navy will now turn its attention toward the biggest game on its regular-season schedule, with the Midshipmen preparing to face Army in the 2026 Army-Navy Women’s Soccer Star Match. The rivalry game is scheduled for Friday at 4 p.m. at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, home of the Philadelphia Union. Navy enters the Star Match riding a three-game winning streak and carrying significant momentum after consecutive conference victories.
MSB Take
This was not Navy’s cleanest performance statistically, but it may have been one of its most impressive wins because the Midshipmen found a way to overcome long stretches in which Holy Cross controlled the game. Stramrood deserves enormous credit for keeping Navy within striking distance, especially during the opening minutes of the second half when the Crusaders repeatedly tested her. Once Navy finally created opportunities, Bonner, Cosenza and Black were ruthless in converting them into goals.
Winning three consecutive Patriot League games by 3-1 scores gives Navy considerable momentum heading into the Star Match against Army. The Midshipmen have shown they can win with offensive pressure, defensive resilience and, as they demonstrated Saturday, outstanding goalkeeping when an opponent controls possession and shots. Now comes the rivalry game, and a victory over Army would make Navy’s recent surge even more significant as the Patriot League race enters its decisive stretch.
