Navy Men’s Soccer Falls to Colgate, 4-1, Despite Offensive Pressure
The Navy Midshipmen men’s soccer team generated plenty of offensive opportunities Saturday afternoon, but Colgate made its chances count in handing Navy a 4-1 Patriot League loss at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility in Annapolis. Navy finished with advantages in total shots and shots on goal, but the Raiders scored twice in each half to pull away. The loss dropped Navy to 2-5-4 overall and 0-3-1 in Patriot League play, while Colgate improved to 2-5-4 overall and 1-1-2 in the conference.
Colgate wasted almost no time putting Navy in an early hole, opening the scoring just 2:09 into the match. Blake Pipkin helped start the attack by finding Connor Cates, whose cross reached Alex St. John for the finish and an early 1-0 Raiders advantage. Falling behind that quickly forced the Midshipmen to chase the game, but Navy responded by creating several opportunities rather than allowing Colgate to completely dictate the opening half.
Navy produced six shots during a 16-minute stretch as it searched for the equalizer, with Keane Brown forcing Colgate goalkeeper Gavin Vichengrad into a pair of saves. Jack Illig also tested Vichengrad as the Midshipmen began putting more pressure on the Raiders’ defense. Colgate survived Navy’s push, however, and Navy goalkeeper Sam Clark was forced into three saves of his own as the Raiders remained dangerous on the counterattack.
That ability to capitalize ultimately separated the two teams. Colgate doubled its advantage at the 38:59 mark when Ryan Schachter finished a chance created by Charlie Yates and Spencer Osborne, sending Navy into halftime trailing 2-0. The Midshipmen had six first-half shots and three corner kicks, but the scoreboard did not reflect the amount of pressure they had generated.
Navy came out aggressively after halftime and finally broke through in the 56th minute. Illig put a shot on goal that Vichengrad initially stopped, but Cohen Nance collected the rebound and sent the ball back into the dangerous area. Freshman Will Smith got the final touch, cutting Colgate’s advantage to 2-1 and giving the Midshipmen legitimate hope of completing a comeback.
The goal was Smith’s second of the season, tying him with Illig and Nance for Navy’s team lead. Illig and Nance were each credited with assists on the play, moving both freshmen to a team-high five points for the season. With Navy suddenly within one goal and generating chances, the match appeared to have shifted back into reach for the Midshipmen.
Colgate responded with the decisive goal less than 12 minutes later. A change of possession allowed Patrick O’Donohue to move the ball to Pipkin, who delivered a long cross toward St. John near the left post. St. John beat Clark at the 67:43 mark for his second goal of the afternoon, restoring Colgate’s two-goal advantage at 3-1 and taking much of the momentum away from Navy.
The Raiders put the game away in the 83rd minute after Malik Samms pressured Navy into another turnover. St. John gained possession and returned the ball to Samms, who beat Clark for Colgate’s fourth and final goal. St. John finished an outstanding afternoon with two goals and an assist for five points, a performance that later earned him Patriot League Forward of the Week honors.
The final score was lopsided, but the statistics showed a much more competitive match than 4-1 might suggest. Navy outshot Colgate 15-12 and placed 10 shots on goal compared with eight for the Raiders, while both teams finished with five corner kicks. The major difference came in goal and in finishing, as Vichengrad made nine saves for Colgate while Clark recorded four for Navy.
Illig was particularly active for Navy, recording five shots with four on target over 89 minutes. Smith came off the bench and produced four shots, three on goal, along with Navy’s lone score, while Brown put both of his attempts on target. Colgate, meanwhile, scored on four of its eight shots on goal, giving the Raiders the clinical finishing that Navy could not match despite creating more overall opportunities.
Vichengrad’s performance proved particularly important because Navy repeatedly forced him to make plays. His nine saves against the Midshipmen were a career high, and he was subsequently named both the Patriot League Goalkeeper and Rookie of the Week. Colgate ultimately swept four of the league’s weekly honors following the victory, with St. John earning Forward of the Week and Pipkin taking Midfielder of the Week after recording two assists against Navy.
The result continued a difficult start to Patriot League play for Navy after the Midshipmen entered the weekend still searching for their first conference victory. Navy had previously suffered a frustrating 2-1 loss at Lehigh despite taking an early lead against the Mountain Hawks. Saturday’s defeat dropped the Midshipmen to 0-3-1 in league play and increased the urgency surrounding the remaining portion of their Patriot League schedule.
There were still positives for Navy, particularly from its freshman class. Smith, Illig and Nance were directly involved in the Midshipmen’s only goal, and all three have already emerged as important offensive pieces during their first season at the Naval Academy. Illig and Nance now share the team lead with five points, while Smith’s second goal put him alongside both players atop Navy’s goal-scoring list.
Navy now turns its attention toward one of the biggest games on its schedule, and there may not be a better opportunity for the Midshipmen to quickly put the Colgate loss behind them. The Midshipmen are scheduled to face Army on Friday, Oct. 9 in Army-Navy Cup XV at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. Kickoff between the service-academy rivals is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., giving Navy a high-profile opportunity to respond after a difficult afternoon in Annapolis.
MSB Take
The 4-1 final score looks ugly for Navy, but this was not a match in which the Midshipmen were completely outplayed. Navy produced 15 shots, put 10 on goal and forced Vichengrad to make nine saves, which is normally enough offensive pressure to keep a team competitive. The problem was efficiency at both ends, as Colgate punished defensive mistakes and finished half of its shots on target while Navy converted only one of 10.
That has to change quickly because Patriot League points are becoming increasingly valuable with Navy sitting at 0-3-1 in conference play. The development of Smith, Illig and Nance gives Navy something encouraging to build around, especially considering how prominently the freshmen featured in Saturday’s lone goal. Now the Midshipmen have to turn those chances into more goals, tighten things defensively and use the Army-Navy Cup as an opportunity to reset the direction of their season.
