Navy Defeats Colgate, 2-1 In W-Soccer Saturday Night
HAMILTON, NY. – The weather was not the only thing that 
was hotter than normal Saturday night in upstate New York.
In a battle of two teams that had not lost in more than a month and a half, the Navy Midshipmen and Colgate Raiders engaged in a match where the winner would be awarded the top spot in the 2017 Women’s Patriot League standings. Navy would come out on top, 2-1, in front of 489 extremely vocal fans at Beyer-Small ’76 Field.
For Navy (14-3-1; 7-0-1 Patriot League), they had lost a match since Stanford blanked the Midshipmen, 7-0, on September 3rd. Ironically, September 3rd was the last time Colgate lost, losing to Mississippi State, 6-2.
It didn’t take long for each time to attempt shots on goal. At the 7:17 mark of the first half, Raiders Sophomore M/F Mara Cosentino’s shot went wide. Almost two minutes later, the Midshipmen attacked with a much different result.
During the 10th minute (9:16 mark), Midshipmen Sophomore M Cadie Higginson passed the ball to Junior F Ash Farrow and her shot ended up in the net for her ninth goal of the season. Navy took a 1-0 lead.
Trying to even out the score, the Raiders would have four shots. First, with 10:35 expired off the clock, Sophomore F Abby Sotomayor saw her shot go wide. Just 72 seconds later, Senior M Eliza Doll had the same outcome with her kick. The Midshipmen would then block two shots by Raiders Senior M Keely Lockwood and Sophomore D Dom DeMarco within 11 seconds (13:00 and 13:11).
Navy would control the ball for the next few minutes and Midshipmen Freshman D/M Emily Keast’s shot at the 19:53 mark in the first half resulted in the first save for Raiders Sophomore GK Kelly Chiavaro. It was the first of five saves she would have.
In the 22nd minute, the longest scoreless streak in NCAA women’s soccer history came to an end when at 21:14, Raiders Freshman F Ellis Miller scored a goal on Midshipmen GK Sydney Fortson, to tie the game at 1-1. It was the first goal Fortson had allowed since Holy Cross Crusaders Freshman M/F Jenna Barnes’ goal at the 41:53 mark of the first half back on September 15th. Her scoreless streak extended nearly eight games when you add up the game time that expired between the two (714 minutes and 21 seconds between allowing goals).
After the goal, the Midshipmen would pepper Chiavaro with three shots in 63 seconds beginning with Midshipmen Sophomore D Alex Jackson’s shot that shers at the 80:36 mark but e saved at 24:20. Farrow would have then not only have one, but two shots saved by Chiavaro (25:18 and 25:23).
Midshipmen Senior D Megan Rogers’ corner kick at 33:52 led to Higginson’s shot being saved by Chiavaro 20 seconds later. Just a mere three seconds later, Junior M Eleanor Pratt had her shot also Chiavaro.
Continuing to dominate on offense, Midshipmen Junior F Anabell Motley’s shot was block at 37:16. Five minutes later, at 42:30, Midshipmen Sophomore D Alex Jackson scored her third goal of the season, giving Navy a 2-1 lead.
The Raiders would have a great scoring opportunity in the final minute of the first half when Miller was awarded a free kick at 44:53. He shot would sail over the net and the 2-1 score stuck at halftime.
For the first thirty minutes of the second half, the Raiders would be on offense for the majority of that time and would have three good scoring opportunities. But all three attempts would go wide. The first one, at 61:12, by Raiders Sophomore D Leah Lewis, followed by Sotomayor’s shot at 67:45. The final of the three, at 76:53, by Freshman D Syd Maxson.
Rogers was given a yellow card at 80:26. Should she receive another one, that would result in her being suspended for a game.
Miller had the final scoring chance for the Raidher shot went wide of goal.
The Midshipmen’s first shot on goal didn’t come until the 83rd minute of the second half, when Sophomore D Baseley McClaskey’s corner kick at 82:50 led to Junior M Karli Sottung’s shot eight seconds later going wide.
Jackson received the second Midshipmen yellow card in the 87th minute (86:44) and she is in the same boat now as Rogers.
Navy would have one final chance for a third goal in the 90th minute with 32 seconds left on the clock (89:38) but Junior D Kayla Robinson’s shot would sail wide. But it didn’t matter as the time expired and Navy recorded the victory and first place in the Patriot League standings.
There is one final game left for the Midshipmen in the regular season and again it will be for the top spot in the 2017 Women’s Patriot League Soccer Tournament (beginning October 31st). The Bucknell Bison (10-7-0; 7-1-0 Patriot League) visit Annapolis on October 28th. Game time is 7:00 PM.
