Navy Women’s Golf Falls Just Short Against Maryland in Match Play, 4.5-3.5

By Brian Hradsky

The Navy Midshipmen women’s golf team went toe-to-toe with the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday morning, but Maryland escaped the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club with a narrow 4.5-3.5 match-play victory.

Navy received victories from senior Emma Tang, senior Keira Howard and freshman Jamison Louie as the Midshipmen split six of the first seven completed matches with Maryland. The entire competition ultimately came down to the final matchup, where Maryland’s Julia Garcia defeated Navy senior captain Una Johnson, 4&3, to secure the decisive team point.

It marked another extremely close match-play meeting between the two in-state programs. Maryland also defeated Navy by an identical 4.5-3.5 score when the teams met in October 2024.

Tang gets Navy started

Tang provided Navy with an important opening point, defeating Maryland’s Chanayu Chowiwattana, 2-up.

Tang entered the event coming off an appearance at the prestigious Jackson T. Stephens Cup in Frisco, Texas. She had finished tied for 27th at 13-over-par 229, giving the senior some momentum entering Navy’s home match.

Maryland answered Tang’s victory when Nicha Kanpai defeated Navy junior Vivian Cressman, 5&4. That result brought the overall competition back even and demonstrated what would become the theme of the morning: neither program could establish separation.

Howard answers for the Midshipmen

Howard put another point on the board for Navy with a 2&1 victory over Maryland’s Anna Pillard.

Maryland again responded immediately. Carolina Perez Tasso defeated Navy junior Megan Kirkpatrick, 5&4, leaving the teams tied after another pair of matches.

Howard’s victory was particularly notable because of her recent match-play success. She was also one of Navy’s three winners when the Midshipmen faced Delaware in match play during the spring.

The back-and-forth nature of Saturday’s competition meant every hole became increasingly important. Navy had three individual victories but needed to find another point or enough halves to get over the top.

Freshman Louie delivers

Freshman Jamison Louie gave Navy its third individual victory of the day with a 2-up win against Maryland’s Noa Zocco.

Louie’s victory kept Navy squarely in contention, but once again Maryland immediately produced an answer. Noa Terroba Toro defeated Navy sophomore Iliana Rubio, 7&6.

With those two results splitting another group, the overall team score stood at 3-3.

After six matches, Navy and Maryland had essentially played to a draw. That left the outcome in the hands of the final four golfers on the course.

Match comes down to the final pairing

Navy sophomore Malerie Lague and Maryland’s Emily McKee could not separate themselves, finishing their match tied.

Each team therefore received half a point.

That moved the overall score to 3.5-3.5 and placed the entire competition on the final match between Navy senior captain Una Johnson and Maryland’s Julia Garcia.

Garcia ultimately prevailed, defeating Johnson 4&3. Her victory supplied Maryland with the final full point it needed to claim the 4.5-3.5 team victory.

For Navy, it was about as close as a team match can get without requiring a playoff.

Another 4.5-3.5 battle

Saturday continued what has become a competitive match-play series between Navy and Maryland.

The teams previously met in this format on Oct. 12, 2024. Maryland won that competition by the exact same 4.5-3.5 score, with Navy receiving victories from Tang, Sue Lee and Howard.

That meant Saturday offered Navy an opportunity to reverse the result on its home course. Instead, the Terrapins once again found the decisive point late.

Navy entered Saturday with a 1-4 record in its previous singles-only match-play competitions. Its most recent match-play event before facing Maryland came against Delaware on March 28, when the Midshipmen suffered another close defeat, 4-3. Howard, Hallie Brisco and Elizabeth Hang won their singles matches in that competition.

Those results show just how narrow the margins have been for Navy in this format.

Navy’s three winners

Tang, Howard and Louie gave Navy plenty of positives despite the team loss.

Tang’s 2-up victory came immediately after she competed against an elite field at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup. Howard continued to demonstrate her ability in match play, while Louie delivered a significant victory as a freshman.

The complete Navy-Maryland results were:

• Emma Tang (Navy) def. Chanayu Chowiwattana, 2-up
• Nicha Kanpai (Maryland) def. Vivian Cressman, 5&4
• Keira Howard (Navy) def. Anna Pillard, 2&1
• Carolina Perez Tasso (Maryland) def. Megan Kirkpatrick, 5&4
• Jamison Louie (Navy) def. Noa Zocco, 2-up
• Noa Terroba Toro (Maryland) def. Iliana Rubio, 7&6
• Malerie Lague (Navy) tied Emily McKee
• Julia Garcia (Maryland) def. Una Johnson, 4&3

Final team score: Maryland 4.5, Navy 3.5.

Busy stretch continues for Navy

Navy did not have much time to dwell on the loss.

The Maryland match began a packed stretch of competition for the Midshipmen. Navy’s next assignment was the Autumn Harvest hosted by Patriot League opponent Lehigh at the Architects Golf Club in Lopatcong, New Jersey. Navy then was scheduled to return home for the Navy Fall Invitational at the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club.

The Midshipmen sent Tang, Cressman, Howard, Kirkpatrick and Louie as their five-player lineup for the Autumn Harvest, with Iliana Rubio competing as an individual.

Navy responded impressively to the Maryland defeat. The Midshipmen went on to win the Autumn Harvest, setting three program records and matching another during the 54-hole tournament. Tang and Louie finished in a three-way tie atop the individual leaderboard, while Cressman recorded a hole-in-one during the final round.

That quick response makes Saturday’s Maryland result look even more like a narrow setback rather than a sign of broader problems for Navy.

MSB Take

Navy could not have come much closer.

The Midshipmen received victories from an experienced senior in Tang, a proven match-play performer in Howard and a freshman in Louie. With Lague adding half a point, Navy managed 3.5 points against a Big Ten program and forced the entire competition down to the final match.

For Navy, the disappointing part is how familiar the result looks. The Midshipmen lost 4.5-3.5 to Maryland in 2024 and suffered another one-point match-play defeat against Delaware this past spring. Navy has repeatedly put itself in position to win these events, but the final point has been difficult to secure.

Still, there were plenty of positives Saturday. Tang and Howard provided senior leadership, Louie picked up an impressive victory early in her freshman season and Navy showed that it could compete throughout the lineup with Maryland.

The best response to a narrow loss is what Navy produced immediately afterward. Instead of allowing the Maryland defeat to linger, the Midshipmen went to the Autumn Harvest and produced a record-setting tournament victory.

Final: Maryland 4.5, Navy 3.5