Navy women’s soccer blanks VMI, 3-0, for fifth straight win
LEXINGTON, Va. — Navy women’s soccer completed a successful Virginia road swing Sunday with a 3-0 victory over VMI at Patchin Field. The Midshipmen broke open a scoreless match with three goals over the final 23 minutes, improving to 6-2-1 and extending their winning streak to five. Navy also recorded its second consecutive shutout after beating Radford 5-0 earlier in the trip.
The conditions did not make things easy for either side, and Navy had to remain patient through a scoreless first half. The Midshipmen controlled more of the possession and generated six shots before halftime, but VMI goalkeeper Maren Ryberg kept the game level. Navy continued pushing after the break and eventually overwhelmed the Keydets with 15 second-half shots.
Kayana Adlam finally broke through in the 68th minute after Faith Graziano’s long-range attempt hit the crossbar and bounced into the penalty area. Adlam raced toward the loose ball and was taken down by a VMI defender, producing a yellow card and a penalty kick. The junior calmly converted from the spot for her second goal of the season and gave Navy the 1-0 advantage at 67:41.
Navy needed only 60 seconds to double the lead. Helen Bonner collected a failed VMI clearance and fired a shot from approximately 25 yards into the upper corner for her first goal of the season. The quick second strike completely changed the match, turning a tense 0-0 battle into a commanding 2-0 Navy lead in barely a minute.
The Midshipmen added their third goal in the 82nd minute. Hannah Mulholland connected on a shot that struck the crossbar before bouncing down across the goal line, giving the senior her first goal of the 2026 season. The score put the game away and capped a dominant second-half offensive performance by Navy.
Navy finished the afternoon with a major statistical advantage, outshooting VMI 21-7 overall and 12-1 in shots on goal. Adlam was especially active with five shots, including four on target, while Chiara Cosenza and Graziano each attempted four shots. Mulholland produced three shots off the bench, and Navy forced Ryberg to make nine saves.
Freshman goalkeeper Shea Best received the start and completed the first solo shutout of her Navy career. VMI managed only one shot on goal all afternoon, and Best stopped Isabella Franco’s attempt in the 85th minute to preserve the clean sheet. Navy’s defense has now gone two consecutive matches without allowing a goal after holding Radford scoreless three days earlier.
The victory also continued an impressive turnaround after Navy had a difficult start to the season. The Midshipmen lost to Rice and Air Force before tying Delaware, but they have since defeated Marywood, Maryland, Marist, Radford and VMI in succession. During the current five-game winning streak, Navy has scored 17 goals while allowing just one.
Head coach Carin Gabarra praised the Midshipmen for grinding through the final match of an extended road stay in Virginia. Navy had spent five days on the road and faced two motivated opponents, but the Midshipmen came away with two victories and two clean sheets. The weekend showed both sides of Navy’s game, with the offense producing eight total goals while the defense did not concede once.
Navy will remain on the road for its next two games as part of a five-game road stretch. The Midshipmen travel to Towson on Thursday, Sept. 10, for a 6 p.m. kickoff before heading to Youngstown State on Sunday. The Towson matchup will also provide Maryland Sports Blog with an intriguing in-state matchup between two programs we follow closely.
MSB Take
Navy is playing some of its best soccer of the young season, and the most encouraging part of Sunday’s victory was the Midshipmen’s patience. Going 67 minutes without scoring could have created frustration, but Navy continued attacking and eventually turned sustained pressure into three goals. Outshooting VMI 21-7 and putting 12 attempts on target shows how thoroughly the Midshipmen controlled the match.
The defense deserves just as much attention as the offense. Best had only one save to make because Navy rarely allowed VMI to create anything dangerous, and back-to-back shutouts are an excellent sign heading into the next portion of the schedule. Navy has now allowed just one goal during its five-game winning streak, which gives the Midshipmen a strong foundation even when the offense needs time to break through.
The upcoming game against Towson should be one of the most interesting matches on Navy’s early schedule. Navy enters with five straight victories and considerable momentum, while Towson will get the Midshipmen on its home field in another Maryland matchup. If Navy continues producing this combination of defensive structure, shot volume and second-half pressure, the Midshipmen should be a difficult team to handle as conference play approaches.
