A tough night at the Naval Academy
The Navy women's soccer team faced off against the Air Force Falcons at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility, a venue that has hosted their rivalry since 2002.
Early in the first half, sophomore forward Sophia Ryan, junior midfielder Hannah Mulholland and sophomore Chiara Cosenza each forced the Falcons' defense with well‑placed attempts, while goalkeeper Natasha Stramrood made a diving kick save to deny Addie Doyle's early strike.
Air Force broke the deadlock at 24 minutes when a crisp pass from Ashley Yenawine found Annika Jost, who calmly placed the ball beyond Stramrood to give the Falcons a 1‑0 lead.
The visitors struggled to recover defensively, and the Falcons capitalized midway through the second half, with Kendall Rippley doubling the lead at the 50‑minute mark before Jordan Dillingham added a third goal at 56 minutes.
Navy's attempts to rally were thwarted; Lauren Toms' shot was denied by Sydney Nelms, and Jessica Black's rebound effort was saved by the same goalkeeper.
In the closing stages, Helen Bonner's effort was also turned away, and Ellie McCarron sealed the victory with a fourth goal in the 88th minute.
Despite outshot the Falcons 19‑14 and holding a corner kick advantage of 8‑4, the Mids managed only six shots on target compared with Air Force's eight, underscoring the importance of precision in the final third.
The team will now travel to face the University of Delaware on Sunday at 6 p.m., looking to regroup and reclaim momentum.