Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Junior forward Thomas Shiiba scored the game-winning goal in the 52nd minute to lead Navy (5-4-2, 1-1-0 PL) to a 1-0 win over visiting Lafayette (3-5-2, 0-2-0 PL) at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility on a chilly Saturday evening with heavy wind gusts.

"I thought we played well," said head coach Dave Brandt. "It was a tight Patriot League game. It wasn't as open as we'd like to play, but that's the way it goes sometimes against league opponents. I thought the wind also made it more difficult for both teams."

Navy was awarded a free kick near half field in the 52nd minute. Senior Joseph Greenspan served the free kick into the penalty box where junior Derek Vogel headed it towards goal. Shiiba ran in on it and chipped the ball over the reach of Lafayette goalkeeper Sandy Leavy.

The goal was Shiiba's third of the season and his second game-winner. He also had the game-winner in Navy's 5-0 win over Appalachian State on September 5.

Vogel earned his team-best fifth assist on the strike.

Sophomore Sam Bascom took a team-high six shots for Navy, with one being on goal. Bascom nearly added a second goal for the Mids in the 90th minute but his shot sailed just wide.

Junior goalkeeper Jackson Morgan did not need to make a save in his second solo shutout of the season. Lafayette had a couple of good looks, but their shots either sailed just high or just wide of the goal.

Morgan was aided by the defensive backline play of Greenspan, a 2013 All-American, who cleared multiple crosses away and broke up a number of Lafayette opportunities.

Also seeing time on the backline were juniors Michael Parker and Sawyer Gilmore, freshman Dylan Struthers, sophomore Matt Saunders and senior Grant Valenstein.

Navy outshot Lafayette, 18-7, and the Mids held a 3-0 edge in shots on goal. Navy also led in corner kicks, 5-1.

This was the seventh time this season that Navy has held an opponent to fewer than 10 shots.

Navy is now 3-0-1 against Lafayette in its last four matches. The Mids defeated the Leopards, 2-0, in Easton last season.

Navy will play its third straight home game on Wednesday against #23 American at 7:00 PM at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.