ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy women's soccer team will continue its march towards the Patriot League postseason with a Wednesday night road game at Lafayette. With their win over Army on Friday night, the Mids (9-4-3, 5-1 PL) clinched a berth in the Patriot League postseason tournament for the 21st time in program history and eighth year in a row. The Leopards (4-10, 1-5 PL) are currently on the outside looking in for the Patriot League playoff picture. The action on Wednesday kicks off at 7 p.m. at Oaks Stadium in Easton, Pa.

The game will be live streamed by Lafayette on the Patriot League Network with live stats accompanying the broadcast as well.

Last Time Out
Navy pulled off a dramatic 2-1 victory over archrival Army in the 2018 Women's Soccer Star Game on Friday evening. Trailing 1-0 with less than eight minutes to play in regulation, the Mids received a pair of goals from the New Orleans duo of junior Cadie Higginson and senior Eleanor Pratt. Higginson netted Navy's game-tying goal in the 83rd minute before Pratt curled in the game-winner with just 44 seconds left to complete the comeback over the Black Knights.

Friday night's game had an inauspicious start for the host Midshipmen as the Black Knights found themselves on the scoreboard just 72 seconds into the contest on the strength of a Morgan Walsh goal. Knowing that they were only one goal away from tying the contest, the Mids kept up their resilient comeback push throughout the second half. The team collected the first 10 shots of the half to go along with numerous dangerous crosses. Navy's fortunate finally changed with its ninth shot of the half at 82:18. After Baseley McClaskey worked the ball up the left wing, the Mids' leading scorer in 2018, shot a pass inside the 18-yard box to a waiting Tori Mitchell, who calmly slid the ball to Higginson for a one-timer shot and goal from approximately eight yards out.

Navy continued to control the action down the stretch before McClaskey once again worked a cross in from the left wing with less than 60 seconds showing on the clock. Blocking a clear by an Army defender, McClaskey gathered the ball towards left sideline before quickly turning and whipping a square pass to a charging Pratt. Now in control of the ball, Pratt took two dribbles, crossed-up the oncoming Black Knight defender, took a step and connected for a curling shot into the upper-90 for the game-winning goal with 44 seconds left.

In Navy's win, the hosts held advantages in shots, 18-6, shots on goal, 9-3, and corner kicks, 3-1. Sydney Fortson earned the win in goal with two saves.
 
Navy vs. Lafayette
Wednesday will be the 28th meeting (22-4-1) between the two schools in a series that began in Navy's first year of varsity existence in 1993 ... In that Sept. 26, 1993 matchup, Lafayette took the contest by a 7-1 decision ... Over the next 17 meetings between the Mids and Leopards, Navy went 17-0, including a postseason victory in 2001 ... After tying in 2010 and losing in the regular season in 2011, Navy then rattled off four straight wins (2011-PL Semis, 2012, 2013 and 2014) before Lafayette posted consecutive 1-0 shutout victories in 2015 and 2016 ... All-time, Navy has outscored Lafayette, 66-20 and hold a 10-3 mark in games in Easton.

Last 5 Matchups
In the last five meetings dating back to 2013, the Mids are 3-2 and have outscored the Leopards, 6-2
Oct. 18, 2017: Navy 1 - Lafayette 0
Oct. 23, 2016: Lafayette 1 - Navy 0, OT
Oct. 25, 2015: Lafayette 1 - Navy 0
Sept. 26, 2014: Navy 4 - Lafayette 0
Sept. 28, 2013: Navy 1 - Lafayette 0

2017 Recap
On October 18, 2017, the Mids defeated the Lafayette Leopards by a score of 1-0. Looking to keep its hold on first place in the Patriot League standings, the Mids (13-3-1, 6-0-1 PL) used a goal by Natalie Dzhandzhapanyan in the 78th minute to break the scoreless tie and lead to the eventual one-goal victory over the Leopards (3-8-2, 1-5-1 PL) at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.

After taking 13 shots over the opening 32 minutes of the second half, a set piece ended up becoming the game-changing play. After Lafayette fouled a Navy player in the middle third of the field, nearly 40 yards out, Alex Jackson lofted with great precision a cross into the box where Dzhandzhapanyan was on the receiving end. The senior midfielder caught the cross with her head and flicked the ball on passed the outstretched arms of Lafayette's goalie Kelly O'Brien.

That lone tally would stand up as the game-winning goal as Navy's defense continued its strong second half of play over the final 13 minutes of regulation. Lafayette's only credited shot in the second half was a high cross from the midfield that eventually found its way on net to force Sydney Fortson into making a save.

For the game, Navy outshot Lafayette, 26-8 with a 9-3 advantage in shots on goal. The total for second half shots was 17-1 in favor of the Mids. In terms of corner kicks, Navy took that category as well with a 10-2 margin, including a 7-1 mark in the final 45 minutes.

In goal, Fortson finished with three saves for her fifth straight solo shutout.

Common 2018 Patriot League Opponents

	Navy	Lafayette
Army	W, 2-1	L, 0-1
Boston U.	L, 0-1	L, 0-2
Holy Cross	W, 1-0	L, 0-2
Lehigh	W, 2-0	L, 1-4

Comparing the Teams

(2018 Stats)	Navy	Laf.
Record	9-4-3	4-10
Patriot League Rec.	5-1	1-5
Goals/Gm	1.44	0.86
Assists/Gm	1.13	0.93
Shots/Gm	13.2	7.4
Goals Against Avg.	1.04	1.64
GK Saves/Gm	3.0	5.7

Individual Leaders

(2018 Stats)	Navy	Lafayette
Goals	McClaskey, 6	Stanford, 5
Assists	McClaskey, 6	Brannigan, 4
Points	McClaskey, 18	Stanford, 11
Shots	Sottung, 35	2 Players, 16
GK Saves	Fortson, 46	Pohl, 80