ANNAPOLIS, Md. – In the final tune-up before Friday night's Army-Navy Star Match, the Navy women's soccer team dominated Delaware State from the majority of the 90 minutes in Monday's contest at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility. Outshooting the Hornets (2-10-2) by a 30-8 margin, the Mids (8-4-3) posted a 3-1 victory. With the score 3-0 through 87 minutes, Delaware State spoiled Navy's shutout prospect with a late goal in the 88th minute.
 
Kristina Dzhandzhapanyan (So., Diamond Bar, Calif.), Regan McQuain (Jr., Lafayette, Calif.) and Hannah Miller (Fr., Mattawan, Mich.) all found their way into the box score on Monday with their first respective goals of 2018.
 
"I'm pleased that we came away with a win tonight," remarked head coach Carin Gabarra. "Tonight's game gave us a chance to see a lot of different players perform in different positions and in different schemes. Our soccer was pretty good and we created a lot of chances. We attacked well throughout the game. Our execution in the final third needs to be better moving forward. We have to make those chances count, especially against a team like Army on Friday."
 
Navy came out on Monday with the offensive pedal to the floor with constant pressure in Delaware State's defensive third. Over the opening 10 minutes, the Mids had registered four shots with a Dzhandzhapanyan attempt on goal thwarted by the Hornets' goalkeeper Leslie Fazio. An Eleanor Pratt (Sr., New Orleans, La.) corner kick and Tori Mitchell (Fr., Wesley Chapel, Fla.) volley almost resulted in Navy's first goal of the game in the 16th minute, but a Delaware State defender blocked the freshman's shot out of bounds.
 
Finally in the 23rd minute, Navy's persistence resulted in a goal when Cadie Higginson (Jr., New Orleans, La.) controlled the ball in the central midfield and fed Dzhandzhapanyan on the right wing. After a few dribbles into the box, the sophomore put a hard shot on goal that deflected off of Lazio and into the back of the net.
 
Navy continued looking for a second goal over the final 22 minutes of the half, but Fazio came up with four big saves to hold it at a 1-0 margin.
 
Coming out after the halftime intermission both teams fell victim to the physical goal early as Delaware State nearly tallied the equalizer when a Samantha Bahr shot rang off the goal post in the 51st minute before an Alex Jackson (Jr., Centennial, Colo.) header ricocheted off the bottom of the crossbar falling directly onto the goal line in the 58th.
 
The Mids made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute when a series of shots on goal ended with McQuain's arms raised in delight. After Fazio saved Emily Keast's (So., Springfield, Va.) initial shot, McQuain gathered the rebound and powered home a shot on the gaping frame.
 
Navy's final goal of the day came at the end of a well-built possession in the 87th minute. Gaining control in the midfield, Gabby Gordon (So., Fairfax, Va.) moved up the right wing before dropping the ball off to a trailing Denisse Ramirez (So., Union City, Calif.). With the ball at her feet, Ramirez found McQuain inside the 18-yard box where the junior forward slotted a square pass inside the 6-yard box to a waiting Miller for the tap-in at 86:49.
 
Trailing 3-0, Delaware State broke Navy's shutout just 20 seconds later at 87:09 when Savannah Ay controlled a loose ball and took advantage of some miscommunication in the backfield to find the back of the net.
 
In the 3-1 victory, Navy outshot Delaware State, 30-8 with an 11-2 advantage in shots on goal. The Mids also held a 9-1 margin in corner kicks.
 
22 Midshipmen saw the field on Monday. In goal, Sydney Fortson (Jr., Claremont, Calif.) and Molly Swiger (So., Johns Creek, Ga.) split time with Fortson earning the victory with 67:40 minutes of scoreless action.
 
Navy will be back on the pitch on Friday night with a home matchup versus its service academy rival Army. Kickoff between the Mids and Black Knights is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.