ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The fans at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility on Sunday night were treated to a hotly-contested and physical women's soccer match between intrastate rivals Navy and Maryland. When the final whistle sounded after 110 minutes of hard fought action, the Mids (2-1-1) and Terps (2-1-1) were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw. An action packed game, with ebbs and flows of offensive chances for both teams, saw the defenses and goalkeepers from each side stand up strong down the stretch.
 
Sydney Fortson (Jr., Claremont, Calif.) made three saves in net for the Midshipmen as the hosts recorded their third straight shutout and lowered their team goals against average to 0.47 (two goals over 380 minutes) this season.
 
"I like the way we're playing," remarked head coach Carin Gabarra. "We're getting a lot of players minutes and those players are giving us great energy and lifting the team up when they get on the field. That's what we ask of those players; to always give us a boost.
 
"I'm proud of our defending effort. Our 1v1 and our team defending was very good tonight. We were tight, we were disciplined and in transition we kept the ball and attacked well out of that. We're controlling the ball well, but we just need to convert our chances. That'll be our focus moving forward; we just need to be a little better in the attacking third."
 
The action on Sunday went end-to-end over the early portions of the first half as Alex Jackson (Jr., Centennial, Colo.) tried to put Navy up early in the fourth minute with a lead pass over the top to Hannah Miller (Fr., Mattawan, Mich.), whose shot was saved at point blank range by an aggressive Rachel Egyed, Maryland's goalkeeper, who had left her line. Less than two minutes later, Fortson proved that she was up the challenge as she saved a Hope Lewandoski attempt on goal.
 
After that initial burst of offense, Navy took control of the majority of the possession and scoring opportunities in the first half as the Mids would take seven more shots in the half versus one for the Terps. One exceedingly potent chance for Navy came in the 20^thminute. After Baseley McClaskey (Jr., Grand Junction, Colo.) lofted a dangerous corner kick into the box, a chaotic scramble for the ball broke out with unsuccessful shot and clearing attempts coming for both teams and a goalkeeper off her line. Miller finally came down with the ball and the freshman striker put a shot on the seemingly empty net before a Maryland defender positioned on the line cleared the ball away. That team save would loom large over the final 70 minutes of regulation and throughout overtime.
 
While the first half was marked with more free-flowing action, the second half saw physicality be a calling card as 16 combined fouls were whistled in the final 45 minutes of regulation. This style of play wasn't completely conducive for the host Mids as they took five shots, none of which were on goal. The Terps took one shot, which was saved by Fortson with an athletic dive in the 48^thminute.
 
The pace picked back up in the first sudden victory overtime period as each team took three shots in the opening 10-minute frame. Navy's best chance in this first stanza was series of shots in the 93^rdminute. After Eleanor Pratt (Sr., New Orleans, La.) made her way towards goal her shot was blocked by a defender and deflected out to Molly Gillcrist (Fr., San Diego, Calif.), who one-timed a shot on goal, only to have Egyed turn the shot away.
 
With the wear and tear of 100-plus minutes weighing on each team the second overtime was a bit more conservative, though each squad had one strong scoring chance as Maryland peppered Fortson with a well-struck shot on goal in the 102^ndminute before Karli Sottung (Sr., Westfield, N.J.) forced Egyed to sprawl out and dive on a shot on goal in the 108^thminute. One last heart-stopping moment occurred with the clock counting down under 10 seconds as Maryland's Sydney Staier received the ball in space on the left wing and tried to slot a shot in low and into the far corner past Fortson only to see the ball skip wide of the post by inches with the clock showing all zeroes.
 
For the game, Navy outshot Maryland, 17-8 with a 4-3 advantage in shots on goal. The Mids took four corner kicks versus three for the Terps.
 
"We're happy with the way we played tonight," said Gabarra. "Any time you play well against a quality team with a reputation and experience like Maryland it's a good result for us. I think there are things we could've done better tonight and that's what we'll work on."
 
After opening the 2018 season with four straight home games the Mids will hit the road next weekend for a pair of games in the state of North Carolina. On Friday, Aug. 31 at 4 p.m., Gardner-Webb will host Navy in Boiling Springs, N.C. before Western Carolina does the same on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Cullowhee, N.C.