DOVER, Del. – The Navy women's soccer team got back to its winning ways on the road Monday with a 1-0 victory over Delaware State. Looking to put Saturday's 1-0 Patriot League defeat to Holy Cross behind them, the Mids (12-2-1) scored early on the strength of a Gabby Gordon (Jr., Fairfax, Va.) goal in the 23rd minute and never looked back as their defense led by junior goalkeeper Molly Swiger (Johns Creek, Ga.) kept the Hornets (0-15) off the scoreboard for the clean sheet victory.
 
"We played some good soccer today, but had some trouble finishing on the offensive end," remarked head coach Carin Gabarra. "Hat tip to Gabby Gordon, who had a really nice game. We struggled a bit with our execution, but overall we played well. We're happy that a lot of players saw time today. We now have to turn our attention back to the Patriot League and our game with Bucknell on Saturday."
 
The action at Alumni Stadium in Dover started out evenly with both teams receiving a corner kick opportunity and notching at least one shot over the first 15 minutes of play.
 
The scales tip in Navy's favor in the next portion of the first half courtesy of the duo of Gordon and Sadie McCaleb (Fr., Loganton, Pa.). With Navy in possession of the ball on a throw-in, McCaleb launched a deep throw to the top of the 18-yard box where Gordon volleyed the ball out of the air for a high looping shot on target passed the outstretched arms of Delaware State's goalkeeper, Fabrea McCray for the game's first goal at 22:41. That scoring transaction gave both McCaleb and Gordon their first points of the 2019 season.
 
Up 1-0, the Mids kept their foot on the offensive pedal and continued testing McCray with three more shots on goal over the next 22-plus minutes of the first half. Victoria Tran (So., Clarksville, Md.) was credited with the first two shots on goal before Caitlin Doran (Fr., Queens, N.Y.) notched the third attempt.
 
For the half, Navy outshot Delaware State, 7-2 with a 4-0 advantage in shots on goal.
 
The Mids nearly mirrored those stats in the second half with six shots and two on goal. Three of those shots came within in the first eight minutes of the second half, though all were off target. Navy's best chances to increase its one-goal lead came off the foot of Carolyn Mang (So., Forest Hill, Md.) in the 65th minute and Hannah Miller (So., Mattawan, Mich.) in the 70th. Unfortunately for the visitors, both opportunities were turned aside by McCray.
 
Swiger made sure Navy's 1-0 lead held up to earn her team the shutout victory when she made a save on Mary O'Conner's shot on goal in the 70th. That was the Hornet's only shot on goal of the game.
 
In the 1-0 victory, Navy outshot Delaware State, 13-4 in total shots and 6-1 in shots on goal. The Mids also led the Hornets in corners by a 7-2 margin.
 
The shutout is the ninth of the 2019 for Navy and the second individual clean sheet for Swiger this campaign.
 
Navy will return its attention to Patriot League play this coming weekend with a Saturday morning tilt versus Bucknell. The Mids and Bison are set for an 11 a.m. kickoff at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.