ANNAPOLIS, Md. – In its first contest back home after a three-game road trip, in which it went 3-0, the Navy women's soccer team didn't miss a beat on Friday night as the team knocked off East Tennessee State by a score of 2-1. Spearheaded by goals from sophomores Avery Fries (Draper, Utah) and Carolyn Mang (Forest Hill, Md.), the Mids improved to 5-1 overall on the season as they have now won four straight games. Visiting the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility for the first time in program history, the Buccaneers (1-2-2) were unable to mount much on offense until a late goal in the 88th minute.
 
"We've been pretty well-rounded this year, in terms of who's scoring goals and the number of goals," remarked head coach Carin Gabarra about the team's offensive output on Friday. "I thought we did some good things tonight, but I also thought that they [ETSU] exposed us a bit and we learned somethings about ourselves that we can improve.
 
"Our midfield is moving the ball better. I thought that we did a better job in the attacking third creating chances, but I'm a little disappointed of our play in the big moments and giving away a goal with under three minutes to go."
 
The action on Friday night was slow out of the box on the offensive end as the majority of the first 25 minutes consisted of physical play in the middle of the field. Each team was only able to record two shots a piece over this opening span of play. Joining the Mids' offensive rush, Fries was able to put an end to the scoreless action at 27:57 as she took a pass, dribbled past a defender into space about 25 yards out and unleashed a high arching strike towards goal that cut just enough late to hit the bottom of the crossbar and drop into the net. The goal by Fries was the first of her career.
 
Holding a 1-0 lead, Navy was unable to extend its lead over the final 17 minutes of the first half as both Victoria Tran (So., Clarksville, Md.) and Mang's shots went wide of the goal.
 
Over the opening 45 minutes of play, the teams combined for nine total shots, six for Navy and three for ETSU. Both teams had one shot on goal.
 
Coming out after the break, the Mids ratcheted up their pressure in the offensive third as they tallied 15 shots during the second half. One of their best scoring chances in the second half came less than ten minutes in when Baseley McClaskey (Sr., Grand Junction, Colo.) served a free kick into the box where it found a leaping Cadie Higginson (Sr., New Orleans, La.) for a header flick onto goal. Unfortunately for Navy, ETSU's goalie, Tess Mrozek was up to the task and punched the ball over the crossbar to keep it a 1-0 game.
 
Navy was also putting pressure on ETSU off of its numerous corner kick opportunities in the second half. Between McClaskey and Emily Keast (Jr., Springfield, Va.), the Mids had six total corners in the final 45 minutes of play. In the 64th minute, a Keast corner was met in the air by a charging Alex Jackson (Sr., Centennial, Colo.), whose header attempt was thwarted by Mrozek.
 
Tran was the recipient of two strong setups from the wings as her attempt on goal in the 75th minute came from Regan McQuain (Sr., Lafayette, Calif.) before her shot in the 78th came via Kaitlyn McKeown (Fr., Newbury Park, Calif.). In both chances, a Buccaneer defender darted in late to block Tran's shot away from danger.
 
Finally in the 80th minute, Navy's constant barrage of shots and corner kicks resulted in the game's second goal as a McClaskey corner kick bounced over Mrozek to a waiting Mang, who headed the floating ball into the back of the net.
 
With under three minutes on the clock, ETSU ruined Navy's shutout bid with an unassisted goal by Beatrice Abati at 87:29.
 
In the 2-1 victory, the Mids outshot the Bucs, 21-5, with a 6-2 advantage in shots on goal. The host Midshipmen also held an advantage in corner kicks, 7-2.
 
"All of the games that we've played so far this season have been really different," said Gabarra. "We've played different teams with different styles on different fields and in different environments. It's been good to be exposed to those different circumstances, but we need to continue working to play our brand of soccer, especially when we're at home. I feel like we got a little impatient at times tonight. We need to keep improving and find that consistency."
 
Navy will be back in action next Thursday with a non-conference bout versus Gardner-Webb at home. Kickoff between the Mids and Runnin' Bulldogs is set for 5 p.m. at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.