ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Taking a brief break from Patriot League play, the Navy women's soccer team cruised to a 5-0 win at home on Monday over Delaware State University. The Mids (6-5-2) used a well-rounded team attack as 19 different players saw time with seven recording either a goal or assist and two more combining for the shutout in goal versus the Hornets (1-9) at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.
Emma Frommelt (Fr., Edina, Minn.),
Sophie Utsinger (Fr., Bettendorf, Iowa) and
Olivia Foster (Jr., Brighton, Mich.) all scored their first collegiate goals, with
Amanda Graziano (Fr., Middlebury, Conn.) and
Caitlin Doran (Jr., Queens, N.Y.) adding to the Mids' grand total. Navy's goalkeeping performance on Monday saw
Megan LaMendola (Sr., Springdale, Ark.) and
Kaitlyn Burns (Jr., Frederick, Md.) split the 90 minutes on their way for the combined clean sheet.
"It was good to get some quality goals and create quality chances," remarked head coach
Carin Gabarra. "We stayed true to our standards, we moved the ball, attacked as a unit and defended as a unit. I'm proud of the effort from everybody. Everyone played a big role tonight and stepped in and did what was required. We received many very good performances from players that don't normally see a lot of minutes; tonight will help them receive more moving forward.
"I'm really happy for
Olivia Foster, she really stepped up tonight. She's played so many different positions and filled so many roles for us in the past. She always takes whatever task and role she's given with a huge smile. When she buried that PK tonight, it was a big moment for all of us because she's a special player for this program."
The host Midshipmen started lighting up the scoreboard early and often as Frommelt put Navy up 1-0 at 12:01. Building from the midfield with the ball in Graziano's possession, Frommelt overlapped her classmate and received the pass inside the 18, took a dribble and found the corner of the net. Less than two minutes later, Doran entered her name in the line score as she took a shot on goal only to have it saved before recovering the rebound and immediately putting the ball back past the goalkeeper at 13:49.
Up 2-0, Navy increased its lead to three goals six and half minutes later at 19:23 when Graziano took a throw-in at midfield, dribbled past her defender and sprinted up the near sideline for 30-plus yards before going in one-on-one with the goalie and depositing the shot for her second goal of her freshman season.
With less than five minutes remaining in the first half, the Mids went up 4-0 when a crisp series of passes setting up Utsinger for a close-in shot on goal. The scoring play began 30 yards out with
Sophie Ewing (So., Salt Lake City, Utah) before
Alexa Riddle (Fr., Tomball, Texas) received the pass near the endline and quickly turned towards the middle of the six and Utsinger. The freshman didn't miss her opportunity and put her shot away low past the goalkeeper at 41:53.
Coming out of halftime up by four goals, Navy added one more score to its final total in the 52nd minute. As
Tori Liesen (Fr., Hudson, Ohio) dribbled inside the 18-yard box, the freshman forward was fouled by a Delaware State defender drawing a penalty kick. Foster was called upon to take the penalty kick and the junior calmly placed her shot into the back of the net.
Foster's first career goal finished the scoring on Monday as Navy closed out its five-goal victory with 38 more minutes of shutout play. Burns played a role in keeping Delaware State off the scoreboard when she grabbed a lofted shot by the Hornets' Ashley Ventura in the 82nd minute.
For the game, Navy outshot Delaware State, 27-3 with a 12-1 advantage in shots on goal. The Mids also held a 9-1 margin in corner kicks.
Patriot League play returns for Navy as the Mids welcome the Lehigh Mountain Hawks for a Friday night contest. The action at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility is set for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Prior to Friday's matchup the program will honor its five-member senior Class of 2022 with a brief Senior Night presentation.
