Annapolis, Md. – Navy women's rugby (1-0) earned its first win as a varsity program with a dominant 44-0 over Lander (0-1) to begin the 2022-23 season.

The first varsity score belonged to Chelsey Washington, who faked a pass to slip through two Lander defenders and score a try in the second minute to put Navy up 5-0. Washington set up Nilah Williamson with a pass down the left sideline in the sixth minute to score another try to give Navy a 10-0 advantage. Washington used her speed to get outside of Lander's defense to score her second try of the match in the 19^th minute to give the Mids a three-score lead.

Navy managed to push deep in Lander territory again in the 27^th minute and a no-look pass from Washington allowed Marissa Meyer to walk into the try zone for Navy's fourth score of the half. Navy had the ball on the far left of the field in the 39^th minute and managed to pass it all the way to the right side to Ana Olszewski to score a try to give Navy a 25-0 halftime lead.

The second half began as a back-and-forth battle with both teams getting deep into their opponent's territory, but unable to get into the try zone. It was until the 59^th minute when captain Eliza Herring managed to corral a bad pass and power her way through two Lander defenders and score her first try of the season. Co-captain Nicole Deprey made her first conversion kick of the contest soon after to put Navy up 32-0.

A mishandled kick by Lander in the 65^th minute set up Navy deep in their territory once again and Joy Ochieng made them pay with another try to push Navy's lead to 39-0 after a successful conversion kick from Deprey. Deprey scored her first try of the match in the 78^th minute to cap off Navy's scoring.

Women's rugby will be back in action next Saturday, Sept. 17 for a matchup in Denville N.J., against American International College. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.

Box Score
2:00 – Navy – Try – Chelsey Washington (5-0)

6:00 – Navy – Try – Nilah Williamson (10-0)

19:00 – Navy – Try – Chelsey Washington (15-0)

27:00 – Navy – Try – Marissa Meyer (20-0)

39:00 – Navy – Try – Ana Olszewski (25-0)

59:00 – Navy – Try – Eliza Herring (30-0)
Conversion – Nicole Deprey (32-0)

65:00 – Navy – Try – Joy Ochieng (37-0)
Conversion – Nicole Deprey (39-0)

78:00 – Navy – Try – Nicole Deprey (44-0)