CHESTER, Pa. – In a game that saw both teams with numerous game-winning scoring opportunities, the Navy men's soccer team (5-5-3, 2-1-2 PL) came away with a 1-1 draw against its historic rival Army (3-6-2, 1-3-2 PL) in Army-Navy Cup XII Presented by Leidos on Friday night at Subaru Park.
 
Playing in the home of the Philadelphia Union, senior David Jackson used an early goal to put the Midshipmen up but Gage Lyons answered midway through the first half, as both teams nearly took the lead multiple times over the contest's final 65 minutes before time expired.
 
With both teams pushing the pace early, the seventh minute saw senior captain Zach Wagner pass it up to fellow senior Jason Aoyama, as Aoyama fired a cross into the box that Jackson was able to head home to the right of Harrison Faulkner and open the scoring.
 
After a failed clearance on an Army free kick in the 14th minute, Cooper Warren nearly tied the game when his shot went off the outside of the left post. It did not take the Black Knights long to capitalize on its offensive push though, as Lyons had a rebound come to him in the six-yard box off another Army free kick, beating a sprawling Pierce Holbrook to the left side in the 25th minute.
 
Lyons almost gave Army the lead in the 33rd minute when he nearly redirected a Colman Kim cross but the ball went wide of the left post, while sophomore A.J. Schuetz tried to retake the lead for Navy as he rifled a shot wide right when a failed clear attempt by Army found him in the closing minutes of the first half.
 
Sophomore Andrew Schug also had a chance to put the Mids back in front in the 51st minute, racing down the wing and going for the top-left corner, but Faulkner was able to cover the short side and make the save, while Holbrook stopped a pair of Army chances in the 65th and 70th minutes.
 
Navy had two more opportunities as the half continued, as a Jackson free kick from 20 yards out went off the crossbar in the 83rd minute and a failed clearance on a Navy cross led to junior Noah Ward putting a shot wide right in the 85th minute. Army countered with a pair of chances in the final minutes, but Holbrook turned aside shots from both Jacob Lee and Jack Meyer to preserve the draw and earn Navy a point in the Patriot League standings.
 
Holbrook closed the night with nine saves, just one shy of a career high, while Faulkner registered five saves in the other net.
 
It marks the fourth tie in the history of the Army-Navy Cup, while the draw also means the teams split the men's soccer Star in the 2023-24 Army-Navy Star Series presented by USAA, with the Black Knights now having a 2-0-1 overall lead over the Mids and three more stars up for grabs on Saturday in men's and women's cross country and women's soccer.

Head Coach Tim O'Donohue Comments
"It was a hard-fought game from start to finish, and it was a great atmosphere once again thanks to Carl Cherkin, the Philadelphia Union and the fans in attendance. We came out strong and scored right away, but they grabbed some momentum later in the half and tied it up. I thought we were in control for most of the second half and had two or three clear chances to finish over the last 30 minutes. Now, we have to move forward and continue to get points in the league standings, which includes a rematch this Wednesday of last year's Patriot League Championship that we have to prepare for."
 
Match Notes
• Navy is now 41-32-17 in the all-time series with Army, while the Black Knight have a 5-3-4 edge in 12 meetings of the Army-Navy Cup.
• Jackson's goal gives him a Patriot League-leading 21 points on the season.
• Jackson's eight goals are the most by a Navy player in a season since Jacob Williams scored eight goals in 2018.
• Holbrook's nine saves is the most by a Navy goalkeeper in the 12-year history of the Army-Navy Cup.
 
Up Next
Navy will head to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Oct. 18 for a 2 p.m. match against American.