ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy women's soccer team will conclude its 2023 season with a home Patriot League bout on Wednesday night versus Lafayette. Winners of two straight games, the Mids (8-7-3, 2-6 PL) will be looking to close out their campaign with another win, while playing spoiler against a Leopard (7-7-1, 3-5 PL) squad that is aiming to potentially grab the sixth and final spot in the upcoming Patriot League Tournament. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility on the campus of the United States Naval Academy.

The Navy-Lafayette contest will have live stats provided online, as well as an ESPN+ broadcast. ESPN+ is a subscription-based streaming service that requires patrons to sign-up for monthly or yearly plans prior to tuning into the contest.

Navy vs. Lafayette
Wednesday will be the 32nd meeting (25-4-2) between the two schools in a series that began in Navy's first year of varsity existence in 1993 ... In that Sept. 26, 1993 matchup, Lafayette took the contest by a 7-1 decision ... Over the next 17 meetings between the Mids and Leopards, Navy went 17-0, including a postseason victory in 2001 ... After tying in 2010 and losing in the regular season in 2011, Navy then rattled off four straight wins (2011-PL Semis, 2012, 2013 and 2014) before Lafayette posted consecutive 1-0 shutout victories in 2015 and 2016; since then the Mids are 4-0-1 ... All-time, Navy has outscored Lafayette, 72-22 and hold an 12-1-2 mark in games played in Annapolis.

Last 5 Matchups
In the last five meetings dating back to 2017, the Mids lead 4-0-1 with a 7-2 edge in scoring 
    Oct. 26, 2022 (A): Navy 1 - Lafayette 0
    Oct. 27, 2021 (H): Navy 3 - Lafayette 1
    Oct. 2, 2019 (H): Navy 1 - Lafayette 1
    Oct. 17, 2018 (A): Navy 1 - Lafayette 0
    Oct. 18, 2017 (H): Navy 1 - Lafayette 0

Most Recent Navy-Lafayette Match ~ October 26, 2022 in Easton, Pa.
The Navy women's soccer team received a career-best performance from goalkeeper Mattie Gallagher on Wednesday night at Lafayette to clinch the program's 12th straight Patriot League Tournament appearance. Coming into the regular season finale versus the Leopards in the sixth position for the upcoming league tournament, the Mids controlled their destiny and made sure that they'd be extending their season as Mimi Abusham score the go-ahead goal in the 62nd minute, while Gallagher continued to stonewall the hosts with a career-high 10 saves. Courtesy of Navy's 1-0 victory at Oaks Stadium as well as a 2-1 win by American over Loyola, the Mids were able to secure the fifth seed in the tournament that begins on Sunday afternoon.

The Leopards were active early and often with seven shots in the initial 20 minutes of the game. Gallagher played a key role in keeping Lafayette off the scoreboard as she made four saves during that opening run of play. After denying Lauren Cunningham in the third minute, her second stop required quick reflexes as Haley Pursel flicked a shot from seven yards out, while her third was a leaping grab of an April McDonald attempt. The final of four stops was a long, bounding shot by Sara Oswald in the 18th minute.

Gallagher's reflexes were tested once again before halftime as a back-to-back series of shots over four seconds by Melissa Lamanna and Sara Oswald saw the junior goalkeeper make a kick save followed by a two-handed deflection in the 40th minute.
 
After making six saves in the first half, Gallagher was called upon again early in the second stanza as she made a point blank save on a McDonald one-timer in the 53rd minute.

Energized by their goalkeeper's outstanding play, the Mids' offense finally got clicking. Over the next nine minutes after Gallagher's latest stop, Navy registered three shots. The Mids' persistence paid off as that third attempt found the back of the net. After a failed clearance of a corner kick by the Leopards, Abusham gathered the bouncing ball and lofted a soft, floating shot into the upper-90 for her second goal of the season at 61:26.

In control with a 1-0 lead, Gallagher made sure that the one-goal edge would standup for the final 28 minutes of action at Oaks Stadium. In the 70th minute, she dove to defend the lower right post from an Emily Coe shot before denying McDonald twice in the final 3:11.
 
For the game, Lafayette outshot Navy, 15-9 and had a 10-8 advantage in shots on goal. The host Leopards also recorded two more corner kicks than the Mids, 4-2. Gallagher's 10 saves surpassed her previous career-high of nine at Colgate on Oct. 2, 2021.

Comparing the Teams

2023 Stats	Navy	Lafayette
Record / PL	8-7-3, 2-6 PL	7-7-1, 3-5 PL
Goals/Gm	2.17	1.27
Assists/Gm	2.06	0.93
Shots/Gm	14.1	8.1
Goals Against Average	1.11	1.27
GK Saves/Gm	3.94	4.73

Statistical Leaders

(2023 Stats)	Navy	Lafayette
Goals	Healey, 5	Zaffanella, 5
Assists	Graziano, 6	Coe, 4
Points	Healey, 13	Zaffanella, 12
Shots	Riddle, 39	Oswald, 27
GK Saves	Gallagher, 65	Dewar, 70

Last Time Out: October 20 at Holy Cross 
The Navy women's soccer team turned in a strong wire-to-wire road effort at Holy Cross on Friday and came away with a 3-0 victory. Heading out on the road for the final time in 2023, the Mids (8-7-3, 2-6 PL) withstood a physical challenge from the Crusaders (5-7-5, 2-3-3 PL) and found that next gear offensively in the second half with three goals over a run of play from 56:14 to 67:05.

Rylee Rives, Katie Herrmann and Kat Healey all scored for Navy in the win, while Mattie Gallagher and Talley Applewhite shared the combined clean sheet with five total saves.

Holy Cross was aggressive out from the opening whistle with three shots, including one on goal in the initial seven minutes of action. Mimi Abusham (So., Los Alamitos, Calif.) registered Navy's first shot on target as she tested Julia Walsh in the 11th minute to no avail. Over the ensuing 15 minutes, the host Crusaders tallied five of the next six shots, including another shot on goal that was saved by Gallagher.

Scoreless at the halftime intermission, Navy came out of the locker room on a mission. Just over 11 minutes into the second stanza, Holy Cross' Cerys Balmer received a red card for tackling Riddle on a breakaway scoring opportunity. Setting up on a free kick chance from just outside 18, Kassidy Borden drilled a shot that was stopped by Walsh, but a fortuitous bounce to Rives saw the Texan immediately play the ball into the back net at 56:14.

Up 1-0, the Mids kept their foot on the offensive pedal as 7:23 later the visitors were up 2-0 on the strength of a Herrmann header. Building off a long throw-in by Rives, Amanda Graziano flicked the ball towards the goal before a Holy Cross defender deflected the pass away. With the ball up for grabs, Herrmann got her head on it first and powered home her second goal of the season at 63:37.

Another save by Gallagher, her fifth of the game, after that goal helped Navy hold onto its 2-0 lead momentarily before Healey made it 3-0 less than four minutes later. Breaking out and dribbling into Holy Cross' final third, Ali Barrow was taken down for a foul within 20 yards of the goal. Calmly taking aim for the goal on the free kick opportunity, Healey deposited her shot past Walsh at 67:05 for Navy's third goal of the game and her team-leading fifth goal of the 2023 campaign.

Leading 3-0, the Mids continued controlling the action in the Crusaders' end and recorded three more shots on goal over the final 23 minutes, though none found their way through for scores to finalize the contest with the same margin.

For the game, Navy out-shot Holy Cross, 16-14 with a 10-5 advantage in shots on goal.

Parking / Shuttle / Ticket Information
Fans are reminded that the general public does not have access to drive their vehicles on to the U.S. Naval Academy. Fans may park at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for a fee and take a shuttle that will run every 10 minutes starting one hour before the game and will continue running until one hour after the game is completed. Fans 18 and over need a government-issued photo ID. Enter Gate 5 off Taylor Ave. to park at the stadium. Dogs are not permitted inside the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility. All soccer contests at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility will be free of charge.