WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Navy women's rugby team (2-5-1, 1-5-1) concluded its 15s fall season with a 42-22 loss to Army (4-4, 3-4) in the inaugural Star Match on Friday evening at the Anderson Rugby Complex in West Point, N.Y.
 
After falling behind, 30-7, late in the first half, the Mids scored the next 15 points to shrink their deficit to just eight points. The Black Knights controlled the final 20 minutes of the match and added another two tries to claim the first Star Match, which is part of the Army-Navy Star Series presented by USAA.
 
"I am proud of the way the team played this season and especially proud of their effort tonight against a good Army squad," said head coach Murph McCarthy. We are young, continuing to improve and have a bright future ahead."
 
Navy was pinned deep in its defensive zone to begin the match. The Mids sent a clearing kick to their defensive 10-meter line and the Black Knights immediately went on the attack after receiving the ball. Navy was issued its first penalty of the contest on the possession and Army opted to attempt a penalty kick. The Black Knights nailed the kick from just beyond the 22-meter line to take a 3-0 lead just 1:50 into the game.  
 
The Mids were gifted a scrum in their offensive zone shortly after the kickoff from a knock-on penalty. Navy attacked to the right out of the scrum, but was penalized during the next breakdown to award Army a free kick. The Black Knights launched the ball out of bounds at their offensive 10-meter line. Army was charged with an offensive penalty after winning the lineout to grant a free kick to Navy. Lilliana Gemma sent a booming kick across the pitch, but the ball stayed in bounds to allow the Black Knights to send a kick right back. A short clearing kick from Megan Leitz was recovered by Army just outside its offensive 22-meter zone. The Mids nearly forced a turnover by tipping a pass, but the ball went right into the hands of a Black Knight to move the ball inside the five-meter line. Army was gifted a free kick on a penalty during the tackle and booted the ball out of bounds to form a lineout at the five-meter line. The Black Knights attempted to bulldoze themselves into the try zone with the maul attack, but the Mids held strong to force the ball out back to the middle of the pitch. Army committed a forward pass while shifting the ball to the left and Navy was given a scrum at its defensive five-meter line in the ninth minute.
 
The change in possession allowed Leitz to crush a clearing kick back to the 10-meter line. A Black Knight caught the kick near the left sideline and she offloaded the ball behind her back to a teammate to charge back inside the 22-meter zone. Army worked its way down to the five-meter line again with another pair of offloads. The Mids regrouped their defensive front and retook possession by forcing a knock-on penalty. A short clearing kick from Leitz failed to travel out of the 22-meter zone to keep Army in scoring position. The Black Knights won the ensuing lineout and passed the ball to the right of the breakdown. The ball carrier slipped through Navy's defense and she ran 15 meters for a try in the 12th minute to give Army an 8-0 lead.
 
The Black Knights launched a clearing kick to their defensive 10-meter line following the kickoff. Gemma ran to recover the kick and was tackled hard right as she picked up the ball. The ball was jarred free on the hit and Army quickly scooped it up. The Black Knight ball carrier then ran through a pair of ankle tackles to score a try on a 40-meter carry in the 15th minute. Army made its first conversion kick following the score to gain a 15-point advantage.
 
The Black Knights stormed back into their offensive zone in the 18th minute with a 20-meter rush. Army slowly pushed forward to the 10-meter line and then shifted its attack to the right. Navy was caught out of position defensively with the quick change in attack and had only three defenders on four offensive players. The Black Knight ball carrier sprinted past all the defenders in the area and ran over 30 meters before touching the ball down in the try zone for a score in the 19th minute. Army was successful on the conversion kick to take a 22-0 lead.
 
The Mids earned their best field position of the first half in the 22nd minute after the Black Knights committed a knock-on penalty attempting to receive the kickoff. The penalty granted Navy a scrum between its offensive 10 and 22-meter lines. Army was charged with a penalty on the scrum and Gemma booted a free kick out of bounds inside the 22-meter zone. The Mids set up a maul out of the lineout to advance to the five-meter line. Navy couldn't punch the ball in with rushes up the middle and opted to pass the ball wide to the right. Siena Hall caught the next pass and dove across the try line to earn the Mids their first score in the 24th minute. Abby Hershner added another two points by making a deep conversion kick to make the score, 22-7.
 
Army established possession at its offensive 10-meter line after Navy was issued a knock-on penalty for dropping the kickoff. The Black Knights slowly worked their way into the 22-meter zone, but they lost possession on a not-releasing penalty. The Mids sent a free kick out bounds back to midfield to form a lineout. Navy turned the ball over on the throw-in attempt and Army's ball carrier gained 15 meters before being tackled. The Mids reclaimed possession from a forward pass, but another short clearing kick allowed the Black Knights to remain in their offensive zone. Navy was called for a penalty during a breakdown near the 22-meter line to gift Army its second penalty kick of the match. The Black Knights made the kick in the 31st minute to increase their lead to 25-7.
 
The Mids were awarded a scrum in their defensive zone in the 34th minute from a penalty. A long clearing kick following the scrum forced Army back to midfield. The kick returner caught the ball on the right side of the pitch and quickly ran the left half to give the Black Knights numbers on their attack. Army gained over 30 meters on a pair of carries before Hall made a try-saving tackle at the five-meter line. Her effort was awarded after Army was penalized during its pursuit of the try zone to grant Navy a scrum. The Mids earned a free kick a few moments later, but didn't kick the ball out of bounds. The Black Knights took advantage of the mistake by setting up a big return to push back into their offensive 22-meter zone. Army passed the ball out to the left sideline out of the next breakdown and found a hole in Navy's defense to score a try on a 15-meter carry just before the 37th minute. The try put the Mids in a 30-7 deficit.
 
The Black Knights booted a clearing kick to midfield and a strong run by Mia Young on the return helped the Mids charge past their offensive 10-meter line. Army committed a penalty during a tackle to gift Navy a tap-and-go. Morgan McPeak went on the offensive as the Black Knights were retreating back to push the ball into the 22-meter zone. Army received another penalty on its next tackle and Charlotte d'Halluin sent a free kick out of bounds between the five and 22-meter lines. Navy won the ensuing lineout and formed a maul. Miracle Haynes then pulled the ball out of the maul and attacked down the right sideline. She used her speed to run 17 meters to score a try in extended time to make the score, 30-12, at the end of the first half.
 
Army stormed into its offensive zone with a huge kick return to being second half. The Black Knights were flagged during a breakdown a few moments later to gift the Mids a free kick. Gemma launched the ball out of bounds just outside the 22-meter line in Navy's offensive zone. The Mids lost possession during the lineout, but the Black Knights turned the ball right back over on a knock-on penalty. Army was issued a penalty on the next breakdown to award Navy a penalty kick in the 43rd minute. Hershner lined up the attempt from the 22-meter line and put the ball through the uprights to decrease Army's lead to 30-15.
 
A knock-on penalty against the Black Knights in the 49th minute granted the Mids a scrum between their offensive 10 and 22-meter lines. Navy won the scrum and attacked back to the left sideline. d'Halluin was hit hard during her rush, but offloaded the ball to Young before she was brought down. Young gained another 10 meters on her carry to charge into the 22-meter zone. The Black Knights were issued three penalties over the next two minutes. The official gifted the Mids a penalty try in the 52nd minute due to the number of fouls close to the try zone. Navy received seven points from the penalty try and found itself trailing by just eight points.
 
The Mids were granted a free kick from a high-tackle penalty in the 54th minute. Gemma booted the kick across the pitch and out of bounds near Navy's offensive 22-meter line. The Mids committed a knock-on penalty during the lineout to return the ball to the Black Knights. Army worked the ball out to the right after winning the scrum. The ball carrier ran over 25 meters and moved the ball back into Navy's defensive zone. After crossing the 10-meter line, the Black Knights sent a line-drive kick down the left half of the pitch. The ball was scooped up by Army and its ball carrier ran past the lone Navy defender in her way to score a try on a 25-meter carry in the 57th minute. The Black Knights retook a 15-point lead with a made conversion kick.
 
Army controlled the territory battle over the next 20 minutes of play and took away any hopes of a comeback with its final try of the match in the 77th minute.
 
Haynes, Hershner and Hall all finished with five-points each. Haynes scored her third try and is now tied with d'Halluin as the team leader in tries scored in 15s this season. Hershner made her fourth conversion kick and 11th penalty kick to raise her scoring total to 51 points. Hall contributed her first try this fall and the third of her career.
 
Box Score
First Half
1:50 - Penalty Kick - Army (0-3)
 
12:46 - Try - Army (0-8)
 
15:21 - Try - Army (0-13)
Conversion Kick - Army (0-15)
 
19:26 - Try - Army (0-20)
Conversion Kick - Army (0-22)
 
24:15 - Try - Navy - Siena Hall (5-22)
Conversion Kick - Abby Hershner (7-22)
 
31:17 - Penalty Kick - Army (7-25)
 
36:59 - Try - Army (7-30)
 
40:06 - Try - Navy - Miracle Haynes (12-30)
 
Second Half
43:32 - Penalty Kick - Abby Hershner (15-30)
 
52:33 - Penalty Try - Navy (22-30)
 
57:43 - Try - Army (22-35)
Conversion Kick - Army (22-37)
 
77:13 - Try - Army (22-42)