ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy men's rugby team (12-0, 9-0) shut out Western Ontario (5-3, 5-1) 39-0 on Saturday at the Prusmack Rugby Center in its first match of the spring season. Navy posted its fourth shutout of the season while scoring seven tries to win its 12th consecutive match.
 
"We're happy to win our first game of the spring. The wind once again had an impact on the match but we did a good job controlling things throughout the first half going into the wind," said director of rugby Gavin Hickie. "I'm happy where we are right now but there's plenty of work to do before the playoffs later in the season."
 
Despite not playing since November, Navy showed no rust early in the match and marched right down the field to get into scoring position less than four minutes into the contest. After a won scrum by Navy a few meters away from the try line, Tanner Russell managed to power through the Mustang's defense to score the first try of the spring season, giving Navy an early 5-0 lead.
 
Landon Opp put Navy back inside Western Ontario's 22-meter line a few minutes later after completing a 50-22 kick. Navy won the lineout and powered its way just outside the try zone with a maul, and Lewis Gray dove across the try line just before the 10th minute for Navy's second try to make the score 10-0.
 
Navy kept the pressure on by keeping possession on Western Ontario's side of the field over the next 14 minutes before a big run by Dale Sturdifen helped set up another try. A penalty on the Mustang's awarded Navy a scrum, and Sturdifen received a pass out of the won scrum, which he took from the hallway line to just outside the five-meter line to put Navy meters away from another score. Matthew Thibodaux, who played in just three games during the fall due to injury, leaped up for a high pass and quickly planted his feet to score Navy's third just in the 24th minute, putting Navy up 15-0.
 
The Mustangs got into Navy territory for the first time after the score but a knock-on penalty allowed Navy to regain possession. After a won the scrum in its territory, the quick passing by Navy's wings and centers put them right at Western Ontario's five-meter line less than a minute later. An offsides penalty on Western Ontario set up a lineout for Navy, which they used to set up a maul and take Peter Ratnayake into the try zone in the 29th minute to gain a 20-0 lead.
 
Opp made the final score of the first half in the 37th minute, juking out a defender to dive in between the posts for Navy's fifth try of the half. Opp scoring in the middle of the field proved vital with the harsh wind conditions, as it set up an easy conversion kick for Roanin Krieger for Navy's first made kick in five attempts to create a 27-point cushion at halftime.
 
The score remained the same through the first 20 minutes of the second half before Sean MacLaney touched the ball in the try zone for a Navy try. Another made conversion kick by Krieger added two more points to give the Mids a 34-0 lead.
 
Coach Hickie began to sub in his reserve players with a big advantage on the scoreboard, giving newcomer Max Smith the first varsity appearance of his career. Navy found themselves inside Western Ontario's five-meter line in the 69th minute after a Mustang dropped a kick, and Dean Neely ran the ball just outside the try zone. Although Neeley was tackled short of the zone, the Mids set up Smith for a score on the next pass to take a 39-0 lead.
 
Western Ontario made a late push in the final five minutes, but Navy's defense held strong to complete its fourth shutout victory of the season.
 
Navy got a try from seven different players during the match. Gray scored his 13th of the season, tying him with Ben Haugh as the team leader. Gray also increased his scoring total to a team-leading 143 points. Russell and MacLaney both scored their fourth tries of the season, while Ratanayake scored his second. Opp, Smith and Thibodaux all scored their first tries of the 2022-23 campaign.
 
Navy will be back at the Prusmack Rugby Center again next Saturday for a battle with fourth-ranked California. Kickoff against the Golden Bears is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. EST. Fans who can't make it to Annapolis can watch the match on the Rugby Network.
 
Box Score
3:55 - Navy - Try - Tanner Russell (5-0)
 
9:49 - Navy - Try - Lewis Gray (10-0)
 
24:01 - Navy - Try - Matthew Thibodaux (15-0)
 
29:19 - Navy - Try - Peter Ratnayake (20-0)
 
37:48 - Navy - Try - Landon Opp (25-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (27-0)
 
60:35 - Navy - Try - Sean MacLaney (32-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (34-0)
 
70:00 - Navy - Try - Max Smith (39-0)