DUBLIN, Ireland - The journey for the Navy men's rugby team (1-0) to defend its national championship began on a high note with a 78-0 victory against Notre Dame (0-1) on Friday in Dublin, Ireland.
 
The Mids scored 12 tries in the match, which is their second-most tries scored in a single game. Additionally, Navy's 78 points are its most scored in a match since its victory against The Citadel (88-0) last September.
 
"We are happy with where we are for our first game of the season. We have been working hard to try to ensure we hit the ground running and we did that," said director of rugby Gavin Hickie. "There are a lot of areas for us to clean up and improve, which we will, but for now, we are happy with our performance in Ireland."
 
Team captain Ben Haugh gave Navy its first score of the season just one minute into the match. Notre Dame received the opening kick and attempted to clear the ball out of its zone with a kick downfield. A short kick allowed the Mids to gain possession at the 22-meter line. William Webb drove Navy inside Notre Dame's five-meter line and Haugh immediately picked up the ball out of the ruck for the first score of the season. Roanin Krieger made his first conversion kick attempt from the left sideline to give the Mids a 7-0 lead.
 
A knock-on penalty against the Fighting Irish following a kick attempt granted the Mids a scrum near midfield. Sean MacLaney fed Max Smith a pass out of the won scrum and Smith charged up the middle of the pitch to set up Navy near Notre Dame's 22-meter line. Landon Opp moved Navy's attack to the right half of the pitch following the tackle and found Nick Janowsky wide open down the right sideline. Janowsky was tackled a few meters short of the try line, but the Mids pushed Webb into the try zone in the sixth minute for their second score of the match. Krieger put the conversion kick through the uprights to extend Navy's lead to 14-0.
 
Penalties against the Mids allowed the Fighting Irish to push inside the 22-meter zone for the first time. Navy played great defense over the next 10 minutes deep in its zone and held up the ball to earn a scrum. The Mids won the scrum and cleared the kick back to midfield. The Fighting Irish attempted to move quickly to reclaim the territory they lost following the kick, but were penalized for a knock-on to grant the Mids another scrum. Opp received a pass out of the won scrum and immediately booted the ball downfield. The ball took a Navy bounce and went out of bounds at the five-meter line to award Navy a 50-22.
 
The Mids lost possession on a turnover only a few meters away from another score. The Fighting Irish regrouped and cleared the ball back to the 10-meter line on a kick downfield. Navy went back on the offensive right away after receiving the kick and forced Notre Dame into committing a penalty to set up a lineout at the five-meter line. The Mids formed a maul out of the won lineout and easily pushed Webb into the try zone in the 19th minute for his second score of the match. Krieger made the score, 21-0, following his third made conversion kick.
 
Navy turned the ball over attempting to receive the kickoff to grant Notre Dame possession near the 22-meter line. The Mids pushed the Fighting Irish's offensive attack back and forced a turnover to go reclaim possession. Haugh broke a pair of tackles and gained over 20 meters on a carry to move Navy beyond Notre Dame's 10-meter line. The Fighting Irish were penalized on a tackle attempt to award the Mids a free kick and Opp sent the ball out of bounds just outside the five-meter line. Navy moved the ball from the right to the left sideline looking for a break in the defense, but Notre Dame's line held strong to hold the Mids out of the try zone. Navy shifted its attack back to the right and Krieger found Janowsky uncovered again. Janowsky caught the pass and dove into the try zone untouched for a try in the 25th minute. Krieger added another two points on the conversion kick to give Navy a 28-0 lead.
 
Navy stole the ball out of a ruck at midfield and MacLaney executed another 50-22 kick to set up a lineout inside Notre Dame's 22-meter zone. The Mids used their maul attack again out of the lineout and powered Webb across the try line for his third score of the match just before the 28th minute. Krieger sent his fifth conversion kick through the uprights to put Navy ahead, 35-0.
 
Notre Dame maintained possession in its offensive zone over the next few minutes, but once again was unable to break through Navy's defensive wall. After the Fighting Irish mishandled a pass, MacLaney scooped up the loose ball and made a no-look pass to his right to Tanner Russell. Russell then found Krieger on the right sideline and the sophomore broke a pair of ankle tackles to move Navy near the Notre Dame 22-meter line. A pair of turnovers and a penalty by the Mids allowed the Fighting Irish to push the ball back to midfield. Notre Dame attempted to attack the left sideline, but threw a pass into the hands of MacLaney. Navy's scrum half quickly sprinted upfield to set up Navy just outside the 22-meter line. Austin Taylor received a pass out of the ruck and ran through a pair of tacklers to score Navy's sixth try of the half in the 35th minute. Krieger remained perfect on conversion kicks following Taylor's score to put the Mids in front, 42-0.
 
Notre Dame earned a scrum in its offensive zone to begin the second half after Navy committed a knock-on penalty. The Mids retook possession after the Fighting Irish kicked the ball out of bounds to set up a lineout. Janowsky caught a pass out of a ruck and ran past Notre Dame's defensive front. He carried the ball over 50 meters before being tackled inside the 22-meter zone. The Fighting Irish pushed the Mids back to the 10-meter line after a turnover, but Max Smith provided another big carry of over 30 meters for a try in the 43rd minute. The ensuing conversion kick from Krieger gave the Mids a 49-0 advantage.
 
Navy kept control of the ball in Notre Dame's defensive zone over the next five minutes and moved the ball inside the five-meter line after a 15-meter carry from Jacob D'Amico. The Fighting Irish defense conjoined in the middle of the pitch and left the sidelines undefended. Navy took advantage by immediately attacking to the right and Janowsky walked into the try zone with no defenders in front of him in the 50th minute. The score gave the Mids a 54-point cushion.
 
A high tackle against Notre Dame granted Navy a free kick and Opp launched the attempt over 40 meters to set up a lineout right at the 22-meter line. Navy controlled the ensuing lineout and Haugh provided another powerful carry to move the ball inside the five-meter line. Vaughn Schmitz collected a pass out of the ruck and used his length to stretch across the try line in the 54th minute. Krieger's eighth successful conversion kick put Navy in front, 61-0.
 
A miscue by Navy resulted in Notre Dame forming a lineout in its offensive zone. The Fighting Irish drove near the 22-meter line, but committed a penalty to grant a scrum for the Mids. Matt Richardson made a pass to the right to Krieger and he traded passes back and forth with James Downing for over 50 meters. Krieger touched the ball in the try zone in the 60th minute following the exchanges to make the score, 66-0.
 
Downing provided another big carry following a won scrum to push Navy inside the 22-meter zone. Smith then juked three Fighting Irish defenders for his second try of the contest in the 67th minute. Krieger's ninth conversion kick of the game gave the Mids a 73-0 lead.
 
JD Bengston added Navy's 12th try of the afternoon in the 79th minute for the final score of the contest.
 
Krieger led Navy in scoring with 23 points, which is the second-most points scored by a Mid in a single contest. Additionally, he broke his own record for the most conversion kicks in a match with nine made kicks.
 
Webb scored 15 points on three tries to account for the seventh hat trick in Navy's varsity history.
 
Janowsky and Smith both found the try zone twice to contribute 10 points each.
 
Bengston, Haugh, Schmitz and Taylor were each credited with one try in the victory.
 
Men's rugby will enjoy another day in Ireland tomorrow to watch the Navy-Notre Dame football game at 2:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. Dublin time). Fans can read more about the contest HERE.
 
Men's rugby will compete in Annapolis next Saturday against Delaware for its home opener. Kickoff against the Blue Hens is scheduled at noon at the Prusmack Rugby Center.
 
Box Score
First Half
1:00 - Try - Navy - Ben Haugh (5-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (7-0)
 
6:16 - Try - Navy - William Webb (12-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (14-0)
 
19:47 - Try - Navy - William Webb (19-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (21-0)
 
25:08 - Try - Navy - Nick Janowsky (26-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (28-0)
 
27:56 - Try - Navy - William Webb (33-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (35-0)
 
35:15 - Try - Navy - Austin Taylor (40-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (42-0)
 
Second Half
43:35 - Try - Navy - Max Smith (47-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (49-0)
 
50:44 - Try - Navy - Nick Janowsky (54-0)
 
54:36 - Try - Navy - Vaughn Schmitz (59-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (61-0)
 
60:54 - Try - Navy - Roanin Krieger (66-0)
 
67:10 - Try - Navy - Max Smith (71-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (73-0)
 
79:30 - Try - Navy - JD Bengston (78-0)