ANNAPOLIS, Md. - After competing in eight non-conference games, the Navy women's soccer team will turn its attention to Patriot League play on Friday night when Lehigh comes to town. In a rematch of a 2022 Patriot League Quarterfinal tilt that saw the Mountain Hawks end the Mids' season in Bethlehem, Navy will look to avenge that defeat at home in Annapolis. Kickoff between the Mids (4-1-3) and the Mountain Hawks (3-1-3) is set for 7 p.m. at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.

The action this Friday night 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. Lehigh
Friday will be the 34th meeting between the two schools in a series that began on Sept. 18, 1993 ... Navy leads the series 23-6-4 and has outscored Lehigh, 59-25 all-time ... After going 0-2-1 over the teams' first three meetings, Navy has kicked the series into gear with an 23-4-3 mark beginning in 1996 ... Navy is 15-0-1 in the last 16 meetings in Annapolis between the two teams and 15-1-2 all-time as the host school ... Prior to the Mids' lost to the Mountain Hawks on Oct. 7, 2022, the team had won 11 straight games, in which they had outscored the Mountain Hawks, 22-3 ... This is the earliest the two teams have ever met in conference play (previous mark was Sept. 18, 1993).

Last 5 Matchups
In the last five meetings dating back to 2019, the Mids are 3-2 though the Mountain Hawks have outscored them 8-5, including 6-0 in a pair of 2022 matchups
    Oct. 30, 2022 (A): Lehigh 4 - Navy 0 *Patriot League Quarterfinals
    Oct. 7, 2022 (A): Lehigh 2 - Navy 0
    Oct. 8, 2021 (H): Navy 2 - Lehigh 1
    April 3, 2021 (H): Navy 2 - Lehigh 1
    Oct. 5, 2019 (H): Navy 1 - Lehigh 0

Most Recent Matchup - October 30, 2022 in Bethlehem
The Navy women's soccer team saw its 2022 campaign end in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League Tournament on Sunday afternoon as the fourth-seeded Lehigh Mountain Hawks (8-6-3) knocked off the fifth-seeded Mids (8-8-3) by a score of 4-0 at the Ulrich Sports Complex. The host squad scored two goals in both halves as Navy was unable to answer them on the scoreboard.

The game opened evenly through the first 20 minutes as both teams recorded two shots. Navy's first look on goal was an Amanda Graziano shot in the 12th minute that curled around a Lehigh defender, but right into the waiting arms of the Mountain Hawks' goalkeeper Maggie Ousouljoglou. The Mids' second shot on goal came eight minutes later when Alexa Riddle drew a foul just outside the box that resulted in a free kick that Jenna Daunt put on goal, though it was denied by Lehigh's goalie.
 
A diving save by Mattie Gallagher on a Mattie Murphy volley in the 21st minute helped keep the Mountain Hawks off the scoreboard. The hosts eventually grabbed a 1-0 lead less than three minutes later when Ryelle Shuey collected Corinne Lyght's header shot that had rang off the post and snapped a mid-air volley shot into the back of the net at 23:30. Shuey increased Lehigh's advantage to 2-0 in the 32nd minute when she converted a penalty kick.
 
Outshot 13-5 in the first half, the Mids were unable to make any in-roads on the scoreboard as the Mountain Hawks stretched their lead to 3-0 just over four minutes into the second half as the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Corinne Lyght scored her seventh goal of the season at 49:01.

The hosts registered an addition insurance goal at 79:33 with a Chloe Sherman tally to make it final at 4-0.
 
For the game, Lehigh outshot Navy, 17-10. Both teams were credited with seven shots on goal. The Mids out-numbered the Mountain Hawks in corner kicks by an 8-2 margin.

Comparing the Teams

2023 Stats	Navy	Lehigh
Record	4-1-3	3-1-3
Goals/Gm	2.00	1.43
Assists/Gm	2.00	1.43
Shots/Gm	11.3	10.9
Goals Against Average	1.13	1.00
GK Saves/Gm	4.38	3.86
Common Opponents: St. John's	T, 0-0	W, 4-2

Statistical Leaders

(2023 Stats)	Navy	Lehigh
Goals	Heaven/Riddle, 3	Shuey, 3
Assists	Graziano, 6	Dobosiewicz/Schaller, 3
Points	Graziano, 10	Dobosiewicz, 7
Shots	Riddle, 15	Lyght, 14
GK Saves	Gallagher, 35	Ousouljoglou, 26

Last Time Out: September 10 at UMBC
After a quiet first half saw neither Navy or UMBC find its way onto the scoreboard, the visiting Mids (4-1-3) hit that next gear in the second stanza and rolled the Retrievers (2-6) to the tune of 4-1 final score on Sunday afternoon. Navy found the back of the net early and often in the second half at Retriever Soccer Park as the visitors scored twice of corner kicks in the opening 13 minutes of the period before adding two late insurance goals.

Amanda Graziano led the Mids' offensive effort as she assisted on the team's first two goals before curling in a goal of her own in the 90th minute. Rylee Rives and Tatum Kelly were on the receiving end of Graziano corner kicks in the 50th and 58th minutes, respectively before Kat Healey added her name to the scoring ledger in the 80th minute.

Scoreless through the first period of play, UMBC held a 7-4 edge in total shots and a 4-2 mark in shots on goal. After that opening first half, the fans at Retriever Soccer Park had little idea what would become of the game in the second stanza. In a precursor of the next 45 minutes, Alexa Riddle nearly found the back of the net just 10 seconds into the half as she got into space after the kickoff and ripped a long shot that sailed slightly over the net. A little over four minutes later at 49:27, Graziano lofted a well-placed deep corner kick to the back of the six-yard box where Rives crashed towards the net and powered a header shot past the Retrievers' goalkeeper.

The 1-0 lead didn't last long for the Mids as the hosts came right back down the pitch and knotted the game at 1-all just 100 seconds later at 51:07 with a goal of its own.

Navy dialed up another corner kick connection six minutes later at 57:06 when Graziano put her cross into nearly the same location, but in this instance, Kelly soared over the nearest UMBC defender and snapped a header shot that hit off the crossbar, but deflected down off a Retriever player and bounced in for a goal.

Energized by their new lead, the Mids' defense stonewalled the Retrievers for the majority of the next 20-plus minutes as the host squad registered just one errant shot. With its defense clicking, Navy's offense took aim for an insurance goal and found it at 79:17 when Kassidy Borden quick-played a free kick to Jenna Daunt, who slotted a pass to Healey. In possession of the ball, Healey zagged past a defender and unleashed a left-footed shot that immediately hit a UMBC player, but had enough pace on it to re-direct past the Retrievers' goalkeeper, who was late to react.

In control of the scoreboard by a 3-1 margin, Navy wrapped up its highest-scorning game of 2023 at 89:38 when Emma Romano found Graziano with a throw-in. Feeling pressure on her back, Graziano spun around the defender and struck a curling left-footed shot that passed Cowles and snuck into the upper-90 of the far post.

For the game, Navy outshot UMBC, 19-12 with an 11-5 advantage in shots on goal. In the second half, the totals were 15-5 and 9-1, respectively. The Mids also held a significant edge in corner kicks in the second period, 4-0 after each team took three in the first half.

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 Glenn Warner will be free of charge.