ANNAPOLIS, Md. – A pair of sophomores propelled the Navy men's soccer team (2-1-0) to a 6-0 shutout against Howard (0-2-0) on Friday night at Glenn Warner Soccer Facility, as A.J. Schuetz and Andrew Schug each scored a brace to help give the Midshipmen their second-straight victory.
 
In addition to Schuetz and Schug, senior David Jackson became the first Navy player since 2000 to record three assists in a single game, while fellow seniors Zach Wagner and Jason Aoyama tallied their first goals of the season. The six-goal outburst also marks the most goals by Navy in a game since the 1995 campaign and gives the Mids its fifth-consecutive home win dating back to last season.
 
The Mids' early offensive efforts earned them some near-goal chances just a few minutes in the game, but a Jackson shot went off the right post and a header from Baba Kallie was stopped in the 11th minute.
 
Navy then held off a push by Howard and eventually got its first tally in the 27th minute when Wagner headed home a Jackson free kick near the left post.
 
Jackson used another free kick to set up the next Navy goal in the 38th minute, as his ball into the box found Schug on the right side, who put a header into the back of the net for his first collegiate tally.
 
Another free kick in the final minute of the first half helped the Mids grab their third goal of the game, as Jackson's pass allowed Schuetz to rip a shot past Howard's Benjamin Hoeslii with 36 seconds remaining.
 
Navy extended the lead in the 55th minute thanks to Schuetz, who picked up a long pass from freshman Victor Saade and made a move on the Howard defense to earn himself his first multi-goal game as a Mid.
 
Howard nearly scored a minute later when a Peter Gansallo shot went off the wordwork, but Navy answered back with Aoyama finishing off a Kallie pass in the 59th minute, while Schug got his second tally of the night when he raced in and scored off an Aoyama rebound in the 61st minute.
 
Relying on its bench to preserve the shutout, Navy saw the collegiate debuts of junior Jackson Simons, sophomores Robert Eaton and Bryce Robisch and freshmen Alex Galloway, Luc Ramalho, Piercen Fisher and Ryan Skandalis over the closing 25 minutes.
 
Junior goalkeeper Pierce Holbrook earned the win for the Mids before being relieved by Eaton in the 66th minute, as the Navy tandem shared the shutout, while Hoeslii made six saves for Howard in the losing effort.
 
Head Coach Tim O'Donohue Comments
"Tonight's win was a really strong performance from our entire group. Their intensity and effort keep improving every game we play and I'm excited for them to go out and play again on Sunday against Liberty."
 
Match Notes
• Navy improved to 13-12-4 in the all-time series with Howard, extending the Mids' winning streak over the Bison to four games and the undefeated streak to eight contests.
• Navy extended its home undefeated streak to 11 games.
• The current senior class has helped Navy to a 14-4-6 home record over the past four seasons.
• Head coach Tim O'Donohue is now one win away from the 50-win milestone at Navy.
• Navy's six goals on Friday are the most by the Mids in a game since a 7-0 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore on Oct. 24, 1995.
• Jackson is the first Navy player with three assists in a single game since Michael Paisant racked up a trio of assists against LIU on Sept. 1, 2000 in a 5-0 Navy win.
• The 2000 season also marks the last time a pair of Navy players scored two goals apiece in the same game, as Brye Gerhardt and Dan Montgomery both netted a brace in a 5-0 win against Mount St. Mary's on Sept. 10, 2000.
 
Up Next
Navy finishes off a busy week at home on Sunday, Sept. 3, as the Mids host Liberty for a 7 p.m. contest.