ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Sophomore Roanin Krieger scored a career-high 26 points to lift the Navy men's rugby team (4-0, 1-0) to a 71-0 victory against Queens University of Charlotte (2-1, 0-1) on Friday at the Prusmack Rugby Center in Annapolis, Md.
 
Krieger's 26 points helped him become Navy's all-time leading scorer in its varsity history, surpassing 2023 graduate Lewis Gray (166 points). The Placerville, Calif., native also recorded the second-most points scored by a Mid in a single match in team history.
 
The Mids totaled 10 tries in the victory and have scored 10 or more tries in all four matches this season. Additionally, Navy claimed its third shutout win of the 2023-24 campaign.  
 
"We are asking for progression and signs of improvement each week. We set goals for ourselves before every match and we are starting to slowly see those materialize," said director of rugby Gavin Hickie. "I'm very happy with our physical dominance. Our set piece today was very good and obviously so was our defense with holding Queens to zero points. Jack Aleman did an outstanding job at midfield to lead our defensive efforts. We have a couple of areas we need to clean up as always, but it was a great outing by our entire team today. Big thank you to Queens for traveling from Charlotte today to play us and avoid the weather tomorrow. They deserve a lot of respect for that.
 
"I never normally call out one player, but Roanin Krieger was outstanding. We moved him to center for the first time today and he excelled in the role. With him already being Navy varsity's all-time leading scorer with two years of eligibility remaining after this year, that record is going to be hard to break. We are continuing to see glimpses at the future of Navy rugby and for everybody here that's very exciting."
 
Queens had a big opportunity to drive into Navy territory in the fifth minute. Landon Opp sent a clearing kick directly out of bounds to award the Royals a lineout at midfield. The Mids made their first big defensive play of the contest by forcing a turnover on the lineout to establish possession in their offensive zone. Tanner Russell picked up the loose ball and sprinted over 20 meters to move Navy inside the 22-meter zone. The Mids advanced the ball inside the five-meter line on a carry from Avion Ganse. Russell then received an offload from Ben Haugh and he broke a tackle to earn Navy's first try of the match in the sixth minute. Krieger made his first conversion kick of the afternoon to put the Mids ahead, 7-0.
 
The Royals held the ball in their offensive zone for the majority of the next 20 minutes, but multiple knock-on penalties negated opportunities for a game-tying score. Navy forced the ball back into its offensive zone in the 27th minute with its kicking game. Queens regained possession on a knock-on penalty at the 10-meter line in its defensive zone. The Royals charged back to midfield, but the official signaled an obstruction on their attack to grant the Mids a free kick. Opp sent the attempt out of bounds inside the 22-meter zone to set up a lineout. Navy cleanly caught the throw-in from William Webb and mauled itself inside the five-meter line. Haugh then picked up the ball to the right of the breakdown and faked out the Royals by attacking to the left for a try in the 29th minute. Krieger snuck his conversion kick attempt just inside the right upright to give the Mids a 14-0 lead.
 
Navy earned a lineout in its offensive 22-meter zone a few minutes later thanks to a 50-22 kick from Krieger. The Mids won the ensuing lineout and a big run by Sean MacLaney moved the ball just a few meters away from the try line. Jacob D'Amico received the pass out of the breakdown and walked into the try zone for a score in the 33rd minute. Krieger put the conversion kick right down the middle to make the score, 21-0.
 
Austin Taylor provided a big gain to push the Mids into their offensive zone after the kickoff. Navy then went on the attack to the left and executed one of the craziest scoring plays of the season. Krieger booted a grubber kick down to the 22-meter line and the ball was corralled by JD Bengston to keep Navy on offense. Just as Bengston was getting tackled, he threw up an offload to Russell, who then offloaded the ball to Opp for a try in the 35th minute. Krieger nailed another conversion kick to give the Mids a 28-point advantage.
 
Navy blocked a clearing kick early in the second half to gain control in its offensive zone. Opp lined a kick down toward the five-meter line and Queens quickly kicked the ball back out of bounds between the 10 and 22-meter line in its defensive zone. Navy won the lineout and opted to attack to the left instead of forming a maul. The decision paid off as Krieger fed a pass to Haugh, who then ran 20 meters up the middle of the pitch before touching the ball down in the try zone for a score in the 43rd minute. Krieger sent the conversion kick through the uprights to extend Navy's lead to 35-0.
 
The Royals held possession inside their offensive 22-meter zone twice over the next seven minutes, but a pair of penalties prevented them from scoring their first points of the match.
 
Queens was penalized for not releasing on its attack to award Navy a free kick in the 51st minute. Opp booted the kick out of bounds just outside the 22-meter line to form a lineout. The Mids attacked right out of the lineout and Andrew Baublitz slipped through a pair of tackles to drive the ball into the 22-meter zone. Navy would lose possession on a knock-on penalty, but quickly went back on offense following a clearing kick from Queens. Opp caught the kick at the 10-meter line and ran it to the 22-meter line by himself on a big return. A penalty against the Royals granted the Mids a scrum just outside the five-meter line. MacLaney ran right after catching a pass from Haugh out of the scrum and he avoided a tackle to score a try in the 55th minute. Krieger extended the lead to, 42-0, with a successful conversion kick.
 
Opp nearly executed another 50-22 kick for Navy, but the ball bounced out of bounds just one meter short. The Royals looked to move the ball out of their zone with a clearing kick after winning the lineout, but Vaughn Schmitz leaped up to block the attempt. Schmitz couldn't scoop the loose ball and was called for a knock-on penalty in the try zone. Queens booted the ball back to midfield on a clearing kick to allow Navy to go back on the offensive. The Mids gained ground toward the 22-meter line and a penalty against the Royals gave Krieger a free kick opportunity. Krieger kicked the attempt out of bounds near the five-meter line to set up a lineout. The Mids formed a maul on the left sideline and looked to attack toward the middle of the pitch. MacLaney saw Bengston wide open near the left sideline and he fed him a pass for an easy try in the 62nd minute. Krieger made the ensuing conversion kick to give Navy a 49-0 cushion.
 
The Mids kept their foot on the gas and immediately moved the ball into their offensive zone after the kickoff. Taylor powered through a pair of tackles and then fed an offload to D'Amico to advance the ball inside the 22-meter zone. Navy was less than a meter away from the try line and decided to attack out wide instead of up the middle. A long pass out to Nick Janowsky looked to be another try, but the official called a forward pass to take away the score and grant Queens a scrum. The Mids gained back possession after receiving a clearing kick at midfield. Navy had no issue gaining back territory and returned to the 22-meter zone less than a minute later. Kade Williams received a pass and had three Queens defenders to his right. The freshman made a great cut back to the left where no defenders stood in his way to score a try from 22 meters out in the 67th minute. Krieger added an additional two points with the made conversion kick to put Navy ahead, 56-0.
 
Williams caught the kickoff at the five-meter line after his score and immediately sent the ball back toward Navy's 10-meter line on a clearing kick. The ball looked like it was heading out of bounds, but then bounced straight up in the air to allow Janowsky to recover it. He then spun around a tackle and offloaded the ball to Ryan Raimondi. Raimondi ran over 40 meters before offloading the ball to Schmitz, who ran the remainder of the pitch for a try in the 69th minute. Krieger made his ninth-straight conversion kick to put the Mids up, 63-0.
 
A pair of penalties against the Royals granted the Mids two free kicks. Krieger used his leg to advance the ball inside the five-meter line for a lineout. Navy inched closer to the try line and Krieger slipped out of an ankle tackle to dive across the try line for the 10th try of the contest in the 74th minute.
 
Krieger added three more points to his total with a penalty kick in the 80th minute to conclude the match.
 
Finishing behind Krieger in scoring was Haugh with 10 points on a pair of tries. Navy's team captain now leads the team in tries scored this season with six.
 
Schmitz scored his fourth try of the season to double his try total from a year ago.
 
Bengston and Opp added their third tries of the 2023-24 campaign, respectively.
 
Russell contributed his second try of the season, while D'Amico, MacLaney and Williams all scored their first tries.
 
The Mids conclude their four-game homestand against Rugby East North Division foe Kutztown next Saturday at the Prusmack Rugby Center. Kickoff against the Golden Bears is scheduled for noon.
 
Box Score
First Half
6:06 - Try - Navy - Tanner Russell (5-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (7-0)
 
29:14 - Try - Navy - Ben Haugh (12-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (14-0)
 
33:01 - Try - Navy - Jacob D'Amico (19-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (21-0)
 
35:49 - Try - Navy - Landon Opp (26-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (28-0)
 
Second Half
43:15 - Try - Navy - Ben Haugh (33-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (35-0)
 
55:45 - Try - Navy - Sean MacLaney (40-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (42-0)
 
62:19 - Try - Navy - JD Bengston (47-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (49-0)
 
67:25 - Try - Navy - Kade Williams (54-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (56-0)
 
69:06 - Try - Navy - Vaughn Schmitz (61-0)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (63-0)
 
74:25 - Try - Navy - Roanin Krieger (68-0)
 
80:30 - Penalty Kick - Navy - Roanin Krieger (71-0)