ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Undefeated in its last two matches, the Navy men's soccer team (3-4-1, 0-0-1 PL) is set to host Patriot League foe Bucknell (1-5-1, 0-1-1 PL) on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 1 p.m. from the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.
Originally slated for Saturday, the rescheduled contest against the Bison will serve as the Patriot League home opener for Midshipmen. Sunday's will be streamed on ESPN+ weather permitting, with Joe Miller calling all the action.
Home-Field Advantage in the Patriot League
Navy went 3-0-3 at home last year against Patriot League opponents, including winning a pair of Patriot League Tournament games against Lafayette and American … The Mids are 11-4-3 at home against Patriot League competition since 2019, going 9-3-3 in the regular season.
O'Donohue Reaches 50-Win Mark at Navy
Head coach
Tim O'Donohue notched his 50th win with the Mids on Tuesday night, becoming the fifth Navy men's soccer coach to reach the milestone … O'Donohue now owns a 50-54-20 record since taking over the program in 2016, posting a 38-21-13 mark over the last five seasons (2019-23) … Including his 10 seasons at Stevens, O'Donohue holds a 215-75-43 career coaching record for a .710 winning percentage.
Jackson Among the Nation's Best
Senior midfielder
David Jackson's hot start to the season has put him among the nation's best scorers, as his 12 total points (four goals, four assists) ranks 25th in Division I entering the weekend … Additionally, his four assists are 19th-most in the NCAA and his four goals are 44th-most in the nation, while his 1.50 points per game puts him 42nd in the country … Jackson's three penalty-kick goals is tied for second in the nation, behind only Luke Eberle's four PK scores for Liberty.
Last Time Out
Navy used its speed to generate chances early, but it proved to be a set piece that helped the Mids notch the game-winning goal in a 1-0 shutout victory at Marist on Tuesday evening … In a physical match that saw 17 different Midshipmen contribute, Navy had numerous offensive chances but also needed some key saves by junior goalkeeper
Pierce Holbrook to break a four-game winless streak … A 32nd-minute Navy corner kick was cleared out but found Jackson, who volleyed a cross into the box and was headed into the net by sophomore
Andrew Schug … Holbrook finished with four saves for his third win of the campaign, while Luca Bulfon ended the night with two saves for the Red Foxes … Tuesday marked the Mids' first road win in nine games, dating back to last season at Bucknell (Sept. 17, 2022).
Scouting Bucknell
The Bison have been winless since opening the season with a 2-1 victory at Mount St. Mary's, with the team currently on a three-game losing streak since posting a scoreless tie against George Mason on Sept. 8 … Bucknell fell to Army by a 2-1 score in its Patriot Leaguer opener despite outshooting the Black Knights by a 18-6 margin, as Zane Domsohn scored the Bison's lone tally in the 77th minute … The Bison's most recent contest was a 4-1 loss at Seton Hall on Tuesday, with Waldemar Kattrup scoring in the 50th minute … Charlie Holmes leads the Bison in both goals (two) and points (five), while four others have tallied a goal for Bucknell … Freddie Lapworth paces the team with 11 saves over six starts, while Jake Nicoll has racked up two saves in two appearances.
Series History
The Mids lead the all-time series with the Bison by a 30-15-4 margin … Navy enters Sunday on a three-game winning streak over Bucknell, as the Mids have won five of its last six matches against the Bison … The Mids have posted a 24-8-1 record against the Bison when playing in Annapolis, including a pair of 1-0 wins in 2021 … Last year's meeting in Lewisburg saw Navy notch a 2-0 win in its league opener, as
Baba Kallie scored in the 25th minute off a
Jake Granados pass while a penalty-kick goal by Jackson in the 84th minute provided an insurance tally for the Mids, with Holbrook's five saves backstopping the defense.
Up Next
Navy continues Patriot League play action at American on Wednesday, Sept. 27. Match time is set for 3 p.m. from Reeves Field.
