ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Faced with the challenge of an ACC opponent, the Navy women's soccer team went head-to-head and was nearly in-step with Virginia Tech throughout the entire contest on Thursday night outside of the initial five minutes of the game. A deep and athletic team, the Hokies (3-1-3) jumped up on the Mids (3-1-3) early with a score in the fourth minute of play at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility. That goal stood up as the only score of the game as Virginia Tech returned to Blacksburg victorious.
 
Mattie Gallagher (Sr., Gilbertsville, Pa.) led Navy's individual effort as she turned aside four Virginia Tech shots on goal.
 
"We never accept losses; we're a competitive program and we were at home tonight so this is a hard result to take," remarked head coach Carin Gabarra. "We can't give up goals early like we have in a few games this season. After that first five minutes, I'm very proud of the discipline and effort in our defending. Our shape was good; we solved problems that we hadn't in the past.
 
"Now we have to move forward and be better in transition. We need to find our forwards running through; find feet earlier; find the right pathways and the right channels. We'll learn from this experience. Virginia Tech is an excellent ACC team, they're extremely athletic. I'm proud of where we are right now, but I'm not satisfied. We want to play better and get better results in big games."
 
Virginia Tech opened the game out fast as the Hokies' high-scoring duo of Samantha DeGuzman and Natalie Mitchell connected for a goal at 3:48 when DeGuzman slotted a pass to Mitchell, who rifled a shot into the far side of the goal.
 
Navy's defense started settling in soon after and that comfort level showed up on the opposite end of the pitch as the Mids' offense began making in-roads. The hosts' first challenging look at the goal came in the 19th minute when Rylee Rives (Jr., Arlington, Texas) lofted a deep throw-in into the box towards Marlee Heaven (So., Rockville, Md.), who flicked the ball with her heel into space for the on-coming Katie Herrmann (Sr., Charlotte, N.C.). Once in possession of the ball, Herrmann ripped a shot that sailed just high of the goal.
 
Navy's first shot on goal came five minutes later when Jenna Daunt (Sr., Haymarket, Va.) re-directed an Amanda Graziano (Jr., Middlebury, Conn.) shot and forced Virginia Tech's goalkeeper Alia Skinner into action.
 
While the Hokies were shutout in the shots on goal category for the final 41 minutes of the first half, the Mids were able to put another shot attempt on frame when Kat Healey (Sr., King George, Va.) curled a free kick on goal, but into the waiting arms of Skinner.
 
At the half, Virginia Tech led 1-0 and held a 7-3 advantage in shots, though Navy led in shots on goal, 2-1.
 
The second half was dominated by tight defending and limited quality looks on goal. The Mids' defensive effort was championed by Gallagher, who was credited with four saves and numerous punch-aways during the Hokies' six corner kicks. The senior goalkeeper was tested with especially dangerous corner kick situations in the 48th and 79th minutes. In the 48th, Gallagher out-jumped a pair of Virginia Tech attackers and batted the ball away before defending a header shot towards the upper-90 over 30 minutes later.
 
Navy's offense was contained throughout the majority of the second 45-minute period and was unable to get looks at Virginia Tech's goal until the clock showed less than three minutes left in regulation. The Mids' first shot was a Kassidy Borden (Sr., Leesburg, Va.) free kick that rocketed wide right. After a Graziano shot in the 89th minute, Rives tried to net the game-tying goal with less than 30 seconds remaining when she re-directed a Graziano shot that one-hopped into Skinner.
 
For the game, Virginia Tech outshot Navy, 20-6 with a slight 5-3 edge in shots on target. On the strength of six corner kicks in the second half, the visitors out-paced the hosts, 6-1 in the category.
 
"Every team that we've played so far this year has given us something different, which is really good for us," commented Gabarra. "We've had to solve so many different styles of play and match-up against different formations. Virginia Tech tonight was very athletic and moved really well. That's why early on we had some troubles, but we learned and got better as the game went on. There were times that we turned them over, but didn't have the composure to keep it and build from that turnover, which we should be able to even under pressure. That's the next thing we'll have to focus on and tighten up as we look towards Patriot League play because we'll be faced with intense and highly motivated opposition from teams and coaches that know us and we know them so we'll need to be better in those big moments and to keep control under those circumstances."
 
With Patriot League play just eight days away, Navy will conclude its initial run of non-conference action on Sunday with a road tilt at UMBC. Kickoff between the Mids and Retrievers is set for noon at the Retriever Soccer Park.