ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Despite facing rainy conditions, the top-ranked Navy men's rugby team (13-0) had another dominant offensive performance in its, 69-5, victory over Western Ontario (1-5-1) on Saturday at the Prusmack Rugby Center in Annapolis, Md. 

After building a 24-5 lead through 40 minutes, the Mids switched lineups and struck for 45 points in the second half. Navy finished with 11 tries in the match, six of which came in the final 20 minutes. 

"We were forced to play in very tough conditions today. We didn't know if we'd be able to play early on in the day, but massive credit to Western Ontario for coming down and playing us in these conditions," said director of rugby Gavin Hickie. "I thought we handled the conditions well. We had the luxury of using more subs than we normally do and we finished strong. The way we ended things today bodes well heading into our next challenge. We're clearly focused on our next game at Cal, which will be our toughest test of the season. We're gearing up for it now and very excited."

The Mids held the field position edge early with their kicking game. Kade Williams launched a clearing kick into Navy's offensive 22-meter zone to flip the field. As soon as the Mustangs corralled the loose ball, multiple mids delivered a massive hit on the ball carrier to force a turnover. Western Ontario was issued a penalty on the ensuing ruck to gift Navy a free kick. Williams kicked the ball out of bounds at the five-meter line to set up a lineout. The Mids formed a maul after winning the lineout and stormed into the try zone for the first score of the match in the third minute. Aidan Bryan was credited with the try to give Navy a 5-0 lead. 

The Mids were awarded a free kick in the seventh minute from a penalty. Williams booted the ball out of bounds to move Navy into its offensive 22-meter zone. The Mids lost possession from a penalty during the lineout, but immediately stole the ball back to establish possession at the five-meter line. Western Ontario was then charged with a penalty and Navy opted to scrum at the five-meter line. The Mids won the scrum and passed the ball out to Williams on the left half of the pitch. He lined a grubber near the try zone to JD Bengston in hopes of setting up an easy score. The Mustangs read the play and tackled Bengston out of bounds to regain possession. Western Ontario overthrew the ball right into the hands of Nate Michales during the lineout. He took two steps before setting the ball down in the try zone for a score in the 12th minute. Michael Strehle then put his first conversion kick of the game through the uprights to put Navy ahead, 12-0. 

The Mids were pinned near their defensive five-meter line from a deep kickoff. Williams' clearing kick only traveled to the 22-meter line, giving the Mustangs excellent field position coming out of the lineout. Western Ontario won the lineout and quickly launched a kick near the five-meter line. Navy coughed up possession while trying to receive the kick. The Mustangs initially attempted to score up the middle of the pitch, but the Mids didn't surrender any ground. Western Ontario passed the ball out to the uncovered wing on the left sideline and he easily scored a try in the 15th minute to make the score, 12-5. 

Navy quickly worked the ball back into its offensive 22-meter zone by taking advantage of penalties. The Mids lost possession in the 19th minute after being charged with a knock-on. Western Ontario launched the ball across the midway line with a clearing kick, but James Downing put Navy right back in its offensive zone by gaining 25 meters on the return. An additional knock-on penalty in the 22nd minute negated another trip inside the 22-meter zone for the Mids. Western Ontario won the ensuing scrum and moved the ball up to its offensive 10-meter line with its attack. Navy regained control of the ball after knocking it free with a hard tackle. Bengston was fed a pass near the right sideline after the turnover and he rushed up the field to gain 20 meters. Navy shifted its attack back to the left of the pitch to Maximus Lear, who slipped through a pair of ankle tackles to score a try in the 23rd minute. Lear's score gave the Mids a 12-point cushion once again on the scoreboard. 

Navy earned a scrum at its offensive 10-meter line in the 27th minute due to a knock-on penalty. Western Ontario was then penalized during the scrum to award a free kick to Williams. The freshman kicked the ball out of bounds inside the 22-meter zone to grant the Mids a lineout. Navy formed a maul out of the lineout and received another free kick from a penalty. The Mids were called for a penalty during their offensive lineout, which returned the ball to the Mustangs. A short clearing kick by Western Ontario only traveled to the 22-meter line to keep Navy in scoring position. Bryan caught a pass after the lineout and broke multiple tackles to gain 20 meters. Nonso Unini later dove across the try line from short range in the 31st minute for a score. Sthrehle added another two points by making the conversion kick to give the Mids a 24-5 edge.  

Western Ontario brought in a short clearing kick at its offensive 10-meter line and great passing helped it advance near the 22-meter line. A penalty allowed the Mustangs to execute a tap-and-go to move down to the five-meter line. Despite being called for additional penalties, Navy's defense held strong over the next few minutes to prevent Western Ontario from scoring before the end of the half. 

Coach Hickie put his traditional starting 15 on the field to play the second half. 

The Mustangs made the first big play of the second half to gain 30 meters and advance the ball down to the five-meter line. The Mids quickly regrouped and held up the ball carrier later in the possession to receive a scrum in the 43rd minute. Although Navy forced the ball back into its offensive zone with its kicking game, a costly penalty awarded a free kick to Western Ontario in the 47th minute. The Mustangs launched the ball out of bounds right at midfield for a lineout. Western Ontario controlled the lineout, but committed a knock-on while picking up the ball out of the ruck. Navy won the ensuing scrum and fed the ball to Max Smith on the right sideline. Smith busted through the defense and gained 45 meters before being tackled near the try line. The official charged the Mustangs with a high tackle on the play, which gifted the Mids a penalty try in the 48th minute to make the score, 31-5. 

Navy held possession inside its offensive 22-meter zone twice over the next seven minutes, but was unable to add points due to multiple penalties. Western Ontario earned a scrum at its defensive 22-meter line from a penalty in the 55th minute. The Mids overpowered the Mustangs on the scrum and easily stole the ball. A penalty against Western Ontario during the possession granted Navy a free kick and Landon Opp booted the ball out of bounds at the five-meter line for a lineout. The Mids formed a maul and Dalton Sand easily stormed into the try zone in the 61st minute to extend the lead to 36-5. 

Navy's defense made another big play to force a turnover inside its offensive 22-meter zone in the 62nd minute. After play stopped for an injury, Sean MacLaney delivered a pass to Avion Ganse out of a scrum. He initially trucked a defender and then dragged three more into the try zone with him for a score in the 63rd minute. Roanin Krieger made his first conversion kick of the match after Ganse's score to put the Mids up, 43-5. 

The Mustangs earned a lineout at their defensive 10-meter line after Krieger sent a clearing kick out of bounds. The throw-in attempt by Western Ontario wasn't straight, which gave Navy a scrum at midfield.  Andrew Baublitz brought in a long pass on the right sideline and he sprinted over 40 meters to score a try in the 66th minute. The Mids gained a 48-5 cushion from the try. 

Navy was granted a scrum near midfield following a knock-on penalty shortly after Baublitz's score. Opp was fed the first pass out of the scrum and he booted the ball down to the five-meter line. As the Western Ontario returner stood up after falling on the ball, Baublitz stripped it free to create a turnover. Austin Taylor scooped the ball up off the ground to score a try in the 69th minute. Krieger put the Mids ahead by 50 points after nailing the conversion kick. 

Another big carry by Baublitz advanced the ball into Navy's offensive 22-meter zone. However, Western Ontario shoved him out of bounds before he could pass the ball to a teammate. The defensive play gifted the Mustangs a scrum at their defensive 22-meter line. The Mids once again pushed the entire scrum forward to retake possession. A Western Ontario player was issued a yellow card in the 76th minute to award Navy a scrum at its offensive five-meter line. The Mids bulldozed the scrum into the try zone and Ian Bullock just had to fall on the ball to score the try in the 77th minute. Krieger made his third conversion kick of the afternoon to make the score, 62-5. 

Navy retained possession in extended time from a penalty. Rather than just kicking the ball out of bounds to end the match, the Mids remained aggressive in hopes of striking for another try. Smith performed a tap-and-go after the penalty and he rushed up the field to gain 20 meters. He then fed a perfect offload to Bullock, who ran the remaining distance to score a try. Krieger's successful conversion kick ended the match with the scoreboard reading, 69-5. 

Navy will enjoy a bye week before traveling to Berkley, Calif., for a rematch of the 2023 national championship game against California on Saturday, March 16. The match is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET.

Box Score
First Half
3:05 - Try - Navy - Aidan Bryan (5-0)

12:17 - Try - Navy - Nate Michaels (10-0)
Conversion Kick - Michael Strehle (12-0)

15:32 - Try - Western Ontario (12-5)

23:50 - Try - Navy - Maximus Lear (17-5)

31:55 - Try - Navy - Nonso Unini (22-5)
Conversion Kick - Michael Strehle (24-5)

Second Half
49:00 - Penalty Try - Navy (31-5)

61:01 - Try - Navy - Dalton Sand (36-5)

63:25 - Try - Navy - Avion Ganse (41-5)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (43-5)

66:35 - Try - Navy - Andrew Baublitz (48-5)

69:58 - Try - Navy - Austin Taylor (53-5)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (55-5)

77:15 - Try - Navy - Ian Bullock (60-5)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (62-5)

80:38 - Try - Navy - Ian Bullock (67-5)
Conversion Kick - Roanin Krieger (69-5)

Navy vs. Western Ontario Match Notes
• Navy's 64-point win is its seventh largest in team history
• The Mids racked up 11 tries in the match, which is tied for the fourth-most in a game 
• Navy posted its seventh-highest point total in a single game in its history
• The Mids scored 45 points in the second half, which is the sixth-most points scored in a half in team history
• Bryan's second try of the season at the 3:05 mark is the fifth-fastest try scored by Navy to start a match
• The Mids have scored a try in under four minutes in both games this spring
• Navy surpassed 50 points in a contest for the ninth time this season
• Bullock led the Mids in scoring with 10 points from his two tries. He increased his season total to four tries
• Krieger ended with eight points after making four conversion kicks. He raised his scoring total to 160 points this season
• Baublitz scored his team-leading 11th try of the 2023-24 campaign
• Ganse found the try zone for the sixth time this season
• Taylor's efforts helped him add his third try to his season total
• Lear and Sand both scored their second tries of the season
• Unini and Michaels accounted for a try for the first time in their collegiate careers