ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Maggie DeFabio, Alyssa Chung, and Mikayla Williams combined for 14 goals as No. 22 Navy (9-4, 4-1 Patriot League) posted a 19-8 victory over Holy Cross (8-4, 4-1 Patriot League) on Saturday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. DeFabio notched a career-high with six goals in the game, which was presented by USAA, while Chung and Williams added four scores apiece to lead the Midshipmen.
 
"We have a tremendous amount of respect for Holy Cross," head coach Cindy Timchal said after the game. "When we were up there last year, it was a tight game. They returned most of their key offensive players so we had our hands full. We knew we had to come out strong. We were committed to carry this all the way through and get a decisive victory."
 
Offensively, the Mids finished with 19 goals on 38 shots. Led by the trio of DeFabio, Chung, and Williams, seven Midshipmen found the back of the net on the day.
 
DeFabio registered a new career-best with six goals, adding an assist for a career-high seven points. Williams matched DeFabio with a career-high seven points, using four goals and a career high three assists for her seven points. Chung continued her hot play in conference games, finishing with six points on four goals and two helpers. In five Patriot League games, Chung is averaging 5.8 points per game with a 4.6 goals per game clip.
 
Emma Kennedy added pair of scores, while Tori DiCarlo, Emily Messinese, and Maura Murphy recorded goals.
 
Williams notched three of Navy's nine assists on the day, while Chung added a pair. DeFabio, DiCarlo, Lola Leone, and Taylor Miles were also credited with helpers on the day.
 
Defensively, the Midshipmen caused five of the Crusaders' 14 turnovers. Messinese led the charge, recording a pair of takeaways. DeFabio, Landen Cain, and Josie Mazzeo also added caused turnovers in the game. DeFabio, Messinese, Felicia Giglio, and Ava Yovino led the team with two ground balls apiece.
 
Giglio earned the victory in goal for the Mids. The sophomore held the potent Holy Cross offense to single digits, surrendering just eight goals, while notching nine saves in 54 and a half minutes of play. She gave way to Emma Richardell in the fourth. The senior recorded a clean sheet with a save in five and a half minutes of work.
 
Alyssa Daley continued to dominate the draw circle, winning 16 draws. The draw specialist has six double-digit draw performances this season and 18 in her Midshipmen career. Daley now has 396 career, passing Reagan Roelofs ('22), who ended her Navy career with 390 draw wins, for second in program history. She is now four (4) shy of becoming just the second player in program history with 400 or more draws, joining Loren Generi ('15) who finished her career with 493.
 
For Holy Cross, Ella Kittredge scored four of the team's eight goals on the day. Katie Avitabile joined Racheli Levy-Smith with a team-high ground balls. Levy-Smith led the Crusaders with three draw controls and two caused turnovers. Mackenzie Creagh took the loss at goal, surrendering 19 goals with nine of Holy Cross' 10 saves. Sara Knice registered a save in seven and a half minutes of action in relief.
 
Holy Cross was the first team to score as Kittredge opened the scoring. Navy countered with a 3-0 run to take an early lead. Kennedy, DeFabio, and Chung each found the back of the net to put the Mids in front 3-1. Following a Crusader goal, Williams notched back-to-back scores to push the advantage to 5-2. Kittredge scored to end the quarter with the Mids in front 5-3.
 
In the second quarter, Navy was able to extend the advantage. DiCarlo and Williams opened the scoring in the frame with goals. Holy Cross used back-to-back goals to trim the margin to 7-5, but the home team closed out the half with a 6-0 run to go into intermission in front 13-5. DeFabio notched three goals in the run, while Chung added a pair and Kennedy also contributed a goal.
 
The Crusaders began the second half with a goal, but the Midshipmen scored six of the next seven goals to push the lead to 12. Chung, Williams, and Messinese all scored to extend the lead to 16-6. A Holy Cross goal, trimmed the margin to single digits, but two goals by DeFabio and one by Murphy gave Navy a 19-7 lead midway through the fourth quarter. HC's Kittredge scored to provide the final margin of 19-8.
 
Up next, the Midshipmen travel to West Point, N.Y. for the annual Star Game, which is part of the overall Army-Navy Star Series, presented by USAA on Saturday, April 12 at 2:30 p.m. at Michie Stadium. The game between the Mids and Black Knights will be the broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats will be available.