ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Rising up the Patriot League standings with back-to-back victories, the Navy women's soccer team will take aim adding to their win streak this Saturday with a home tilt versus Holy Cross. Currently sitting in a three-way tie for third place through three of nine league contests, the Mids (9-4-1, 2-1 PL) will be looking to separate themselves from the Crusaders (5-4-2, 1-1-1 PL), who are just two points back in the table as part of a two-way tie for sixth. Kickoff in Annapolis is set for 12-noon on Saturday at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.

The Navy-Holy Cross contest will have live stats provided online, as well as an accompanying ESPN+ broadcast. ESPN+ is a subscription-based streaming service that requires patrons to sign-up for monthly or yearly plans prior to tuning into the contest.

Navy vs. Holy Cross
In a series that dates back to 1994 in Navy's first full season of NCAA Division I play and first year as a member of the Patriot League, the Mids are 23-5-3 all-time against the Crusaders ... A pair of consecutive ties in 2015 and 2016 broke up a streak of 14 straight wins by Navy dating back to 2001 ... Since that date, the Mids are 18-3-2 over the Crusaders with just blemishes in 2019, 2022 and 2025 on their record ... Navy is 13-1-1 all-time versus Holy Cross in games played in Annapolis ... The Mids have out-scored the Crusaders 66-21 over 31 meetings.
    Last 5 Matchups
    In the last five matchups going back to 2021, the Mids are 3-2 with a 5-3 advantage in scoring during this span with every victorious team posting a shutout.
    Oct. 5, 2025 (A): Holy Cross 1 - Navy 0
    Oct. 25, 2024 (H): Navy 1 - Holy Cross 0
    Oct. 20, 2023 (A): Navy 3 - Holy Cross 0
    Oct. 21, 2022 (H): Holy Cross 2 - Navy 0
    Oct. 23, 2021 (A): Navy 1 - Holy Cross 0

Most Recent Navy-Holy Cross Matchup: Oct. 5, 2025 in Worcester, Mass.
Part of a cluttered Patriot League leaderboard entering the fourth of nine legs of the conference schedule, the Navy women's soccer team had eyes at advancing up the table going into its matchup at Holy Cross on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, for the Mids, the host Crusaders used a career-high 11 saves by their freshman goalkeeper Aubrey Haesche to stonewall the visitors and secure a 1-0 shutout at the Linda Johnson Smith Soccer Stadium.

Marlee Heaven led Navy's offensive effort with a season-high six shots, of which three challenged Haesche in goal. Defensively, goalkeeper Natasha Stramrood back-stopped the Mids with four saves.

The action on Sunday began with a heavy Navy feel to it as the Mids recorded three of the game's first four shots over the opening 18 minutes, including shots on frame by Hannah Mulholland and Chiara Cosenza. The latter attempt was particularly noteworthy as Cosenza took down a flicked-on header from Heaven and immediately one-timed a shot towards goal, though Haesche was up to the task and threw her body at the shot to keep the game at 0-0.

The final 15 minutes of the opening half saw even more threatening action with Navy's Lucy Gaines testing Haesche with a long shot that nearly bounced over the goalkeeper in the 32nd minute and Heaven get back-to-back looks on frame just one minute later. Heaven's initial shot required a diving save by Haesche before her second attempt rang off the post.

After Stramrood's second save of the first half in the 41st minute, Isabella Romano nearly connected with Lauren Toms for a corner kick-header combination with 80 remaining in the opening period. Once again, Haesche denied the scoring opportunity.

The end-to-end action continued in the second half as both teams recorded shots on goal in the first seven minutes of action. The constant pressure finally resulted in movement on the scoreboard at 54:49 when Olivia Perez unleashed a shot into the far upper-90 for the match's first goal.

Trailing by one, Navy kept up its hunt for the back of the net and nearly succeeded in the 63rd minute when Jordan Townsend controlled a loose ball in the box following a free kick and headed a shot on goal, that Haesche snagged at the last moment. Navy's offense continued testing the freshman keeper, but in each situation, including threatening looks by Jessica Black in the 74th and Romano in the 83rd; Haesche sprung off her line and turned aside both scoring opportunities. Three final shots by the Mids in the last five minutes went for naught and the Crusaders held on for the dramatic 1-0 victory at home on Saturday afternoon.

For the game, Navy out-shot Holy Cross, 22-13 with an 11-5 advantage in shots on goal. Both teams received a plethora of corner kick opportunities with the hosts earning seven versus five for the visitors.

Comparing the Teams

2026 Stats	Navy	Holy Cross
Record / League	9-4-1 / 2-1-0	5-4-2 / 1-1-1
Home / Away	5-2-0 / 4-2-1	3-2-1 / 2-2-1
Goals/Gm	2.21	1.18
Assists/Gm	2.00	0.64
Shots/Gm	16.5	13.5
Goals Against Average	1.07	1.09
GK Saves/Gm	3.79	3.82
Common Opponents	Marist - W, 3-1	Marist - W, 2-0
	Colgate - W, 3-1	Colgate - W, 2-1

Individual Leaders

	Navy	Holy Cross
Goals	Black, 4	Halligan, 5
Assists	Black, 5	Halligan, 2
Points	Black, 13	Halligan, 12
Shots	Cosenza, 34	Cerulo, 32
GK Saves	Stramrood, 50	Mila, 42

Last Time Out: Wednesday, Sept. 30 at Lehigh University
The Navy women's soccer team tallied its second Patriot League win in as many games with a 3-1 victory over Lehigh on Wednesday night. Playing on the Mountain Hawks' (0-9-1, 0-3 PL) home pitch at the Ulrich Sports Complex, the Mids (9-4-1, 2-1 PL) scored early and often with two goals within the first 21 minutes of action before adding an insurance marker in the second half.

Jessica Black was integral in Navy's strong offensive performance on Wednesday as she had a hand in all three scores with the game's initial score in the 13th minute before assisting on Lauren Toms' goal in the 21st minute and Sophia Ryan's tally in the 57th minute. Additionally, Ryan was credited with an assist on Black's goal for her second career multi-point effort. 

Coming into the contest in search of its first win of 2026, Lehigh was active offensively from the opening kick and recorded a pair of shots within the first three-and-a-half minutes of play, including an attempt by Tori Okorodudu that forced Navy's goalkeeper Natasha Stramrood into action.

After a bit of settling in, the Mids put together their first sustained look at the Mountain Hawks' goal and made it count as Ryan's first shot was saved by Lehigh's Chloe Zipprich, but Black was there to pick up the rebound and without hesitating banged home the loose ball at 12:06 to give Navy the early 1-0 lead.

A corner kick opportunity a little over eight minutes later helped the Mids double their advantage as a short restart from Lucy Gaines to Black saw the sophomore arch a deep looping cross towards the goal where a waiting Toms connected and snapped a header shot into the back of the net at 20:18.

Up 2-0, Navy had two more shots finish on net over the next 15 minutes, though both were denied by Zipprich. The hosts used that bit of momentum to their advantage and drew within one when Esther Brossard scored at 38:07.

Coming out of the locker room holding a one-goal advantage, the Mids quickly re-engaged their offense with shots on goal by Ryan and Chiara Cosenza over the first five minutes of the second half. Their offensive aggressive paid off in short order in the 57th minute, Black dribbled to the end line and slotted a pass towards the goal where Ryan re-directed the ball past the Mountain Hawks' keeper to make it 3-1.

Strong defensive efforts over the final 30 minutes of action helped the Mids seal the victory and capture their second Patriot League win. Stramrood was especially locked in with three saves, including an athletic kick save on a Brossard shot in the 67th minute. A dramatic slide tackle by Gaines after Brossard dribbled around Stramrood in the 72nd minute negated Lehigh's final high percentage look.

For the game, Navy out-shot Lehigh, 20-11 with 9-6 edge in shots on goal. The much more active team in the attacking third, the Mids ended up with an 8-2 margin in corner kick opportunities on Wednesday night.

Parking / Shuttle
Fans are reminded that the general public does not have access to drive their vehicles on to the U.S. Naval Academy. Fans may park at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for a fee and take a shuttle that will run every 10 minutes starting one hour before the game and will continue running until one hour after the game is completed. Enter Gate 5 off Taylor Ave. to park at the stadium. Fans 18 and over need a government-issued photo ID. 
**Starting May 7, 2025, in accordance with The Real ID Act of 2005, visitors entering through the Pedestrian Gate 1 Visitor Control Center or accessing the USNA through the fan shuttle bus for a game should be prepared to present a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, U.S. Passport, enhanced state-issued ID, or another acceptable form of identification, to access federal facilities.  Foreign passports are NOT permitted for general access.