EASTON, Pa. —  The starting attack unit of Alec Gregorek, Mac Haley and Race Ripley combined for 10 goals and 4 assists to lead the Navy men's lacrosse team (6-3 / 2-1 Patriot League) to a 15-9 victory over Lafayette (5-4 / 1-2 Patriot League) Friday evening at Fisher Stadium in Easton, Pa. The game was Navy's third-consecutive road game over the last two weeks.

"Tonight was a team win," said seventh-year Navy head coach Joe Amplo. "The guys knew they had to show up and step up as we had a few guys missing due to injuries and it was an important conference game.

"Lafayette is a good team and Pat Myers is a great coach and had his guys ready to play. They are a tough team to beat."

Despite being without starters William Goers and Jack Flaherty, the Mids answered the call on the offensive end of the field. Eight different players scored for the Mids as they picked apart one of the nation's top defenses. Lafayette came into the contest ranked 16th nationally and second in the Patriot League in scoring defense, holding its opponent to 9.25 goals per game. Navy's 15 goals were the most allowed by the Leopards since dropping a 19-14 decision to Colgate on March 8, 2025.

Haley paced the Mids with 6 points on 3 goals and 3 assists, falling just a point shy of his career high. He extended his consecutive games with a point streak to 24, as he also broke into Navy's all-time top 20 scoring list. Haley's 127 points are the most by a Navy player since Greyson Torain closed out his career in 2019 with 132 points.

Ripley, who has been primarily used this season in the extra-man game, not only stepped up, but he delivered. He equaled his career high in goals (4) and points (5), scoring at pivotal moments in the contest and posting his second-career hat trick.

"Race just goes to work and does his job," said Amplo." He mentors a lot of our younger players, including some of them who have gotten playing time over him this season. His moment to shine was tonight and I couldn't be more proud of him. He's an example of what teams who are successful and get to the next level are built upon."

Gregorek, meanwhile, kept his streak of multiple goals in every contest this season alive, posting his fourth-consecutive hat trick with 3 goals.

Alex Ponchok recorded the first points of his career with a goal and an assist, while Aidan Lough and Zach Hayashi scored their third-career goals and first this season. 

Like the offense, the defense was also playing without one of its key players as long-stick midfielder Patrick Flaherty was forced to watch from the sideline. The Mids, however, didn't miss a beat as they held Lafayette to single digits for the 25th time in the 28-game series, including the sixth-consecutive game. It's the third time the Leopards have been held to single digits this season with all three games ending in losses.

"Defensively, we were just locked in," added Amplo." We were prepared and we played with a purpose ... we played with a purpose everywhere on the field tonight."

The Mids forced Lafayette into 18 turnovers on the evening, while third-year starting goalkeeper Dan Daly made 7 saves for Navy.

After trading goals in the first 15 minutes of action, Navy broke a 3-3 tie by opening the second quarter on a 3-0 run. Navy executed an extra-man play to perfection to open the second frame when Jack Ponzio found Ripley for a left-handed jump shot from 7 yards out on the right side of the cage. Less than a minute later, Lough buried a 15-yard shot near post off another Ponzio assist. Haley closed out the run with the first of his 3 goals sending his shot past goalkeeper Joe Doherty's ankles to give the Mids a 6-3 lead.

The Leopards would trim the lead to two twice before the end of the half, but a goal by Gregorek as he was sweeping to the middle of the field with 7.3 seconds remaining gave Navy an 8-5 lead at the break.

The two teams once again answered one another's goals to begin the third quarter, but back-to-back goals by Ripley to end the frame started what would be a 5-goal run by the middle of the fourth quarter. In addition to Ripley's pair, Gregorek, Haley and Ponzio scored goals during the run to give the Mids their largest lead of the game at 14-7 with 9:33 remaining in the contest. 

Navy yielded 2 final goals to the Leopards, but came away with a convincing 6-goal victory.

Senior midfielder Aidan Kopen led the way for the Leaopards with 3 goals, while rookie attackman Charlie Foley scored 2 and assisted on another 2. Doherty made 15 saves and was responsible for allowing all 15 Navy goals.

Navy returns home for the first time in three weeks when it plays host to Colgate a week from Saturday (3-28). The Mids and Raiders will face off at 12:00 pm at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and also on the radio at 1430 WNAV with Joe Miller calling the action.

### Go Navy ###