BOYD, Md. – The Navy women's rugby team (14-5 in 7s) concluded its season by securing a third-place finish at the Collegiate Rugby Championship Primer Women's Cup, held Saturday and Sunday at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyd, Md.
 
"I'm very proud of the team effort this weekend, and a special shoutout to this senior class for ending their careers with a comprehensive team win," assistant head coach Abby Gustaitis said. "This performance set the standard for Navy women's rugby, and we look forward to building on it next season."
 
The Midshipmen tied their best placement at the tournament in program history. With three victories over the weekend, Navy also set a program record for wins in a 7s season, finishing the year with 14.  
 
Catherine O'Hara led the team's offensive charge, crossing the try line five times during the tournament. Mia Young paced the Midshipmen in total points (26), combining two tries with eight successful conversion kicks over the four games.  
 
Game Recaps
Navy 45, St. Bonaventure 7
Navy kicked off the championship tournament in electric fashion, scoring 40 or more points in a 7s game for the first time this season.  
 
Aleksandria Gabbard opened the scoring for Navy in the first minute with her eighth try of the season.  
 
Catherine O'Hara, who entered the tournament leading the team with 13 tries, scored twice in the first half.  
 
Kyndall Wyngaard added the Mids' fourth try, while Mia Young made three of four conversion kicks to give Navy a 26-0 halftime lead.  
 
Navy maintained its offensive momentum as Meagan Leitz scored 30 seconds into the second half.  
 
Gabbard ran in her second try of the game in the 10th minute, and Cecilia Izquierdo capped the victory with a try in the 14th minute.  
 
Navy 21, Queens 5
Navy faced Queens for the second time this season, avenging a 24-5 loss to the Royals from the Navy 7s Tournament.  
 
Gabbard continued her strong weekend with another try in the opening minute. A Young conversion gave the Mids a quick 7-0 lead.  
 
O'Hara tallied her third try of the day in the final minute of the first half to send Navy into the break with a 14-0 advantage.  
 
The second half was played at a slower pace as the teams traded scores. Leitz recorded her second try of the tournament in the 10th minute to secure the victory and advance Navy to the semifinals against Brown.  
 
Brown 24, Navy 0
Navy suffered its first loss of the tournament after Brown totaled two tries in each half. The Midshipmen dropped to the third-place game, where they would go head-to-head against Southern Nazarene.  

Navy 27, Southern Nazarene 5
Navy quickly rebounded from the loss to Brown with a dominant performance in the third-place game against Southern Nazarene, highlighted by four first-half tries. 

Wyngaard got the scoring started, running in her second try of the tournament to give the Mids an early 5-0 lead in the second minute.  
 
O'Hara continued her stellar play, scoring two tries in a span of two minutes to give Navy a commanding 15-0 advantage.  
 
Young capped the first-half scoring onslaught with a try and a conversion in the final minute to send Navy into the half with a 22-0 lead.  
 
The second half was a defensive battle until Young scored her second try of the game in the 13th minute to cap the Mids' scoring.  
 
The Crimson Storm scored its only try at the horn to cut into the final deficit.
 
"After the tough loss to Brown in the semifinal, this group showed exactly who they are as a team to earn the bronze medal," Gustaitis stated. "The response was built on grit, accountability and the willingness to embrace adversity rather than shy away from it."
 
Box Scores
First Round: Navy vs. St. Bonaventure (W, 45-7)
:53 – Try – Navy – Aleksandira Gabbard (5-0)
Conversion kick – Mia Young (7-0)
 
2:22 – Try – Navy – Catherine O'Hara (12-0)
Conversion kick – Mia Young (14-0)
 
4:51 – Try – Navy – Catherine O'Hara (19-0)
Conversion kick – Mia Young (21-0)
 
6:53 – Try – Navy – Kyndall Wyngaard (26-0)
 
7:23 – Try – Navy – Meagan Leitz (31-0)
Conversion kick – Mia Young (33-0)
 
9:40 – Try – Navy – Aleksandria Gabbard (38-0)
 
10:50 – Try – St. Bonaventure (38-5)
Conversion kick (38-7)
 
14:05 – Try – Navy – Cecilia Izquierdo (43-7)
Conversion kick – Meagan Leitz (45-7)
 
Quarterfinals: Navy vs. Queens (W, 21-5)
0:44 – Try – Navy – Aleksandria Gabbard (5-0)
Conversion kick – Mia Young (7-0)
 
6:20 – Try – Navy – Catherine O'Hara (12-0)
Conversion kick – Mia Young (14-0)
 
9:50 – Try – Navy – Megan Leitz (19-0)
Conversion kick – Mia Young (21-0)
 
14:00 – Try – Queens (21-5)
 
Semifinals: Navy vs. Brown (L, 0-24)
1:06 – Try – Brown (0-5)
 
7:00 – Try – Brown (0-10)
 
10:46 – Try – Brown (0-15)
Conversion kick (0-17)
 
14:05 – Try – Brown (0-22)
Conversion kick (0-24)
 
Third-Place Game: Navy vs. Southern Nazarene (W, 27-5)
1:33 – Try – Navy – Kyndall Wyngaard (5-0)
 
2:39 – Try – Navy – Catherine O'Hara (10-0)
 
4:13 – Try – Navy – Catherine O'Hara (15-0)
 
6:25 – Try – Navy – Mia Young (20-0)
Conversion kick – Mia Young (22-0)
 
13:00 – Try – Mia Young (27-0)
 
14:00 – Try – Southern Nazarene (27-5)