CHESTER, Pa. – In a fiercely contested match at Subaru Park, the Navy men’s soccer team (5-5-3, 2-1-2 PL) clashed with their historic rivals, the Army (3-6-2, 1-3-2 PL), in the twelfth edition of the Army-Navy Cup, Presented by Leidos. The game ended in a riveting 1-1 draw on Friday night, leaving fans on the edge of their seats throughout the encounter.
The setting for this exhilarating showdown was none other than the home of the Philadelphia Union, Subaru Park. Senior David Jackson of the Midshipmen drew first blood, scoring an early goal that propelled Navy ahead. In the seventh minute, senior captain Zach Wagner delivered a precise pass to fellow senior Jason Aoyama, who crossed the ball into the box. Jackson was perfectly positioned to head the ball past Army’s Harrison Faulkner, securing the lead for Navy.
Army didn’t take long to respond. In the 14th minute, a failed clearance during an Army free kick provided Cooper Warren with an opportunity to level the score. His shot, however, narrowly missed the left post, leaving the game in Navy’s favor. It was Gage Lyons of the Black Knights who eventually found the back of the net in the 25th minute, capitalizing on a rebound in the six-yard box after another Army free kick, eluding Navy’s goalkeeper Pierce Holbrook with a skillful finish.
The thrilling action continued as Lyons nearly gave Army the lead in the 33rd minute, narrowly missing a redirect from a Colman Kim cross. Meanwhile, Navy’s A.J. Schuetz tried to wrestle back the lead, firing a shot wide to the right as the first half drew to a close.
The second half maintained its intensity, with sophomore Andrew Schug aiming for the top-left corner in the 51st minute. Faulkner managed to make a crucial save, ensuring the score remained level. Holbrook, Navy’s goalkeeper, also played a pivotal role in maintaining the draw by stopping two critical chances for Army in the 65th and 70th minutes.
Navy had their opportunities in the latter stages of the game, with Jackson’s free-kick in the 83rd minute striking the crossbar and a failed clearance leading to junior Noah Ward’s shot missing wide to the right in the 85th minute. Army made their own late pushes but couldn’t break the deadlock, with Holbrook denying attempts from Jacob Lee and Jack Meyer.
Holbrook ended the night with nine saves, just one short of a career high, while Faulkner in the opposite goal registered five saves.
The match resulted in the fourth draw in the history of the Army-Navy Cup, signifying that the teams evenly split the men’s soccer Star in the 2023-24 Army-Navy Star Series, presented by USAA. With the Black Knights now holding a 2-0-1 overall lead over the Midshipmen, three more stars are at stake on Saturday in men’s and women’s cross country and women’s soccer.
Head Coach Tim O’Donohue shared his thoughts on the hard-fought contest, stating, “It was a hard-fought game from start to finish, and it was a great atmosphere once again thanks to Carl Cherkin, the Philadelphia Union, and the fans in attendance. We came out strong and scored right away, but they grabbed some momentum later in the half and tied it up. I thought we were in control for most of the second half and had two or three clear chances to finish over the last 30 minutes. Now, we have to move forward and continue to get points in the league standings, which includes a rematch this Wednesday of last year’s Patriot League Championship that we have to prepare for.”
In the broader context, Navy holds a 41-32-17 advantage in the all-time series against Army, while the Black Knights maintain a 5-3-4 lead in their 12 meetings of the Army-Navy Cup. David Jackson’s goal has propelled him to a Patriot League-leading 21 points this season, and his eight goals are the most by a Navy player in a single season since 2018. Notably, Holbrook’s performance, with nine saves, is a record for a Navy goalkeeper in the 12-year history of the Army-Navy Cup.
Navy’s next challenge will take them to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, October 18, where they will face American in a 2 p.m. matchup, looking to build on their performance in the Army-Navy Cup and continue their pursuit of success in the Patriot League standings.
