ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Sophomore forward Lily Kraemer (Pitman, N.J.) scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute as Navy (14-1-0, 2-0- PL) defeated Lafayette (4-7-2, 1-1-0 PL), 3-2, on Friday night at Glenn Warner Soccer Facility. Navy wins its 14th straight game and continues to own the nation's longest active winning streak.

 

Navy held a late lead but gave up an own goal in the 86th minute to knot the game at 2-2. However, Navy continued to attack and sophomore defender Julie Schumacher (Plantation, Fla.) fired a ball into the box that Lafayette goalkeeper Lauren Smedley stopped but did not control. Kraemer moved in on the loose ball and finished to the right side of the net from 10 yards out for the game-winner.

 

"Lily works as hard as anyone and that allows her to create chances," head coach Carin Gabarra said. "We showed a lot of heart tonight and we were resilient. Lafayette created a lot of chances against us. They were able to get behind us and they did some good things."

 

The Mids struck first in the 14th minute when sophomore forward Morgan Dankanich (Glenmoore, Pa.) connected for her team-leading 10th goal of the season. Junior Brittany Fruin (McLean, Va.) headed the ball to junior forward Ashlynn Soellner (Hollidaysburg, Pa.) who sent Dankanich on a run through the Lafayette defense and she fired on goal for the game's first tally.

 

Dankanich has now scored a goal in four straight games and has seven goals in 11 career games against Patriot League opponents. 

 

The Leopards evened the game at 1-1 in the 57th minute when Jill Dozier fought through the Navy defense and finished for her team-leading seventh goal of the season.

 

Navy took the 2-1 lead in the 62nd minute on freshman Kaylie Davidson's (Oceanside, Calif.) fifth goal of the season. Junior forward Sam Newhaller (Tampa, Fla.) redirected a clear to Soellner, who one-touched a cross through the box that Davidson knocked in from eight yards out.

 

Navy looked to have the game in hand in the closing minutes, but Dozier got into the Navy defense in the 86th minute and played a cross to cutting teammate and a Navy defender attempted to clear it while running toward the goal and inadvertently sent the ball in the net for an own goal.

 

The Mids responded a little over two minutes later at 87:17 and Kraemer's goal marked the fourth time this season Navy has scored a game-winning goal in the 88th minute or later. Kraemer netted a game-winning goal in the 89th minute in Navy's 2-1 win over Jacksonville on August 31.

 

Navy junior goalkeeper Elizabeth Hoerner (Lititz, Pa.) improved her season record to 12-1 by making five saves, including two saves off the foot of Laura Zito in the game's final 15 minutes. Smedley made seven saves for Lafayette.

 

Navy led in shots, 22-9, shots on goal, 10-7, and corner kicks, 8-4.

 

The Mids will aim for a 3-0 start to league play when the team hosts Lehigh (0-2 PL) on Sunday at 1:00 PM.

 

Notes: Navy is 10-1-0 at home this season ... Navy entered the week ranked seventh in the country in scoring offense and matched its season average of 3.00 goals ... The Navy program record for consecutive wins is 19 (2006) ... Friday night's game marked the return of freshman defender Joy Pearson (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), who started the season's first six games but missed the last eight with an injury ... Newhaller made her season debut after recovering from an offseason injury.