Navy Men's Soccer Defeats Robert Morris, 2-0

by Christopher Forman

September 4, 2012

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy men's soccer team (1-1-0) scored a goal in each half to defeat Robert Morris (0-2-1), 2-0, at Glenn Warner Soccer Facility on Thursday evening to earn its first win of the 2012 season.

After a slow start to the game, Navy outplayed Robert Morris handily over the final 75 minutes, netting goals in the 21st minute and the 49th minute and outshooting the Colonials, 13-3, in the second half.

"We have been able to open a team up in the second half like this over the last couple of years," head coach Dave Brandt said. "It was a good performance tonight and it feels good to rebound from the Old Dominion game with a win."

Junior forward Alex Wilson (Phoenix, Ariz.) and sophomore forward Joseph Greenspan(Westfield, N.J.) played a nice back-and-forth game with each other to get into Robert Morris' box in the 21st minute and then Wilson ripped a shot from 15 yards out past the outstretched arms of Colonial keeper Toba Bolaji.

The Mids struck again just four minutes into the second half on a goal by senior forwardDavid Jackson (Forest, Va.). Navy earned a free kick deep in Robert Morris' territory and Jackson sent a driving shot into the box where it deflected off a Robert Morris defender and slipped past Bolaji.

The Mids nearly got their third of the game just a minute later when Greenspan headed a ball on target but Bolaji made a leaping play to tip the ball over the cross bar.

Navy junior goalkeeper Gavin Snyder (Severna Park, Md.) earned his first career shutout and his first career win by making three saves.

Shots were even in the first half at 8-8, but due to Navy's second-half dominance the overall margin was 21-11. The Mids earned three corner kicks while Robert Morris earned two.

Greenspan and Wilson each took seven shots for Navy.

Navy now leads the all-time series against Robert Morris, 2-0.

Navy will next host VCU on Saturday at 7:00 PM at Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.