Navy Blanks No. 24 James Madison, 1-0

September 5, 2014

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Navy women’s soccer freshman forward Clare MacAdam (Palmyra, N.J.) scored the game-winning goal in the 27th minute to defeat No. 24 James Madison, 1-0 Friday in Harrisonburg, Va. at University Park. This is the second win over a top-25 team in Navy’s program history, previously defeating No. 9 Penn State, 1-0 on Oct. 26, 2006.

“We have been instilling into our team that we belong with the strong programs in Division I and we acted like it tonight against a very strong James Madison squad,” Navy head coach Carin Gabarra said. “Our patience and composure throughout the game was the best that we saw this season and we are prepared to move forward with the same mentality for our next contest.”

Navy (2-2-1) held advantages over James Madison in shots on goal, 7-3 and corner kicks, 5-1. MacAdam tallied her second goal of the season. Senior forward Caprice Kelty (Odenton, Md.) recorded her first assist of the 2014 season on MacAdam’s goal.

Sophomore goalkeeper Dayton Wetherby (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) played her best game in net, tallying three saves to record her first collegiate shutout in her seventh career game as a starter. Wetherby has tallied 19 saves in five games and lowered her goals-against average from 1.07 to 0.85.

Navy found the back of the net first in the 27th minute from MacAdam. Navy’s Kelty sent a cross into the 18-yard box, which bounced off a James Madison defender and found the foot of MacAdam. The freshman forward volleyed her shot from 15 yards out to the top corner of the net for the score.

“Clare played very composed against a very good James Madison defense,” Gabarra said. “She looked very patient and could have had more than one goal in the match the way she was attacking.”

James Madison (3-1-0) looked to respond late in the first half. The Dukes took three shots in a span of 3:35, two of which were wide and the other was denied by Wetherby to preserve Navy’s 1-0 lead heading into the second half.

Navy’s backline held JMU in check for the next 30 minutes not allowing a single shot on net until the 82nd minute. The Dukes Ashley Herndon attacked the net with a header. Wetherby however sent away Herndon’s shot for her second save of the match. JMU then, in the 83rd minute, had its final scoring opportunity. Sam Lofton sent a good-looking shot towards net, but Wetherby, for the third and final time, saved the shot to give Navy its second win of the season.

“Dayton played well in net, both as a signal caller to place the backline where they needed to be and make the saves to give us a chance to win the match,” Gabarra said.

Navy will look to take its momentum against Maryland Monday at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility (7 p.m.) in Annapolis, Maryland. The Mids will take a three-match unbeaten streak against the Terrapins in their home opener.

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