March 28, 2012

Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - California lost the first game of its East Coast road trip when it fell to Navy, 15-5, on Wednesday night at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Junior attacker Megan Takacs (2 goals) and junior attacker Alexa Rozelle (1 goal, 1 assist) led the Golden Bears with two points each. Cal's record dropped to 4-5 after the nonconference match, while Navy improved to 11-2.

"Today they were that much better than us," Cal head coach Ginger Miles said. "It was a physical game, and we were not up to the physicality."

The game remained tied at 0-0 for more than 10 minutes, until Aimee Gennaro scored at 10:02 of the first half to give Navy a 1-0 lead. The second goal of the game came more than five minutes later, when junior attacker Melissa Humphrey converted an eight-meter shot to score for the Bears and tie the game at 1-1 at 15:25.

The Midshipmen scored the next four goals - capped by an eight-meter goal by Jess Fellows at 24:12 - to claim a 5-1 advantage. But Cal responded just 11 seconds later, as Takacs scored her first goal at 24:23 to make the score 5-2. She scored again - assisted by Rozelle - for the Bears at 26:27 to make the score 5-3.

Kathy Young netted an eight-meter goal 18 seconds from halftime to give Navy a 6-3 lead heading into the break.

Less time elapsed before the first goal of the second half, as Navy struck 3:25 into the second period on a goal by Jasmine DePompeo. In fact, the Mids scored the first seven goals of the half to take a 13-3 lead.

Rozelle - assisted by senior midfielder Vail Horn - scored at 54:06, and Horn scored unassisted at 55:38 to bring Cal within eight of the Mids at 13-5. But Navy scored two more, including a goal by Danielle Vivonetto just five seconds from the end of the game, to give the Mids their 15-5 victory.

DePompeo led all scorers with seven points (2 goals, 5 assists). Sophomore goalkeeper Megan McGinnis made five saves for the Bears, as Navy outshot Cal, 24-16. Navy also dominated draw controls, 17-5. The Bears claimed a 15-14 edge in ground balls, with freshman defender Gaby Christman topping Cal with four ground balls.

Cal next plays at Villanova on Friday, March 30, in Villanova, Pa.