Army vs Navy Lacrosse Preview
Arch rivals battle in Annapolis, as Navy looks to play spoiler against Army, the No.9 team in the country. This match is bigger than just two lacrosse teams and should display great American pageantry.
The two service academics have a long history of playing against one another, facing off 25 times since 2001. The Midshipmen lead the all-time series with 15 wins.
Army and Navy are regarded as two of the more prestigious lacrosse programs in the country. This game is special not just for the talent on the field, but what these two schools represent.
These two arch-rivals despise one another and are constantly compared. However, these two schools also have great respect for each other and are everything great about sports.
Army might be the more talented team on paper, but the records get thrown out when these two programs face off.
Army has been the standard in college lacrosse the last couple of decades, and a big reason why has been head coach Joe Alberici. The Black Knights have won two Patriot League titles under his leadership. Alberici has been able to continue the program’s success after taking over Jack Emmer, who retired as the all-time winningest coach.
The No.9 Army is built on a tough imposing defense. Army has held their opponents to an astounding 8.3 goals per game. Goals for Navy will be few and far in between on Saturday.
The Black Knights’ game plan is simple, slow the game down and control the time of possession. Fogo Will Coletti has been outstanding this year, helping Army win 61.9% of face-offs, giving the Black Knights extra possessions.
However, the star for Army has been Junior Reese Burek who leads the team with 41 points. Burek has taken a huge step forward this season. The Fairpoint, New York native, only played in five games before this season.
The theme for this Black Knights team has been taking the next step. The team leader in goals, Jacob Morin, only saw action in three contests during last year's campaign. The emergence of Burek and Morin is just a testament to the program Alberici has built.
The Midshipmen have struggled mightily this season with a 7-6 record. The season started promising, but Navy went through a rough patch during the middle of the season, losing six in a row.
Max Hewitt is a stronger midfielder that Army should have on their radar. Hewitt is the team leader with 22 goals and 31 points.
Coach Joe Amplo is in his fourth year in charge at Annapolis. He has yet to build Navy into a perennial contender, a win on Saturday can go a long way.
When these two squads square off on Saturday, the game will be bigger than lacrosse. The two service academics have a long history with one another, but also tremendous respect.
Aidan Torok is a third-year majoring in telecommunications and minoring in broadcast journalism and political science. To contact him, email ajt6051@psu.edu.
