WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Freshman Brown Huffard recorded the first multi-goal game of his collegiate career as William & Mary men's soccer rolled to a 4-0 victory over Navy on Tuesday evening at Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field.
Huffard scored in the 25th and 62nd minutes, while sophomores Beckham Harris and Alex Garrison also found the back of the net as the Tribe scored three second-half goals to secure its second consecutive shutout victory.
The win improved William & Mary to 7-5-1 overall, matching the program's highest win total in a season since 2021, when the Tribe finished 7-7. W&M also improved to 5-2 at home, marking its most home victories since finishing 5-2-2 in Williamsburg in 2017.
Huffard, a three-time CAA Rookie of the Week selection this season, has now scored in back-to-back matches and leads the Green and Gold with six goals. The freshman has recorded 13 points on six goals and an assist this season.
Harris also scored for the second consecutive match, bringing his season total to three goals, while Garrison added his fifth goal of the year.
Senior Gabe Ruitenberg recorded two assists for the second straight match, moving his season total to a team-high eight. Ruitenberg is now tied with freshman Aidan Gatchell for the team lead with 16 points.
Senior Evan Rabush and freshman Sullivan Carter each added an assist in the victory.
Both teams finished with 10 shots, but William & Mary held a 7-1 advantage in shots on goal and a 4-2 edge in corner kicks.
Senior Diego Garciarena made one save to record his fourth shutout of the season and ninth of his collegiate career. The clean sheet marked the Tribe's second consecutive shutout and fourth of the season.
First Half
William & Mary generated the first scoring opportunity of the evening in the ninth minute when Harris put an attempt on goal, but Navy goalkeeper Dylan Carmody made the save.
The Tribe continued to create chances as Aaron Jimenez sent a shot high in the 10th minute before Huffard fired an attempt over the crossbar in the 14th.
Navy responded with a pair of attempts from Duncan Sullivan in the 23rd minute, but neither found the target.
W&M broke through at the 24:09 mark when Huffard scored his fifth goal of the season off an assist from Rabush, giving the Tribe a 1-0 advantage. Rabush forced a save from Carmody just four seconds before Huffard found the back of the net.
The Green and Gold continued to apply pressure, earning three corner kicks over the next 18 minutes.
Navy threatened late in the opening half as Jack Illig registered an attempt in the 41st minute before Wyatt Stevens put a shot on goal, but Garciarena made the save to preserve the lead.
Garrison nearly doubled the advantage in the 42nd minute, forcing another save from Carmody.
William & Mary finished the opening 45 minutes with a 6-4 advantage in shots and carried its 1-0 lead into halftime.
Second Half
Navy generated the first opportunity after the break when Braedy Strothkamp sent an attempt wide in the 49th minute.
The Tribe doubled their advantage at the 56:28 mark when Harris scored his third goal of the season off an assist from Ruitenberg, extending W&M's lead to 2-0.
Just over five minutes later, Huffard struck again at the 61:44 mark, finishing off another assist from Ruitenberg to make it 3-0. The goal completed the freshman's first career multi-goal performance and gave him a team-leading six goals on the season.
Navy attempted to respond as Luke Parker and Stevens registered shots over the next several minutes, but neither found the target.
William & Mary added its fourth goal at the 79:52 mark when Garrison scored his fifth of the season off an assist from Carter, extending the Tribe's advantage to 4-0.
The Midshipmen continued to push forward in the closing minutes, but the Green and Gold held Navy without a shot on goal in the second half to secure its second consecutive 4-0 victory.
Up Next
William & Mary returns to CAA action Saturday, Oct. 17, traveling to face College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m., with the match streamed live on FloCollege.
