It wasn't easy but Navy got out of Emmetisburg, Md. with a win over Mount St. Mary's Saturday.

MSM came into this game infazed by Navy's reputation and it showed. The Mount St. Mary's offense controlled the opening eight minutes of the match. They earned a kickable penalty but Evan Corbett's effort hit the post. Still the Mount worked it close-in, got driven back a little, and finally worked a backs move to put wing DJ Johnson in at the corner. Corbett's touchline conversion attempt hit the post again. Mount St. Mary's had the lead, though, 5-0.

On the ensuing restart, the Navy defense pinned the Mountaineers deep in their own end, forcing MSM to kick clear. The Mids countered and launched their first solid drive of the game, working their way into the Mount St. Mary's 22. Finally Navy got a penalty that Roanin Krieger put through to make it 5-3.

The Midshipmen soon capitalized on another MSM infringement, and Krieger put it through to give his side a 6-5 lead. At the 30-minute mark Navy grubbered through and flanker Aidan Gerber raced in to chase, with a couple of other players. MSM was slow to help their fullback Bastian Brunello. The Mount still rescued the ball, but when they placed it back into in-goal, Gerber smartly dove on it to score the try. Krieger converted and it was 13-5 Navy and that's how the first half ended.

Mount St. Mary's was on the front foot early in the second half and almost put Johnson in for his second. Navy embraces goalline stands and this was no different. They tackled and tackled but when MSM got a penalty and tapped quickly they infringed in the red zone perhaps one too many times and got a yellow card for their efforts. The Mountaineers went for a lineout, got another penalty, and worked through several phases right on the line. Finally Navy was able to turn the ball over and kick clear.

The Mount got another chance soon thereafter with a break down the sideline by lock Joe Sharrock. With no support the second row opted for a grubber on the run ... perhaps not the best option. It didn't bear fruit, regardless, and the whole movement erupted into a shoving match between all of the players. Nothing much was in that and some of the players seemed to be laughing about it all. What did happen was that Navy got out of trouble and burned their yellow card. 

Back and forth they went with Mount having the lion's share of field position. Navy, notorious for finishing strong, seemed unpurterbed. Back came Mount with some impressive play from Kiahi Horan—a well-taken mark and two good runs. But then Navy committed a needless penalty. A MSM player dove on the ground to rescue a loose ball, and the Navy player dove down on his, hitting the Mount player near the head area.

So it was a penalty (diving on a player on the ground) and foul play. Red card, and one from a play that didn't need to be made.

Corbett lined up a 42-meter kick and put it over to make it 13-8.

Navy handled being a man down quite well. the conditions—foggy and damp—weren't conducive to the adventurous, open-field play that might have exploited a man advantage.

Instead Navy worked a maul into MSM territory and then worked their close-to-the-tryline system, patiently working their way forward, inch-by-inch. Finally Austin Taylor picked up and touched it down. Krieger converted from in front of the posts, and it was 20-8.

Pressing now, MSM kicked the restart dead, later got a penalty, and kicked that touchfinder dead. Instead of having a lineout in Navy territory, they were defending a scrum, and at the scrum MSM was penalized for the tackle on the scrumhalf. Now Navy had the lineout, they mauled it, MSM collapsed the maul, and the Mount was yellow-carded.