A 70th minute try from fullback Jake Lachina was the only try of a torrid second half as West Point defeated Navy 27-22 in the annual Army-Navy game.

The try was Lachina’s fourth of the day, as the wing scored three tries before the 15th minute.

It was a somewhat strange game in terms of scoring, as the Black Knights took an early lead thank too three Lachina tries, all unconverted. But, down 15-7 Navy peeled off a long-range try of their own and the conversion made it 15-14. Navy then edged ahead with a penalty and extended the lead to 22-15 with a try late in the first half.

Just before halftime, Army’s Andrew Irwin scored and with Andrew Borer’s conversion - the only conversion for the Black Knights all day - the game was tied 22-22.

The next 30 minutes or so both teams had prime scoring opportunities, but the physicality of the tackles from both sides, and mistakes at key moments, kept the game tied 22-22.

Then, late in the game, Army won a lineout at midfield. It was a simple case of hands out to Lachina, and the powerful sophomore (6-2, 195) cut through a gap, churned out of one tackler’s arms, and was gone to the corner. That won the game 27-22.

Navy will take scant consolation in winning the Commander-in-Chief Cup, which is for the winner of the round robin between the three military academies. All three teams ended up 1-1, but Navy had the better points difference.