Army-Navy soccer returns to Subaru Park, but with a twist, as women’s teams take center stage

In the 14th edition of the annual Army-Navy Cup, the women’s programs of the two service academies enter the picture, reigniting their own rivalry.

Marlee Heaven (left) leads Navy into Subaru Park for the first matchup between Army and Navy teams along the Chester waterfront.Read moreCourtesy / Navy Athletics

by Tyler Delpercio, For The Inquirer

Published Oct. 9, 2025, 1:03 p.m. ET

Another chapter in the Army-Navy soccer rivalry will be written on Friday — with a twist.

It’ll be the first time the event features a doubleheader, with the women’s and men’s teams scheduled to hit the pitch at Subaru Park in Chester at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.

“We’re incredibly grateful to the Philadelphia Union for welcoming our women’s program to join our men’s team at Subaru Park for this season’s Army-Navy doubleheader,” said Army women’s soccer coach Tracy Chao. “It will truly be a tremendous opportunity for our cadet-athletes to experience the energy and excitement of this historic rivalry on a professional stage, in front of a passionate crowd.”

Amy (8-4-1) and Navy (8-5-1) are the top three teams in the Patriot League in goals, shots, and corners.

Senior Brigid Duffy leads Army’s high-powered offense with 10 goals, while freshman Sophia Henry (seven goals) and junior Sabrina Rogers (four) also help power the attack.

Navy is led by senior Marlee Heaven, who has seven goals this season, and freshman Faith Graziano, who has four.

However, Navy’s advantage comes from its defense. While Army has allowed 18 goals across its 13 games, third-most in the Patriot League, Navy is tied for second-fewest with just 12 goals allowed in 14 games. Natasha Stramrood, the team’s sophomore goalkeeper, has excelled in her second season with Navy, with a 81.5% save percentage.

“Credit to Navy head women’s soccer coach Carin Gabarra for her initiative in launching this series for our programs,” Chao said. “We all know this night is more than just a game; it’s a celebration of service, tradition, and the pride shared by both programs and our incredible fan bases.”

On the men’s side …

Tradition continues as Friday night will mark the 14th year Army and Navy have squared off along Chester’s waterfront. Last year’s men’s game drew 10,134 fans, making it the highest-attended regular-season game in Division I men’s soccer last season.

Last year, a 2-1 Army win improved its record in the Army-Navy Cup at Subaru Park to 6-3-4, but the programs seem to be entering the doubleheader’s nightcap evenly matched this year.

Army enters the match with a 3-4-4 record with an offense that ranks fifth in the Patriot League in goals scored (11), despite ranking eighth in shot attempts (108). The Black Knights are buoyed by stellar year from Michael Guiry. The sophomore goalkeeper has allowed just nine goals against 109 shots and is third among Patriot League goalies with 4.44 saves per game.

Meanwhile, Navy looks to be in search of its first win against Army since 2021 and first conference win, despite a near identical 3-5-4 record, thanks to the play of Duncan Sullivan and Andrew Schug.

Sullivan, a sophomore midfielder, ranks third in the Patriot League with 28 shots, despite playing fewer games than those behind him, including Schug, who sits at 25. The next-closest player on the team is A.J. Schuetz with 12 shots, and Sullivan and Schug have combined for 24 of Navy’s 46 shots on goal.

Defensively, goalkeeper Robert Eaton has been one of the busier netminders in the conference with 46 saves in 10 games, but midfielder Nate Stewart, a Phoenixville High School alumnus, and defender Keane Brown, a New Hope native who attended the Pennington School, will look to keep the ball out of the defensive zone in what is expected to be a homecoming for both.

“As we enter year 14 of the Army-Navy Cup, a match that has been a cornerstone of men’s soccer since 2012 … this event is one of the premier collegiate soccer fixtures in the country,” Tom Theodorakis, Army’s athletic director, said in a press release. “With over 10,000 attendees last year, it’s clear that this partnership continues to provide an unforgettable experience for our cadets and soccer fans alike.”