Kubeika's Goal In Overtime Sinks Navy, 4-3

John Kubeika scored a goal with 3:32 left in the second overtime to lift Army to a 4-3 victory over Navy at West Point's Clinton Field Friday evening.

Doug Jones played a long volley from midfield across the pitch to teammate Chris Conklin, who settled the pass and found Kubeika just inside the penalty area. Kubeika controlled to feed and blasted a shot across the goal mouth into the far side, beating Navy goalie Nolan Grebb with the game-winner.

It was Army's first win over Navy since 2000 and eliminated the Midshipmen from postseason contention. The Black Knights (6-8-1, 2-4-0 Patriot League) increased their winning streak to three straight and have won four of their last five matches.

John Borland scored two goals for Army, marking the second straight game in which the senior midfielder has scored twice. Chase Hunter scored the Black Knights' other goal. He leads the squad with five goals on the year.

"Borland came up with two goals again, and they were both great goals," Army head coach Kurt Swanbeck said. "He hit some great shots tonight. He is just having a great end to his senior year.

"I'm proud of this team, but I'm really happy for the seniors because they had never beaten Navy. This is huge for them. They stayed in a game that was going back and forth."

Borland's first tally came off a direct kick from just outside the penalty area. The firstie hammered a shot past the Midshipmen's wall constructed in front of Grebb, who was making his first collegiate start in goal in place of the injured Evan Barnes.

However, 18 seconds later, Navy's Addy Strasdas tied the game when he finished from close range. Teammate, and the Patriot League's second-leading scorer entering the contest, McKenzie Plank, then gave the visitors their only lead of the night when he pounded a shot from 30 yards away that bent into the near side past the outstretched arms of Army goalie A.J. Glubzinski.

This time it was the Black Knights who struck back quickly. Hunter took a long feed fromChase Spruill and found the back of the net 1:14 after Plank had put the Mids up. That marker tied the score at 2-2.

Borland scored his second of the night to put the hosts back in front 3-2 with 12 minutes left in regulation. But Navy wasn't done. Two minutes later, Brad Feige knotted things up for the third time in the game and that is the way things stood until Kubeika's OT winner.

"We have constantly been improving and working hard," Borland said of Army's three-game winning streak and 4-1 record in the month of October. "I'm just trying to enjoy this while I can because I'll be retiring from soccer in a week."

Glubzinski registered two saves, while Grebb was credited with five.

The overtime affair ranked as the fifth time in the last eight meetings between Army and Navy that the match has gone into extra time

Pic: Chase Hunter Photo Credit: AAC