CHESTER, Pa. (October 5, 2021) – Army-Navy Cup X Presented by Leidos returns to Subaru Park on Saturday October 9, where the rival academies will kick off at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for the latest chapter in the rivalry Subaru Park are available for purchase here.
“The 10th Army Navy Cup is a special one. 10 years shows the strength of the relationship between the two academies and the union, as well as the public’s desire to have a large venue that can hold the crowds for this matchup,” said Army West Point Head Coach Brian Plotkin. “The Union have been incredible hosts and we are fortunate to have a great venue to showcase this rivalry each and every year.”
The Black Knights go into the matchup with an overall record of 6-3-1. A Second Team All-Patriot League selection and Senior midfielder, Oscar Pereira, leads the team with 15 total points on the year with five assists and five goals this season. Pereira will be joined on the pitch by freshman forward Andrew Guerra and sophomore midfielder Colman Kim, who each found the back of the net in the match against Bucknell (Sep. 25). Goalkeeper and senior captain Jacob Suppiah will also return to help the Black Knights in their attempt to repeat as Army-Navy Cup champions. With a GAA of 1.44, Jacob recorded 27 saves this season with two clean sheets out of the six matches he played. Junior goalkeeper Josh Taylor has also appeared in three matches (two starts), registering six saves, and allowing one goal with a GAA of .54.
“The 10-year anniversary of the Army-Navy Cup is significant for our program and we are lucky to have such an event on our calendar,” said Tim O’Donohue, Head Coach, Navy Men’s Soccer. “The atmosphere is always electric and to have the support come up from Annapolis each year is always special for our players. To break the 10,000 spectator barrier on multiple occasions signifies how popular this game is with college soccer fans in Philadelphia and we are looking forward to another one. We are fortunate to be playing at such a top-class facility with an excellent playing surface and we are always well looked after by the incredible support staff at Philadelphia Union.”
Navy are coming off an impressive start of the season with a 8-1-1 record. Head Coach Tim O'Donohue, who returns for his sixth season at the helm of the Navy men's soccer program, led the Midshipmen to winning records in each of the last two years. With a .733 winning percentage, O'Donohue is ranked second-best among active NCAA Division I head coaches and 11th overall across all divisions. The Midshipmen were picked to finish fourth in the Patriot League regular-season standings in its annual preseason poll, that also included a first-place vote. Senior Matt Nocita and sophomore David Jackson were named to the Patriot League All-League team, while Nocita also earned the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Joining Nocita among the top returning players for Navy this season are fellow seniors Jacob Williams and Tyler Collins, who both joined Nocita in being First-Team All Patriot League selections. Rounding out the top returning players for Navy in 2021 is the trio of Cristian Coelho, Sidney Paris, and Joe Alex. Coelho and Paris are set to anchor the midfield for Navy while Alex will captain the Midshipmen in 2021. Navy sophomore Sidney Paris leads the Midshipmen with 12 points, adding four goals and four assists to his tally. Senior goalkeeper Tyler Fahning will also return to help the Midshipmen in their attempt to defeat the reigning champions. With a GAA of .57, Tyler recorded 28 saves this season with six clean sheets out of the 10 matches.
In addition to its returning starters and letter winners, Navy adds a strong 10-member recruiting class that was ranked as the 25th-best men's soccer recruiting class in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer, the highest such ranking for a recruiting class in program history.
Subaru Park will be able to host fans at full capacity for the match, tickets are available for purchase here. Fans coming to the match should take note that the shuttle from the Chester Transportation Center to Subaru Park will be unavailable for the event.
Army Navy Cup X is presented by Leidos and made possible with the support from the following sponsors: Visit Delco, Energy Transfer, Sunoco, Steamfitters Local Union 420, Holman Automotive, IBEW Local 98, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, U.S. Army Recruiting, U.S. Navy Recruiting, TD Bank, Monroe Energy and Tozour Energy Systems.
The Army-Navy cup has been held at Subaru Park since its inaugural match in 2012, with Army currently leading the series at 4-2-3. The debut rivalry match in 2012 ended in a draw, as did the 2017 and 2019 match. Navy won in both 2013 and 2014, while Army took the victory in 2015, 2016 and 2018. In the last match played between the two academies in April of 2021, Army retained the Cup behind a 2-0 win. In nine editions of the Army-Navy Cup, the Black Knights lead the series at 4-2-3.
