UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – In a fiercely-contested battle against the nation’s top-ranked team, No. 14 Penn State pushed No. 1 Navy to the limit but fell just short in a narrow 29-26 defeat at home. The Nittany Lions delivered a physical and determined performance, proving they could compete with the best in the country.
Penn State started strong, matching Navy’s intensity from the opening whistle. Flanker Nick Masterson powered over for the first try, followed by a well-executed score from fellow flanker Tristan Sommerville. Fullback Lorenzo Zamel converted both, keeping Penn State within striking distance at halftime, trailing by just one point at 15-14.
The second half saw the Nittany Lions continue their aggressive forward play. Masterson added his second try of the match with a relentless pick-and-go effort, while prop Cole Stoeppelwerth crashed through the Navy defense on a quick-tap play. Zamel added a crucial conversion to keep Penn State within touching distance.
As the match entered its final stages, Navy’s experience and discipline proved decisive. Despite Penn State’s best efforts to mount a late comeback, the top-ranked Midshipmen held firm to escape with a narrow victory.
Head coach Zac Mizell was pleased with his team’s performance despite the result, stating, “It was a very physical match with the top team in the country. We were happy with the improvements from the fall but would like to tidy up the details and small errors moving forward for our match against Life on March 22nd.”
The Nittany Lions will take plenty of positives from their battle with Navy as they prepare for another tough test against Life University in their next matchup.