ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Interstat) — The Navy women’s basketball team used a dominant middle two quarters to build an insurmountable lead and cruised to a 62-46 victory over Lafayette in a Patriot League contest Wednesday night at Alumni Hall.

The Midshipmen improved to 15-6 overall and solidified their position in the upper tier of the conference standings. The Leopards fell to 8-14, unable to replicate the competitive fire from their previous meeting, a 39-point Navy win just over three weeks prior.

The game’s decisive stretch spanned the second and third quarters, where Navy outscored Lafayette 37-16. After a first quarter that ended with Navy leading 19-11, the Leopards’ offense completely stalled in the second period. Lafayette managed only two points in the quarter on 1-of-14 shooting from the floor, coupled with six turnovers. Navy capitalized, though not with blistering efficiency itself, to extend the lead to 34-13 at halftime.

The Midshipmen then put the game out of reach with a 22-point third quarter. Guard Christina Liggio, a sophomore from Colts Neck, New Jersey, sparked the run with eight of her 10 points in the period, including two 3-pointers. Navy’s lead ballooned to as many as 24 points before settling at 56-29 heading into the final frame.

Lafayette showed resilience in the fourth quarter, outscoring Navy 19-6, but the deficit was far too large to overcome. The Leopards’ late push was led by Talia Zurinskas, who finished with a team-high 12 points, and a burst from reserves Sofia Valente and Haylie Adamski, who combined for nine points in the period.

The most important part of the game was Navy’s overwhelming defensive pressure in the first half, which created a catastrophic offensive performance for Lafayette. The Leopards’ two-point second quarter was the direct result of Navy’s active hands and disciplined positioning. The Midshipmen forced nine first-half turnovers and converted them into 15 points off turnovers for the game, compared to just three for Lafayette. This defensive effort rendered Lafayette’s offense inert, allowing Navy to build a lead that never fell below 17 points in the second half.

Navy was led by sophomore guard Zanai Barnett-Gay of Glenn Dale, Maryland, who scored a game-high 20 points, dished out five assists, and added three steals and a block. Liggio’s 10 points provided a crucial offensive lift off the bench. The Midshipmen shot just 33.8% from the field but attempted 21 free throws, making 13, and won the rebounding battle 48-45.

For Lafayette, Zurinskas was the only player in double figures. Teresa Kiewiet added 11 points but needed 14 shots to get there. The Leopards struggled mightily from the field all night, shooting 24.6% overall and a frigid 12.5% from 3-point range. Their offensive rating of 63.4 points per 100 possessions underscored the severity of their scoring difficulties.

Navy’s victory was a textbook example of winning through defense and capitalizing on opponent mistakes. While the Midshipmen’s shooting was subpar, their ability to stifle Lafayette for the game’s middle 20 minutes provided all the cushion necessary. The win keeps Navy in strong contention near the top of the Patriot League as the regular season enters its final month.

Lafayette, meanwhile, continues to search for consistency after a promising stretch in early January. The Leopards will look to regroup quickly before hosting Army on Saturday. Navy hits the road for its next contest, a key league matchup at American on Saturday.