FORT HOOD, Texas –
The All-Air Force men's soccer team's front line attack resembled a track meet Sunday night.
Unfazed by the 95-degree heat, Air Force used precision passing to create numerous breakaway scoring chances in the second game of the 2025 Armed Forces Soccer Championship.
Air Force 2nd Lts. Jake Angeletti and Thaddaeus Dewing each notched two goals helping build a 6-0 halftime lead. The Airmen eventually won 7-0 to improve to 2-0-0 at Fort Hood's Phantom Warrior Stadium.
"They just came out and played their game," Air Force coach Sam McNell said. "I think the first game (a 4-2 win vs. Army Saturday) helped them get the nerves out of the way and the just started playing calm, cool and collected."
Staff Sgt. L'Trel Sterling wasted no time scoring a goal in the third minute. Then, 1st Lt. Michael Neacsu streaked toward the goal and found the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.
Dewing used his speed to score both of his goals and slipped past the Navy backline. Dewing, who competed for both the Air Force Academy and Northwestern University, beat the Navy keeper from about 25 yards out and sent another goal from 10 yards away.
"The team goal was just to play to the best of our abilities and play hard and that showed tonight," Dewing said.
Angeletti scored his goals in the 31st and 45th minutes also beating the Navy keeper, one-on-one.
Navy (0-1-0) had an opportunity to score in the 23rd minute when Petty Officer 3rd Class Julio Noel found his way to the penalty box but Air Force keeper Tanner Johnston snuffed out the ball before Noel could take a shot. In the 10th minute Navy forward Isaiah Irish had a chip shot that he sent wide right of the goal. ,
"We knew Navy was going to bring a solid squad," McNell said. "We just didn't know how they were going to approach today's game. The guys ... found some weaknesses and they exploited them."