The Howard University men’s soccer team had a breakthrough earning its first win of the season with a 1–0 victory over Virginia Military Institute (VMI) at Patchin Field.
The hard-fought win on Sept. 20 initially lifted the Bison to 1–5–1 while dropping the Keydets to 1–5–3, giving the team a much-needed boost of confidence. Since then, Howard has faced a challenging stretch of conference play, and the Bison’s record has now fallen to 1–9–1.
Freshman international business major and forward for the men’s soccer team Naim Robinson found space behind VMI’s defense, connected with a through-ball, and sent a low shot past Keydets goalkeeper Zack Murphy to the right post. The goal, Robinson’s first at the collegiate level, put Howard ahead 1–0.
“I’ve been working all season for this,” Robinson said after the match. “To get my first goal and help us win at the same time — it’s something I’ll never forget.”
Robinson later reflected on the team’s preparation and mindset heading into the matchup.
“I always believed we were going to beat VMI,” Robinson said. “We knew VMI didn’t respect us, scheduling us for their senior day and that gave us extra motivation.”
Robinson scored the lone goal but Howard’s defense played a decisive role. The Bison back line held steady against 15 shots, including five on target.
Goalkeeper Ireal Wyze-Daly anchored the effort with five saves, recording his first clean sheet of the year. The Bison also stood tall against six VMI corner kicks, frustrating the Keydets’ attack.
Head coach Phillip Gyau, now in his 11th season leading the program, praised the resilience of his squad.
“We knew coming into today that VMI would press hard on their home field,” Gyau said. “ I’m proud of how the boys competed.”
The match was physical throughout, with both teams combining for 28 fouls and five yellow cards. VMI collected two late bookings as frustrations grew. Still, the Bison managed the pressure, holding their shape and composure to close out the final 20 minutes.
Senior midfielder Roman Stallings highlighted how the group handled the moment.
“From the start, we knew VMI was a matchup where we could grab our first win,” Stallings said. “The fact that they scheduled us for their senior day gave us a little extra motivation too. We scored first, defended like our season depended on it, and got rewarded.”
Before facing VMI, the Bison had scored just three goals in six matches and were trying to find consistency. Saturday’s match, with an early goal, organized defending and composure in key moments, indicated progress as the team looks to build momentum.
Gyau’s team now enters the heart of their schedule, with matchups against Duke, Bryant and Central Connecticut looming in the coming weeks.
Copy edited by Daryl R. Thomas Jr.
