Oct. 11, 2016
by Tony Jones
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A competitive matchup on the pitch at the U-M Soccer Stadium on Tuesday ultimately shifted to the favor of the University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team. Goals from Mark Gormley and Jon Gallagher guided the No. 1/2 Irish to a 2-0 win over Michigan in nonconference action.
Notre Dame (10-1-1) extended its 2016 nonconference record to a perfect 7-0 with the shutout of Michigan (2-7-4), the 11th Irish win in the all-time series between the teams. After Michigan opened the first 14 minutes with a 6-0 shots advantage, Notre Dame outshot the host Wolverines by a 12-7 margin for the remainder of the match.
After Michigan controlled the tempo in the early going of the first half, Notre Dame turned the tide on the Wolverines in the 30th minute. Leading Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) scorer Gallagher drilled a fantastic bending right-footed shot from over 20 yards toward the right post that inexplicably deflected off the crossbar and out toward the left of frame. All was not lost for the Irish, as Gormley dove in for a clinical header and his third goal of 2016 near the left post at 29:54 for the 1-0 Notre Dame lead.
Michigan looked to counter throughout the remainder of the game, but a stout Notre Dame defensive effort prevented the Wolverines from testing Irish keeper Chris Hubbard with a single shot on goal over the final 75 plus minutes. Early saves against Francis Atuahene in the 12th minute and Jack Hallahan in the 15th minute helped lead Hubbard to his seventh shutout of the season.
Notre Dame put the game out of reach in the 82nd minute after tri-captain Evan Panken sent a strong pass from the left wing to a cutting Jack Casey at the right post. Casey was unable to get a shot off on net but shielded his defender and nudged a perfect drop pass for Gallagher, who buried his 11th goal of the season past Michigan keeper Evan Louro for the 2-0 Irish advantage at 81:40.
Notre Dame resumes its current four-game road trip on Friday, traveling to Charlottesville to face ACC foe Virginia. The 7 p.m. (ET) match will air live on ACC Network Extra.
Single game tickets for the 2016 Notre Dame men’s soccer season remain on sale. Visit und.com/BuyTickets or call the Murnane Family Ticket Office at 574-631-7356 for more information or to purchase tickets.
Play of the Game
Jon Gallagher wheeled around with possession just outside the Michigan 18-yard box in the 30th minute and looked to give the Irish an early scoring chance. Gallagher bent a beautiful, arching shot that hit the inside of the right post and crossbar and kicked down and out to the left of the goal mouth. Mark Gormley dove in with a strong header for his third goal of the season and the 1-0 Notre Dame lead at 29:54.
Turning Point
Michigan attempted the first six shots of the match over the opening 14 plus minutes. Notre Dame would limit the Wolverines to only seven total shots, with no shots on goal, for the remainder of the contest.
Note of the Game
Notre Dame improved to 5-1-2 (.750) over its last eight meetings with Michigan, dating back to a 5-0 shutout of the Wolverines to open Alumni Stadium on Sept. 1, 2009.
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Tony Jones, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2012 and coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame softball and men’s soccer programs. A native of Jamestown, New York, Jones is a 2011 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, and prior to arriving at Notre Dame held positions at the University of Louisiana Monroe and with the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills.