Aug. 30, 2014
2014 NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER – MATCH 4
Notre Dame Invitational Match 4
#11/10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-1-0) vs. Southern California Trojans (2-0-1)
DATE: Aug. 31, 2014
TIME: 1:30 p.m. ET
LOCATION: Notre Dame, Ind. (Alumni Stadium – cap. 3,007)
LAST MEETING: ND 4-0 (11/14/10 at ND)
BROADCAST: WatchND.tv
LIVE STATS:
TWITTER: @NDsoccernews
TEXT ALERTS: Sign up at UND.com
TICKETS: Call (574) 631-7356, visit UND.com/tickets, or stop by the Alumni Stadium tickets windows on match night ($5 adults/$3 youths-seniors/free for all ND/Saint Mary’s/Holy Cross students)
Storylines
· The Fighting Irish are 33-8-2 (.791) all-time during the Notre Dame Invitational.
· Notre Dame is 2-0 all-time in its series with USC, winning both prior meetings in South Bend. The Fighting Irish hold an aggregate 6-0 goals edge in those two contests.
The grind of a long season is destined to have its share of ups and downs, triumphs and heartbreak, wins and losses. For the University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team, Friday night’s 2-1 loss at home to No. 16/12 Texas Tech was the team’s first defeat on its regular season ledger in 2014.
In Sunday’s finale to the 22nd annual Notre Dame Invitational, the No. 11/10 Fighting Irish (2-1-0) look to avenge that blemish at 1:30 p.m. (ET) against Southern California at Alumni Stadium. Live stats for the match will be available at , with live video coverage streaming at WatchND.tv and on the WatchND app.
“We’re trying to learn from each game, and get better for each opponent,” Notre Dame head coach Theresa Romagnolo said following Friday’s game against Texas Tech. “Right now it’s about turning it on for 90 minutes, bringing that competitive spirit throughout the duration of the game. There have been moments where we are switching off a bit, not quite rotating correctly. We need to make sure everyone is on the same page, that we are competing for 50-50s, and bringing composure when we do come away with the ball.”
Notre Dame will meet USC (2-0-1) for just the third time in series history on Sunday, as the Fighting Irish carry a 2-0 all-time record following the previous two meetings between the teams in South Bend. Notre Dame claimed a 2-0 decision on Sept. 1, 2006 over USC during that season’s Notre Dame Invitational at old Alumni Field, before adding a 4-0 triumph in the second round of the NCAA Championship on Nov. 14, 2010 at Alumni Stadium.
USC remained unbeaten through its first three matches of 2014 by scoring three unanswered goals in Friday’s opening game of the Notre Dame Invitational, downing Iowa State 3-1 at Alumni Stadium. After allowing the Cyclones to break through with the match’s first goal in the third minute, the Trojans limited Iowa State to a total of three shots on goal over the final 87 minutes of the contest.
To purchase a season pass or single-match tickets for the 2014 Notre Dame women’s soccer season, call the Murnane Family Athletics Ticket Office at (574) 631-7356, visit the official Notre Dame athletics ticketing web site, UND.com/tickets or stop by the Murnane Family Athletics Ticket Office windows during normal business hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday). Tickets also can be purchased at Alumni Stadium on match days.
For more information on the Fighting Irish women’s soccer program, follow Notre Dame on Twitter (@NDsoccernews or @NDSoccer), like the Fighting Irish on Facebook (facebook.com/NDWomenSoccer) or sign up for the Irish ALERT text-messaging system through the “Fan Center” pulldown menu on the main page at UND.com.
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SCOUTING USC
New USC head coach Keidane McAlpine has a 2-0-1 record in his first three matches as the Trojans skipper after USC bounced back from an early deficit to score three unanswered goals to down Iowa State 3-1 on Friday in game one of the Notre Dame Invitational at Alumni Stadium.
Junior forward Megan Borman is the Trojans points leader with one goal and one assist through the first three matches of 2014, and is one of five different USC goal scorers so far this season.
Senior goalkeeper Caroline Stanley made eight saves through her first 290 minutes played in 2014, earning the decision in all three Trojan matches played entering Sunday’s matchup against Notre Dame.
Sophomore forward/midfielder Kayla Mills, the returning USC scoring leader (four goals, eight assists, 16 points) from 2013, has yet to attempt a shot through her first three games played this season. Mills picked up her first assist of the year on Friday against Iowa State.
THE NOTRE DAME-USC SERIES
Notre Dame is 2-0-0 all-time against USC, with the Fighting Irish winning both matches against the Trojans.
Notre Dame holds an aggregate 6-0 goal advantage in two prior meetings with USC, including one that took place during the NCAA Championship (2010, second round).
THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND USC MET
Co-captain Lauren Fowlkes tallied a goal and two assists to lead a balanced Notre Dame attack, and the No. 7/10 Fighting Irish rocked 22nd-ranked USC with a pair of goals inside the opening 10 minutes, charging to a 4-0 victory in the second round of the NCAA Championship on Nov. 14, 2010 at Alumni Stadium.
Notre Dame held a 16-13 shot edge on the Trojans, a margin that was somewhat deceiving due to USC pushing up additional attackers later in the match and having numerous shots blocked by the Fighting Irish defense before they could become true threats. Notre Dame also had an 8-3 advantage in shots on goal.
THE ND/CALIFORNIA CONNECTION
A total of seven players on the current Notre Dame roster hail from the state of California, the most among 14 states represented by the 33-member Fighting Irish roster in 2014.
Dating back to the first varsity season for the women’s soccer program in 1988, a total of 33 native Californians have appeared in at least one career match for the Fighting Irish, making California the most well represented state by residency in program history.
USC freshman defender Natalie Willis resides in the same community in Orange County (Coto de Caza) as Notre Dame freshmen Kaitlin and Taylor Klawunder. In fact, Willis, the Klawunders and Fighting Irish senior forward Lauren Bohaboy are all graduates of Santa Margarita Catholic High School and played for the So Cal Blues on the California club circuit during their respective prep careers.
LAST TIME OUT: #16/12 TEXAS TECH
No. 16/12 Texas Tech got goals from Hannah Devine and Janine Beckie 25 seconds apart in the opening moments of the second half to rally from an early deficit and defeat No. 11/10 Notre Dame women’s soccer team, 2-1 on Friday night in the 22nd annual Notre Dame Invitational before a crowd of 2,603 fans at Alumni Stadium.
Notre Dame fell for just the eighth time in 43 all-time matches contested during the Notre Dame Invitational (33-8-2 overall record). The Fighting Irish finished with a 13-11 edge in total shots, as well as an 8-6 advantage in shots on goal and a 5-4 lead on corner kicks.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE: TEXAS TECH
– Of its eight losses all-time during play at the Notre Dame Invitational dating back to the tournament’s inception in 1992, Notre Dame has been defeated by a top 25 opponent in each of those eight contests.
– The Fighting Irish fell for the first time when holding a shot advantage over an opponent since Oct. 20, 2013, a 2-1 loss to Duke in double-overtime at Alumni Stadium.
– Junior defender/tri-captain Katie Naughton moved within one goal of setting a single-season career-high with her second converted header of 2014 in the 15th minute Friday against Texas Tech. Naughton and senior forward Lauren Bohaboy are tied for the Notre Dame lead with two goals each through three matches this season.
– Freshman defender Sabrina Flores logged the first point of her Notre Dame career during Friday’s match, serving up the corner kick that Naughton drove home at 14:26 to give the Fighting Irish a 1-0 lead. Flores became the third Notre Dame freshman to register at least one point this season, joining goal scorers Taylor and Kaitlin Klawunder.
– Senior defender/tri-captain Sammy Scofield started her 60th career match on Friday against Texas Tech, the most among all active Notre Dame players.
– Texas Tech earned its first victory over Notre Dame in the brief series history between the schools with Friday’s win in the second game of the Notre Dame Invitational. The Fighting Irish entered the match a perfect 2-0 all-time against the Red Raiders, with a 5-0 aggregate goal advantage.
– Prior to allowing two Texas Tech goals within a 25-second span at the start of the second half on Friday, sophomore goalkeeper Kaela Little had not surrendered a goal in her last 203:54 seconds in net. In fact, the Notre Dame keeper only faced a total of two shots on goal during that span, dating back to Illinois’ only goal of the match at 22:01 of the first half on Aug. 22.