SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish got the 2023 season started off with a bang, scoring 21 goals in a 21-10 win over Marquette in the season opener inside Loftus Sports Center on Wednesday.
The Notre Dame starting attack of Chris Kavanagh, Pat Kavanagh and Jeffery Ricciardelli proved impossible for the Golden Eagles to slow down, as the trio combined for 19 points (10G, 9A). Chris Kavanagh and Ricciardelli each scored a career-high five goals while Pat Kavanagh orchestrated with six assists.
In total, 11 different Irish players found the back of the net and 14 of Notre Dame’s 21 goals were assisted.
On the defensive side of the field the Irish caused 10 turnovers and held the Eagles’ attack to just three goals in the final 30 minutes of action.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Eric Dobson wasted no time getting the scoring started, firing home a shot on the run in the game’s first possession to put the Irish on top early. The Irish attack came out on fire, scoring five goals in just over five minutes of play to open up a 5-0 lead.
Marquette managed to trim the lead to three at 5-2 with back-to-back goals but Notre Dame responded by scoring four goals in the final three minutes of the first frame to take a commanding 9-2 lead after the opening 15 minutes of action.
The Golden Eagles managed to outscore the Irish in the second quarter 5-4 to trim the Notre Dame lead to 13-7 heading into the halftime break.
The Irish defense put the clamps on the Marquette attack in the third period, shutting out the visitors while the Notre Dame offense tallied three goals courtesy of Quinn McCahon, Ricciardelli and Pat Kavanagh.
The two sides traded goals to begin the fourth frame before the Irish scored the last three to comfortably win by a final score of 21-10.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Chris Kavanagh was pegged to have a breakout season heading into 2023 and he proved why on opening night. The sophomore posted career highs in goals (5) and points (7) while scooping up five ground balls and dishing out two assists. The attackman took just eight shots in the game.
STAT OF THE GAME
Wednesday marked the 11th time the Irish and Golden Eagles have played and the 21 goals from Notre Dame are the most it has ever scored in the series. The Irish surpassed its 2022 total of 18 goals in a winning effort.
NOTRE DAME NOTES
- The Irish improved to 11-0 against Marquette in the all-time series.
- With the win, the Irish are now 36-7 in season openers, including a 30-5 record under Baumer Family Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Kevin Corrigan.
- Notre Dame improves to 39-4 in home openers in program history and 32-3 under Corrigan.
- The victory pushes Notre Dame’s active winning streak to seven games, the longest active streak in the country for men’s DI lacrosse.
- Chris Kavanagh’s has now totaled 13 points in season openers in his career after totaling six in a win over Detroit Mercy last season.
- Jeffery Ricciardelli matched his season goals and points mark from all of last season in the opener with five goals and an assist. The five goals marked Ricciardelli’s first career hat trick.
- Pat Kavanagh was one assist shy of tying his career-high for assists in a game with six in Wednesday’s win.
- Jeffery Ricciardelli, Chris Fake, Chris Conlin, Marco Napolitano and Bryce Walker each made their first career starts for the Irish.
- Fisher Finley and Fulton Bayman each scored their first career goals at the collegiate level while Brian Tevlin and Jack Simmons scored his first as a member of the Irish.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame has a quick turnaround, welcoming Cleveland State to campus for a noon start on Sunday, Feb. 19. Admission is free and the game will be streamed on ACCNX.
— ND —