Oct. 11, 2012
Full Notes Package in PDF Format
2012 Notre Dame Women’s Soccer — Matches 16-17
#24/23 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-3-2 / 6-0-1 BIG EAST) vs. #11/14 Georgetown Hoyas (12-1-2 / 6-0-1 BIG EAST)
DATE: October 12, 2012
TIME: 3:00 p.m. ET
AT: Washington, D.C. – North Kehoe Field (2,000)
SERIES: ND leads 16-2-1
LAST MTG: GU 3-2 (10/14/11 @ND)
VIDEO: guhoyas.com (live-PPV)
LIVE STATS:
TWITTER: @NDsoccernews
#24/23 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-3-2 / 6-0-1 BIG EAST) vs. Villanova Wildcats (6-7-2 / 4-3-0 BIG EAST)
DATE: October 14, 2012
TIME: Noon ET
AT: Villanova, Pa. – VU Soccer Stadium (1,000)
SERIES: ND leads 18-1-0
LAST MTG: ND 3-1 (10/16/11 @ND)
VIDEO: villanova.com (live-PPV)
LIVE STATS:
TWITTER: @NDsoccernews
Storylines
- Notre Dame will be facing its fifth ranked opponent of the season on Friday when it travels to No. 11/14 Georgetown.
- The Fighting Irish also have a history of close matches at Villanova, with five of their last six visits to VU decided by one goal.
No. 24/23 Irish Back On Road At No. 11/14 Georgetown, Villanova
As the BIG EAST Conference schedule hits the homestretch, No. 24/23 Notre Dame will meet that challenge on the road, starting this weekend with a two-match swing through the mid-Atlantic region to take on No. 11/14 Georgetown (3 p.m. ET Friday) and Villanova (noon ET Sunday). Both matches will be streamed live on a pay-per-view basis through the host schools’ respective web sites.
The Fighting Irish (10-3-2, 6-0-1) stretched their unbeaten streak to eight matches with a 2-2 draw against Rutgers on Oct. 7 in the regular-season finale at Alumni Stadium. Notre Dame spotted the Scarlet Knights an early lead, before freshman forward Crystal Thomas scored twice in just over six minutes to put the Fighting Irish on top. However, RU equalized in the 36th minute and the teams wound up deadlocked through 110 minutes.
Rankings
- Notre Dame is ranked No. 24 in this week’s NSCAA poll and is ranked No. 23 in the latest Soccer America poll.
- Georgetown is ranked No. 11 in this week’s NSCAA poll and is ranked No. 14 in the latest Soccer America poll.
- Villanova is not ranked.
A Quick Look At The Fighting Irish
- The Fighting Irish were picked to win the BIG EAST National Division title according to a preseason vote of the conference head coaches released Aug. 7. Notre Dame has won 13 BIG EAST regular-season titles (division or overall) since joining the conference 17 years ago, including regular-season crowns in eight of the past nine years.
- Junior midfielder/tri-captain Mandy Laddish represented the Fighting Irish on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, following up her second-team all-conference selection a year ago. Laddish had one goal and a career-high seven assists last season.
- Notre Dame features a very young roster in 2012, with half (12) of the 24-member Fighting Irish squad made up of freshmen (plus another six sophomores). The Notre Dame incoming class was ranked No. 1 in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer, with seven Fighting Irish freshmen appearing in the top 60 of the TDS Class of 2012 rankings. Leading the rookie class is forward/midfielder/defender Cari Roccaro, a two-time consensus high school All-American and New York High School Player of the Year after piling up 39 goals and 19 assists during her prep career.
Scouting Georgetown
With a revamped lineup that replaced six starters from a season ago, Georgetown (12-1-2, 6-0-1) hasn’t missed a beat, emerging as one of the top teams in the BIG EAST this season while also rising to No. 11 in this week’s NSCAA poll and 14th in the current Soccer America poll.
The Hoyas are unbeaten in their last seven matches, and are coming off a 1-1 draw at Louisville on Oct. 7. Sophomore midfielder Daphne Corboz added to her national lead in goals and points with her 15th goal of the season in the first half, but the Cardinals pulled level in the second half and the teams wound up splitting the points.
In addition to the offensive production from Corboz (15G-6A), Georgetown has gotten strong play from junior forwards Kaitlin Brenn (9G-7A) and Colleen Dinn (5G-2A) this season. Meanwhile, redshirt freshman Emma Newins has proven to be rock solid in goal for the Hoyas, posting a 0.62 goals-against average (0.14 GAA in BIG EAST play) with 8.1 shutouts and an .852 save percentage.
Head coach Dave Nolan is in his ninth year at Georgetown with a 107-58-15 (.636) record, including a 1-8-1 mark against Notre Dame.
The Notre Dame-Georgetown Series
Notre Dame and Georgetown will be squaring off for the 20th time on Friday afternoon, with the Fighting Irish holding a 16-2-1 edge in the series, including a 6-1-1 mark against the Hoyas in Washington, D.C. GU is coming off its second series win in the team’s last meeting, following a draw in the most recent matchup in the nation’s capital.
The series, which started with Notre Dame’s entrance into the BIG EAST Conference in 1995, started as a high-scoring affair for the Fighting Irish, who tallied at least six goals in nine of their first 12 matches with Georgetown, including at least eight goals in the first six series contests.
However, starting in 2006, the series has been much more competitive, with three matches decided by one goal or less, as well as neither side scoring more than three goals in any of those seven matches.
The Last Time Notre Dame And Georgetown Met
Notre Dame rallied from a two-goal first-half deficit and controlled the run of play for a large portion of the second half, but the Fighting Irish allowed their second own-goal of the match with less than 14 minutes remaining as Georgetown hung on for a 3-2 BIG EAST Conference win over Notre Dame on Oct. 14, 2011, on a blustery and damp night at Alumni Stadium.
Melissa Henderson sparkled in defeat for the Fighting Irish, posting a goal and an assist, while Courtney Barg netted her first goal in more than two years for Notre Dame. Adriana Leon and Elizabeth Tucker helped set up Henderson’s early score, which ignited Notre Dame’s first-half rally.
Georgetown was led by Samantha Baker, who had a hand in all three of the Hoyas’ goals, scoring the first herself and then forcing the Fighting Irish into their two own-goals with a long throw-in early in the first half, and a cross from the left wing that led to the decisive tally in the second period.
Goalkeeper Maddie Fox made two saves in the Notre Dame net, while Elizabeth Hanna did likewise in the Georgetown goal. The Fighting Irish finished with a 13-7 shot advantage on the Hoyas, while GU had a 5-4 edge in shots on goal. Georgetown also had a 7-4 margin in corner kicks (six of those coming in the first half), while the Hoyas were whistled for eight of 13 fouls in the match.
The Last Time Notre Dame And Georgetown Met In Washington, D.C.
Melissa Henderson scored in the 74th minute to put No. 4/5 Notre Dame on top of Georgetown, but the Hoyas got a late equalizer and two of the BIG EAST’s top squads wound up playing to a 1-1 double-overtime draw in a wildly-entertaining regular-season finale on a sun-drenched afternoon on Oct. 24, 2010, at North Kehoe Field in Washington, D.C.
Notre Dame appeared headed for another late-match win following Henderson’s goal, which came at 73:31 via a penalty kick after she was hauled down in the box. However, Georgetown got back on level terms with 4:09 remaining on Camille Trujillo’s goal off a scramble in the area. The Fighting Irish outshot the Hoyas, 3-1 in the two overtime periods, but the two sides wound up sharing the spoils when the final whistle blew.
Nikki Weiss was magnificent between the pipes for Notre Dame, making a career-high eight saves, including several giant stops during the first half when she recorded six of her saves. Georgetown’s Jackie Desjardin matched Weiss nearly stop for stop, finishing with six saves.
For the day, GU held a narrow 18-16 edge in total shots, with a 9-7 margin in shots on goal. The teams nearly split the corner kick tries (8-6 Hoyas), while Notre Dame was charged with 11 of the 17 fouls in the match, as well as both offside calls.
Scouting Villanova
After navigating through some early-season challenges, Villanova (6-7-2, 4-3-0) has started to find its footing at the right time, rising to third place in the BIG EAST National Division race. The Wildcats also have the benefit of some solid results on their resume, most notably a scoreless draw with 13th-ranked Maryland and a 2-1 overtime victory at No. 16 Rutgers.
VU has alternated wins and losses in its last seven matches (entering this weekend’s action), most recently earning a 1-0 victory at Cincinnati on Oct. 7. Senior forward Heidi Sabatura put the Wildcats in front in the 10th minute and the Villanova defense did the rest, pitching its fourth shutout of the season, and second in conference play.
Sabatura (3G-7A) has been VU’s top offensive threat this season, while sophomore midfielder Victoria Gersh (4G-2A) has stepped up as the team’s top goalscorer thus far. The Wildcats also have reaped the rewards from two strong goalkeepers, with senior Kelsey Quinn (1.29 GAA, 2 ShO) seeing the bulk of the minutes while junior Jami Kranich (0.72 GAA, 2 ShO) has worked her way back to action after returning from duty with the U.S. Under-20 National Team that won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Japan (Kranich was a teammate on that squad with Notre Dame junior midfielder Mandy Laddish and freshman forward/midfielder/defender Cari Roccaro).
Head coach John Byford is in his fifth season at Villanova with a 43-41-10 (.511) record, and 10th season on a college sideline, sporting an overall mark of 91-80-18 (.529), including an 0-4 record against Notre Dame.
The Notre Dame-Villanova Series
Like many of their series against BIG EAST Conference opponents, the Fighting Irish didn’t face Villanova prior to joining the conference in 1995. Since then, Notre Dame has compiled an 18-1 record in the series against the Wildcats, including a 7-1 mark at Villanova, and an active nine-match winning streak that mimics a similar run the Fighting Irish had to open the series from 1995-2001.
While Notre Dame’s road record against the Wildcats is solid, the series matches at Villanova have been anything but stable, with five of the past six contests at VU decided by one goal, including the Wildcats’ lone series win to date (a 1-0 victory on Sept. 27, 2002).
The Last Time Notre Dame And Villanova Met
Melissa Henderson scored the go-ahead goal with 5:34 to play, and Elizabeth Tucker added her first score of the year in the final 80 seconds as Notre Dame locked up a first-round bye for the BIG EAST Conference Championship with a 3-1 victory over Villanova on Oct. 16, 2011, at Alumni Stadium.
Lauren Bohaboy picked the right time for her first career two-assist match, setting up both late Fighting Irish scores. Jessica Schuveiller put Notre Dame on the board late in the first half, while Tucker earned the secondary assist on Henderson’s match-winning goal, and Mandy Laddish had the primary helper on Tucker’s insurance goal.
Notre Dame had an overwhelming 28-3 edge in total shots, including an 11-1 advantage in shots on goal. The Fighting Irish also earned all six corner kicks in the contest, while fouls were virtually even (5-3 against Villanova).
Katie Ryan scored the equalizer for the Wildcats midway through the second half, while linemates Heidi Sabatura and Erin Ryan were credited with assists on the score, which came via an efficient counterattack on what would turn out to be VU’s lone shot on goal during the match (and its only shot of any kind in the second half). Villanova goalkeeper Jami Kranich made six saves, and benefitted from two other team saves on Fighting Irish shots in the penalty area.
The Last Time Notre Dame And Villanova Met In Villanova
Adriana Leon scored midway through the first half and No. 4/5 Notre Dame kept Villanova on its heels for much of the match during a 1-0 BIG EAST Conference victory over the Wildcats on a blustery cold afternoon on Oct. 22, 2010, at the Villanova Soccer Stadium in Villanova, Pa.
With the win, the Fighting Irish picked up a victory at a location that has traditionally been very difficult for Notre Dame, with this marking the fifth one-goal margin in their last six visits to suburban Philadelphia.
Leon netted her first career match-winning goal, scoring at 22:45 of the first half with a volley from close range off a cross from Rose Augustin. Notre Dame outshot Villanova, 19-6 in the contest, including an 8-3 edge in shots on goal. The Fighting Irish also earned all six corner kicks during the match.
Nikki Weiss went the distance in the Notre Dame net, making three saves to record her seventh solo shutout of the 2010 season. Jami Kranich tallied seven saves in the Villanova goal to keep the hosts in the running.
Kicks Against Cancer
Notre Dame’s regular-season home finale against Rutgers on Oct. 7 at Alumni Stadium was designated as the program’s “Kicks Against Cancer” match. At the end of the season, the proceeds from various events during the day will go to Michiana Hematology/Oncology and Kicks Against Cancer, the national soccer initiative to support funding for breast cancer research.
The Notre Dame players wore special gold jerseys with a pink ribbon insignia for the match. These limited edition jerseys, which were designed for the Fighting Irish by Notre Dame’s official athletics apparel provider, adidas, are currently up for public bidding through the official Fighting Irish athletics auctions web site (www.und.com/auctions), with the on-line auction open continuing through Oct. 31. Due to NCAA regulations, the jerseys must be autographed by at least two persons — either the player who wore the jersey and a teammate, or the entire team.
Match #14 Recap: Seton Hall
Junior midfielder/tri-captain Elizabeth Tucker scored two goals and freshman defender Brittany Von Rueden dished out two assists as No. 24/25 Notre Dame ran its winning streak to seven matches with a dominant 5-1 victory over Seton Hall in BIG EAST Conference action on Oct. 5 on cold and damp night before a crowd of 1,709 fans at Alumni Stadium.
Sophomore forward Lauren Bohaboy and freshman forward Anna Maria Gilbertson both added their fourth goals of the season, while freshman defender Katie Naughton netted the eventual match-winning goal midway through the first half. Freshman forward Mary Schwappach chipped in with her first career point on an assist in the closing minutes.
Notre Dame’s offensive production was more than enough for a trio of goalkeepers that combined for the victory. Sophomore Sarah Voigt was not tested in 70:51 of action before giving way to freshman Naomi Willett, who recorded one save in 15:37. Sophomore Jennifer Jasper came on with 3:32 remaining and was not called upon to make a stop.
The Fighting Irish held the upper hand in virtually all statistical categories — shots (17-3), shots on goal (7-2), and corner kicks (4-2) — while the foul count was even at 5-5.
Seton Hall goalkeeper Gina Maiorana went the distance in the Pirates’ net and made two saves, while Kaitlyn Ritter kept the visitors from being shut out with an unassisted goal in the 77th minute.
Beyond The Box Score: Seton Hall
- Prior to the Seton Hall match, Notre Dame honored its departing senior players — defender/tri-captain Jazmin Hall and midfielder Nicole Borner — with the latter earning her second career appearance, playing the final seven minutes of the first half.
- With the win, Notre Dame is 13-1 on Senior Night in the 14-year Waldrum era, with the Fighting Irish averaging 3.86 goals per match on Senior Night since Waldrum arrived on campus in 1999.
- Tucker had her second multi-goal match for Notre Dame this season, having also netted both scores in a 2-0 win at Tulsa on Aug. 24 (she has four two-goal outings in her career).
- Von Rueden had one assist in her rookie season prior to facing SHU, with her two assists tying a Fighting Irish season high (Bohaboy vs. Cincinnati on Sept. 16), and also tying an Alumni Stadium record for a Notre Dame player (set numerous times).
- Schwappach became the 15th different Fighting Irish player to notch a point this season, and the seventh member of Notre Dame’s 12-person freshman class.
- Jasper made her season debut, becoming the fourth different Fighting Irish goalkeeper (and 24th different Notre Dame player) to see action in 2012.
- The Fighting Irish improve to 18-1 all-time against Seton Hall (9-0 at home) and have won their last 15 matches against the Pirates.
Match #15 Recap: Rutgers
Freshman forward Crystal Thomas scored twice in a span of 6:04 midway through the first half, with the second score putting Notre Dame in front, but Rutgers’ Stefanie Scholz answered with the tying goal 66 seconds later and the teams wound up playing to a 2-2 double-overtime draw in BIG EAST Conference action on a soggy Oct. 7 afternoon at Alumni Stadium.
Freshman defender Brittany Von Rueden had a hand in both Fighting Irish goals, although only officially earning an assist on Thomas’ second score. Sophomore defender Sammy Scofield also was credited with an assist on the second Notre Dame goal, as the Fighting Irish stretched their current unbeaten streak to eight matches.
Notre Dame (10-3-2, 6-0-1 BIG EAST) tripled Rutgers’ output in total shots by a 27-9 margin. The Fighting Irish also held a 10-4 edge in shots on goal, along with a 14-3 advantage on corner kicks.
Sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Voigt started and made one save in the first half before giving way to freshman Elyse Hight, who also turned aside one shot while playing the entire second half and both overtime periods in the Fighting Irish net.
At the other end of the pitch, Emmy Simpkins went the distance in goal for Rutgers, making eight saves. The Scarlet Knights got on the board in the 11th minute on a goal from Shannon Woeller, before Thomas and Scholz capped the first-half fireworks.
Beyond The Box Score: Rutgers
- Notre Dame played its second overtime match of the season, having finished in a 1-1 draw at No. 18/19 Portland on Sept. 7.
- This was the first home overtime contest for the Fighting Irish women’s soccer team since it moved into its new home, Alumni Stadium, in 2009 — the last home OT match for the Notre Dame women had been Nov. 21, 2008, at old Alumni Field, when two-time Hermann Trophy recipient Kerri Hanks scored on a penalty kick at 6:54 of the first overtime to give the Fighting Irish a 1-0 win over Minnesota in the third round of the NCAA Championship (a match as well-known for the post-match celebration that included Hanks and her teammates leaping into a snowbank in front of the east grandstand).
- Thomas’ two-goal afternoon marked the second time in as many matches (and third time this season) a Notre Dame player scored twice in the same contest — junior midfielder/tri-captain Elizabeth Tucker had two markers in the 5-1 win over Seton Hall on Oct. 5, and also scored both goals in Notre Dame’s 2-0 win at Tulsa on Aug. 24.
- Thomas is the first Fighting Irish rookie with a two-goal match since Sept. 30, 2011, when current Notre Dame sophomore forward Lauren Bohaboy scored twice in a 3-0 win over Connecticut at Alumni Stadium.
- Thomas’ six shots on goal were the most by a Fighting Irish player this season, one more than Tucker’s five on frame in the win at Tulsa.
- Thomas’ nine total shots were one shy of Bohaboy’s season-best for a Notre Dame player (10 vs. East Carolina on Aug. 26).
- coming into the weekend, Von Rueden had one assist during her rookie season, but the Wisconsin native had three helpers in two matches, and also set up a fourth Fighting Irish goal (Thomas’ first vs. Rutgers, when Thomas scored on a rebound off her own missed shot, cancelling out Von Rueden’s official assist on the play).
- Scofield’s assist was her first of the season and second of her career (she had one on Oct. 2, 2011, in a 3-0 win over Providence at Alumni Stadium).
- Notre Dame tied its Alumni Stadium record with 14 corner kicks against Rutgers, with the 14 tries from the flag tying for the third-most by a Fighting Irish team in the 14-year Randy Waldrum era and most since it also had 14 corners on Oct. 8, 2010, in a 2-1 win over Seton Hall at Alumni Stadium.
- Notre Dame is 18-1-4 all-time against Rutgers (9-0-2 in South Bend), and is unbeaten in its last 13 matches against the Scarlet Knights (10-0-3), with the teams drawing for the second consecutive season (they played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer on Oct. 9, 2011, in Piscataway. N.J.).
- Rutgers’ 18 fouls and three yellow cards were the most by a Fighting Irish opponent this season, while Simpkins’ eight saves were one off the Notre Dame opponent season high set by Oakland’s Shannon Coley on Sept. 23 in a 3-0 Fighting Irish win at Alumni Stadium.
Meet The (Not So) #BabyIrish
Combine Notre Dame’s youthful roster (which includes 12 freshmen and six sophomores) and head coach Randy Waldrum’s growing fascination with Twitter and it’s no surprise that this year’s squad spent the first six weeks of the campaign with its own unique hashtag, courtesy of their coach … #BabyIrish.
Not only did the hashtag pay tribute to the median age of his team, but Waldrum also used the term to refer to the (sometimes painful) growing process that the Notre Dame squad is going through this season.
Although he knew his team had to crawl before it can walk, Waldrum insisted that he doesn’t plan to keep the hashtag for long. Thus, with Notre Dame’s recent eight-match unbeaten streak and return to the Top 25 in both major national polls (NSCAA and Soccer America), the Fighting Irish coach is more than willing to lift the social media moniker, or at least trade it in for a more adolescent version (for which he is open to suggestions through his Twitter account, @NDCoachWaldrum).
The ongoing goal of the #BabyIrish hashtag is see his charges continue developing on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to the point where they’re just the #Irish by the end of the 2012 campaign.
World (Cup) Champions
Junior midfielder/tri-captain Mandy Laddish and freshman forward/midfielder/defender Cari Roccaro now can add the label of “World Cup champion” to their respective resumes, after the Fighting Irish duo helped the United States win the 2012 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup title with a 1-0 victory over previously unbeaten (and reigning U-20 champion) Germany in the championship match on Sept. 8 in Tokyo, Japan.
Both Notre Dame players were on the pitch when the final whistle sounded, signifying the Americans’ third title since this tournament began as the FIFA Under-19 World Championship in 2002. Four-time Fighting Irish All-America forward and two-time Hermann Trophy recipient Kerri Hanks (’08) was one of the youngest members (at age 17) of that victorious 2002 U.S. side (that defeated host Canada in the final), while Lauren Fowlkes (’11) helped the United States win the 2008 U-20 Women’s World Cup in Chile, downing North Korea in the title match.
Similar to Hanks in 2002, Roccaro was the second-youngest player on this year’s American roster, but hardly showed her age, emerging as a mainstay for the United States at center back. She appeared in five of the Americans’ six matches at this year’s U-20 World Cup, starting four times and helping the U.S. to a 4-1-1 record that included three shutouts, most notably over Nigeria (2-0) and Germany (1-0) in the semifinals and championship match. The Stars & Stripes also had to battle through a 2-1 extra-time victory over North Korea in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Laddish proved to be a vital second-half substitute for the United States, coming off the bench to lend support in three matches, including the semifinal win over Nigeria and the title match victory against Germany. She becomes the second Fighting Irish player ever to earn both a U-20 Women’s World Cup title and an NCAA national championship, having joined Fowlkes as a member of the title-winning 2010 Notre Dame squad.
In addition to Laddish, Roccaro, Hanks and Fowlkes, the Fighting Irish have been represented at two other U-20 Women’s World Cups. In 2004, Hanks deferred her enrollment at Notre Dame to help the United States to a third-place finish in Thailand, scoring the opening goal in the third-place match. Two years later, a pair of future Notre Dame All-Americans, midfielder/forward Brittany Bock (’09) and defender Carrie Dew (’09), donned the Stars & Stripes for the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship (as it was then called) in Russia, where the United States finished fourth after scoreless ties in both the semifinal against China and the third-place game against Brazil (both went against the U.S. on penalty kicks by identical 6-5 scores).
The 2-0 Guarantee
Notre Dame is 340-0-1 all-time when claiming a 2-0 lead and has won its last 317 contests when going ahead 2-0 (since a 3-3 draw with Vanderbilt on Sept. 15, 1991, in Cincinnati).
In fact, just two of the past 229 Fighting Irish opponents to face a 2-0 deficit have forced a draw, something achieved by four opponents in Notre Dame history: Duke on Oct. 17, 1993, in Houston (ND won 3-2), Connecticut on Nov. 10, 1996, in the BIG EAST final at old Alumni Field (ND led 2-0, later tied 2-2 and 3-3, ND won 4-3), Duke on Nov. 30, 2007, in the NCAA quarterfinals at old Alumni Field (ND won 3-2), and most recently, Villanova on Oct. 12, 2008 in Villanova, Pa. (ND won 3-2 in OT).
Three … Is The Magic Number
Scoring three goals has meant virtually an automatic win in Notre Dame women’s soccer history, with a 308-3-1 (.989) record in those games, including a 210-1-0 (.995) mark since Oct. 6, 1995.
Golden Domers Golden In OT
Overtime has usually been the right time for Notre Dame, as the Fighting Irish are 20-6-16 (.667) all-time in the Randy Waldrum era (since 1999) when going to an extra period or two. Notre Dame also is unbeaten in 14 of its last 17 overtime contests, including a pair of double-overtime draws this season (1-1 at No. 19/18 Portland on Sept. 7; 2-2 at home vs. Rutgers on Oct. 7).
Last year, the Fighting Irish tied a pair of school records by going to extra time on five occasions (also in 2001 and 2007) and registering three draws (also in 1991 and 2001).
No current Notre Dame player has scored a “golden goal” in her college career. Jessica Schuveiller netted the most recent overtime matchwinner for the Fighting Irish on Nov. 6, 2009, heading home a cross from Rose Augustin at 98:42 to beat St. John’s in the BIG EAST semifinals at Storrs, Conn.
Any Given Sunday
Notre Dame is unbeaten in 30 of its last 35 matches on Sunday (25-5-5), including a 17-match unbeaten streak that was snapped with a 2-0 loss to Connecticut in the BIG EAST Championship quarterfinals on Oct. 31, 2010.
Still, the Fighting Irish own a 44-7-6 (.825) record in their last 57 contests when closing out the weekend (usually on the back end of a two-match set), dating back to September 2007 (when Notre Dame lost three consecutive Sunday matches to nationally-ranked Stanford, Oklahoma State and Penn State, all by 2-1 scores and the first two in overtime).
Our Fearless Leader
Now in his 14th season at Notre Dame, head coach Randy Waldrum ranks fourth on the NCAA Division I career winning percentage list (second among active coaches) with a .780 (380-97-28) mark in his 23 years in the women’s game. Waldrum ranks fifth on the all-time NCAA Division I wins list, having earned his 375th career victory on Sept. 16 vs. Cincinnati at Alumni Stadium, and he recently coached the 500th match of his women’s soccer career (a 2-1 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 21 at Alumni Stadium).
A two-time National Coach of the Year (2009 by Soccer America, 2010 by NSCAA), Waldrum has led Notre Dame to eight NCAA College Cups, five NCAA finals and two national championships (2004 and 2010). He also is second in NCAA Division I history with eight College Cup appearances and five title-match berths in his storied career.
Oh Captain, My Captain
The 2012 Notre Dame squad is being led by a trio of first-time captains, as senior defender Jazmin Hall, and junior midfielders Mandy Laddish and Elizabeth Tucker were selected via a preseason vote of their teammates.
Coming Soon: Irish in the ACC
The University of Notre Dame announced Sept. 12 that it has accepted an offer of admission into the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for all sports except football (the league does not offer championships in ice hockey or fencing).
The change in conference affiliation (for which a timetable has not yet been established) will be the first for Notre Dame since 1995, when the Fighting Irish moved from the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now the Horizon League) to the BIG EAST Conference.
In its 18 seasons in the BIG EAST, the Notre Dame women’s soccer program has been the conference’s flagship, winning 13 regular-season titles and 11 postseason crowns, along with three NCAA national championships. The Fighting Irish also currently hold a 144-10-9 (.911) regular-season conference record since joining the BIG EAST in 1995.
Next Up: DePaul
Notre Dame wraps up the 2012 regular season at 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET Oct. 19 when it heads to Chicago for a BIG EAST Conference match with DePaul at Wish Field.
The Blue Demons (8-7-1, 3-4-0) are currently in fifth place in the BIG EAST’s National Division at 1.29 points/match, edging past Rutgers (0.88) for the final conference tournament spot in the division. DePaul will be on the same Mid-Atlantic road trip as Notre Dame this weekend, visiting Villanova on Friday afternoon before heading to Georgetown for a Sunday matinee.
The Fighting Irish are 7-0-0 all-time against DePaul, including a 3-0-0 record on the road.
— ND —