Oct. 21, 2010
Full Notes Package in PDF Format
2010 ND Women’s Soccer — Matches 17-18
#4/5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (14-1-1 / 8-0-1 BIG EAST)
vs. Villanova Wildcats (6-11-0 / 1-8-0 BIG EAST)
DATE: October 22, 2010
TIME: 3:00 p.m. ET
AT: Villanova, Pa. – VU Soccer Stadium (1,000)
SERIES: ND leads 16-1-0
1ST MTG: ND 2-0 (10/19/95)
LAST MTG: ND 2-0 (10/23/09)
WEBCAST: villanova.com (live)
STATS: UND.com (live)
TWITTER: @NDsoccernews
vs. Georgetown Hoyas (12-5-0 / 6-3-0 BIG EAST)
DATE: October 24, 2010
TIME: 1:00 p.m. ET
AT: Washington, D.C. – North Kehoe Field (2,000)
SERIES: ND leads 16-1-0
1ST MTG: ND 10-0 (10/22/95)
LAST MTG: ND 2-0 (10/25/09)
WEBCAST: guhoyas.com (live)
STATS: UND.com (live)
TWITTER: @NDsoccernews
Storylines
- Four of the past five times Notre Dame has visited Villanova, the result has been a one-goal margin (three wins, one loss).
- Notre Dame and Georgetown are the BIG EAST’s top two offensive teams, with the Hoyas having a conference-high 40 goals and the Fighting Irish scoring a league-best 2.38 goals/match.
No. 4/5 Irish Close Out Regular Season This Weekend
With the BIG EAST Conference Championship set to kick off next week, No. 4/5 Notre Dame knows now is not the time to lose momentum, as the Fighting Irish look to close out the regular season on a high note this weekend during visits to Villanova (3 p.m. ET Friday) and Georgetown (1 p.m. ET Sunday).
Notre Dame (14-1-1, 8-0-1 BIG EAST) secured its sixth consecutive National Division title last Sunday with a 3-1 win at Providence, bouncing back from a 1-1 draw at Connecticut two nights earlier. Senior forward/midfielder Rose Augustin led the Fighting Irish with a goal and an assist in the second half of the clinching victory at Providence, while junior forward Melissa Henderson netted her team-high 13th goal of the season at Connecticut.
Rankings
- Notre Dame is No. 4 in the latest NSCAA poll and No. 5 in the new Soccer America poll.
- Villanova is not ranked.
- Georgetown is earning votes in the NSCAA poll.
A Quick Look At The Fighting Irish
For the 13th time in its 16-year BIG EAST affiliation, Notre Dame (14-1-1, 8-0-1) has clinched a conference regular-season title, earning the National Division crown for the sixth time last weekend with its 3-1 win at Providence.
The Fighting Irish secured that title thanks to a recent offensive resurgence that has seen Notre Dame score at least two goals in nine of its last 10 matches, including three-goal outbursts in six of the past eight contests. As such, the Fighting Irish remain steady at No. 4 in the NSCAA poll and No. 5 in the Soccer America poll, while also standing fourth in the latest NCAA RPI rankings released Tuesday.
Junior forward Melissa Henderson (13G-7A) has been the lighter fluid for the Fighting Irish offensive firepower of late, racking up 21 points (nine goals, three assists) in her last seven matches and leading the BIG EAST in most offensive categories. Senior forward/midfielder Rose Augustin is having her own career year with nine goals (plus seven assists) and 25 points, having just become the 26th member of Notre Dame’s career 20G-20A club (she now has 27G-20A in her tenure).
On the defensive side, Notre Dame continues to be one of the nation’s best, ranking 13th in the land in goals-against average (0.55), while allowing only nine goals all year (two on own-goals). Co-captains/center backs Lauren Fowlkes and Jessica Schuveiller have teamed with goalkeeper Nikki Weiss to form the core of the Fighting Irish defense, with Weiss having allowed just six goals in 16 BIG EAST regular-season matches since she took over as the full-time starter more than a year ago.
Scouting Villanova
It’s been a challenging month for Villanova (6-11, 1-8), as the Wildcats have dropped six consecutive matches after building a winning record through the first six weeks of the season. The highlight of that early stretch was a 3-2 win over No. 16/19 Wake Forest at Virginia Tech’s tournament in Blacksburg, Va.
Magnifying VU’s troubles of late has been the fact they all have come during BIG EAST play. Villanova is coming off an especially difficult road trip to West Virginia and Pittsburgh last weekend, falling 4-3 in double overtime on Oct. 15 at WVU (after twice taking two-goal leads in the match) and then succumbing to Pitt, 3-0 two days later.
Despite their ups-and-downs this season, the Wildcats have a formidable offensive unit led by the one-two punch of junior forward and 2009 second-team all-BIG EAST choice Katie Ryan (8G-7A), and sophomore forward and reigning BIG EAST Rookie of the Year Heidi Sabatura (7G-8A). Freshman Jami Kranich has been VU’s primary starter in goal, posting a 6-9 record with a 2.08 goals-against average and two shutouts.
Head coach John Byford is winding down his third season at Villanova, where he has compiled a 28-24-6 (.534) record. He has a nine-year college coaching mark of 76-63-14 (.542), with an 0-3 record against Notre Dame (all while at VU).
The Notre Dame-Villanova Series
Friday will mark the 18th time Notre Dame and Villanova have met on the soccer pitch, with the Fighting Irish holding a 16-1 series lead over the Wildcats, including a 6-1 mark on the VU campus. Notre Dame also has won the past seven contests in the series.
In their most recent meeting on Oct. 23, 2009, at Alumni Stadium, the Fighting Irish earned a rainy 2-0 victory over the Wildcats thanks to second-half goals from Melissa Henderson (who came on as a late first-half substitute in her first outing following a two-match injury absence) and Erica Iantorno.
The last time the two sides played at Villanova on Oct. 12, 2008, Notre Dame pulled out a 3-2 overtime victory on Rose Augustin’s 97th-minute strike. The Fighting Irish led 2-0 after goals by Brittany Bock and Kerri Hanks in the first eight minutes, but the Wildcats rallied with a pair of second-half tallies off corner kick scrambles, the equalizer coming with 8:12 left in regulation to set up Augustin’s heroics in the extra session. It was the fourth one-goal result in the past five series matchups at VU.
Scouting Georgetown
Receiving votes in this week’s NSCAA poll, Georgetown (12-5, 6-3) comes into this weekend with a sense of purpose as the Hoyas look to nail down not only the No. 2 spot in the BIG EAST’s National Division heading into the conference tournament, but also erase any doubts about their viability as a prime contender for a berth in this year’s NCAA Championship.
GU, which can take care of the first part of the aforementioned equation with a positive result (win/tie) on Friday against visiting DePaul, is one of the BIG EAST’s most explosive offensive squads with a conference-high 40 goals to its credit this season. However, the Hoyas are aiming to bounce back from a split last weekend at Pittsburgh and West Virginia, defeating the Panthers, 1-0, but then falling at WVU, 3-0. Freshman defender Kailey Blain netted the lone goal in the victory at Pitt.
Redshirt junior midfielder Ingrid Wells, a veteran of the U.S. Under-20 and Under-23 national team programs, ignites the Georgetown offense with 24 points this season (7G-10A), leading the conference in assists and ranking third in points. Junior forward Camille Trujillo has a team-high nine goals this year, while Blain is second on the squad with six assists.
Senior goalkeeper Jackie Desjardin continues to be a force between the pipes for Georgetown, having started every match while compiling an 11-5 record with a 0.84 GAA and six shutouts.
Head coach Dave Nolan is in his seventh season with the Hoyas, owning a 77-49-11 (.602) record, including an 0-8 all-time mark against Notre Dame.
The Notre Dame-Georgetown Series
The Fighting Irish and Hoyas will duel for the 18th time on Sunday afternoon, with Notre Dame maintaining a 16-1 series lead on Georgetown, including a 6-1 record in Washington, D.C. The Fighting Irish also have an active nine-match winning streak in the series.
In their most recent meeting on Oct. 25, 2009, at Alumni Stadium, Notre Dame logged a 2-0 Senior Day victory on goals by Taylor Knaack and Lauren Fowlkes.
The last time they played in our nation’s capital, the Fighting Irish downed the Hoyas, 3-1, on Oct. 10, 2008, getting a goal and an assist each from Courtney Barg and Kerri Hanks, as well as the game-winning goal in the 18th minute from Melissa Henderson, coming just 1:29 after GU had tied the match. Barg then iced the win with her score one tick past the 50-minute mark.
Match #16 Recap: Providence
Seniors Lauren Fowlkes and Rose Augustin scored 8:09 apart early in the second half as No. 4/5 Notre Dame knocked off Providence, 3-1 in BIG EAST Conference action on Oct. 17 at Glay Field in Providence, R.I.
The Fighting Irish win, coupled with Georgetown’s simultaneous 3-0 loss at West Virginia, clinched Notre Dame’s sixth consecutive BIG EAST National Division title and its 13th conference regular-season crown (division or overall) since joining the BIG EAST in 1995-96.
Freshman midfielder Elizabeth Tucker added a goal, while freshman forward Adriana Leon and junior midfielder Courtney Barg chipped in with assists for the Fighting Irish.
The win not only locked up the division championship, but it also lengthened Notre Dame’s NCAA Division I-record unbeaten streak against BIG EAST opponents to 75 consecutive matches (71-0-4). In addition, it was the 80th career win for the current Fighting Irish senior class.
Notre Dame (14-1-1, 8-0-1 BIG EAST) outshot Providence, 15-12 for the match, along with a 7-6 edge in shots on goal — in the second half, the Fighting Irish outshot PC, 9-5, including a 5-2 edge in shots on goal. The Friars took the advantage on corner kicks, 8-6, although Notre Dame attempted four of the five tries from the flag in the final 45 minutes.
Senior goalkeeper Nikki Weiss registered five saves in the Fighting Irish net, including three high-quality stops in the first half, to earn her 14th win of the season, tying her career high set last year. Providence goalkeeper Jill Schott turned aside four shots for the hosts.
Match #15 Recap: Connecticut
Junior forward Melissa Henderson scored her team-high 13th goal of the season in the 78th minute to put No. 4/5 Notre Dame in front, but Connecticut got a late equalizer in regulation and the teams wound up finishing with a 1-1 draw in BIG EAST Conference action on a cold and rainy Oct. 15 night at Morrone Stadium in Storrs, Conn.
Senior forward/midfielder Erica Iantorno set up Henderson’s go-ahead score, which looked as though it would stand up as the winner before the Huskies netted the tying goal on Linda Ruutu’s free kick with 2:35 left. Still, the draw extends Notre Dame’s NCAA Division I-record unbeaten streak against BIG EAST opponents to 74 consecutive matches (70-0-4), also the fourth-longest unbeaten conference run across all divisions in NCAA history.
The Fighting Irish outshot Connecticut, 21-12 in the match, with each side recording seven shots on goal. Notre Dame also held a distinct advantage from the corner flag with an 8-1 corner kick edge.
Playing in her home state for possibly the final time as a collegian, senior goalkeeper Nikki Weiss registered six saves in the Fighting Irish net. Her UConn counterpart, Jessica Dulski, also came up with six stops, including three point-blank saves against Henderson in the second half.
Mel-Rose Place
No signs of Billy, Jane, Michael or Sydney, but so far this season, Notre Dame has taken on the look of Mel-Rose Place. Specifically, the offensive duo of junior forward Melissa Henderson and senior forward Rose Augustin have combined for more than half (22) of the 38 Fighting Irish goals and 58 of 107 points through 14 matches this season.
Henderson A Trend Setter
If you’re looking to spot a trend in Notre Dame’s success during the past three seasons, look no further than junior forward Melissa Henderson. Since the Garland, Texas, native arrived in South Bend, she has scored 48 goals (third-most among active Division I players, and tied for 11th in school history) and added 14 assists, good for 110 career points (17th in school history).
This season, Henderson is once again among the national offensive leaders, ranking fourth nationally in points (33) and seventh in goals (13), including nine scores in her last seven matches. She also has distributed a career-high seven assists in 2010, matching her combined total from her first two seasons at Notre Dame.
These markers have been particularly valuable to Fighting Irish fortunes. In fact, during Henderson’s career, Notre Dame is 32-0-1 when she scores a goal, something she’s done in 10 matches this year, including six of the past seven outings. The Fighting Irish also are 39-0-1 all-time when Henderson tallies a point, which she has done in 13 matches this year and 20 of the past 26 contests, dating back to last season.
Quickstrike Offense, Part I
Junior forward Melissa Henderson and senior forward Rose Augustin scored 47 seconds apart (at 23:51 and 24:38) midway through the first half of the Sept. 5 win over Texas Tech at Alumni Stadium. It was the fastest two-goal flurry for Notre Dame since Sept. 28, 2008, at Cincinnati, when Henderson scored 33 seconds after Courtney Rosen found the back of the net.
Quickstrike Offense, Part II
Junior forward Melissa Henderson’s goal just 1:11 in Notre Dame’s win at Loyola Marymount on Sept. 12 was the fastest opening tally by the Fighting Irish since Dec. 7, 2008, when Kerri Hanks scored only 16 seconds into the NCAA national championship match against North Carolina in Cary, N.C. (setting an NCAA College Cup record in the process).
Henderson’s goal against LMU also was the sixth-fastest opening score in the 12-year Randy Waldrum era (1999-present).
Getting The Jump On The Opposition
In nine matches this season (including seven of the past nine matches), Notre Dame has scored the opening goal inside the first 15 minutes of play.
In addition, the Fighting Irish have scored within the opening 30 minutes in 12 of their last 14 matches, after waiting until the second half to find the back of the net in their first two contests of the year.
Lead, Follow Or Get Out Of The Way
With the potency of the Notre Dame offensive attack, most opponents have chosen the third option. In fact, the Fighting Irish have led or been tied for 1,438:56 of 1,464:02 minutes this season (98.3% of the elapsed game time). The only time Notre Dame has trailed this season was for a grand total of 25:06 (19:09-44:15) at No. 13 UCLA on Sept. 10.
Department of Defense
Notre Dame opened this season with four consecutive shutouts, marking the second time in three years (but just the third time in school history) that the Fighting Irish have started with four clean sheets. The other instances occurred in 1995 (eight in a row) and 2008 (four in a row).
This season, Notre Dame has allowed just nine goals (two of which were own-goals) and ranks among the top 20 in the nation in both goals-against average (13th – 0.55) and shutout percentage (18th – 0.56/match).
In fact, the Fighting Irish have taken nearly as many shots on goal (135) this season as their opponents have total shots (136).
Looking at the larger picture, Notre Dame has allowed 0-1 goals in 29 of its last 31 matches, dating back to Oct. 4, 2009, at Pittsburgh. Prior to a 2-1 overtime loss at 13th-ranked UCLA on Sept. 10, the Fighting Irish had a 19-match streak of allowing one goal or fewer, the fifth-longest streak in school history and their longest since Oct. 25, 2002-Oct. 26, 2003, when the Fighting Irish yielded a goal or fewer in 24 consecutive matches.
During this current 31-match defensive run (which coincided with the installation of senior Nikki Weiss as Notre Dame’s full-time starting goalkeeper), the Fighting Irish are 27-2-2 with 19 shutouts (13 solo and six shared by Weiss), a 76-16 scoring margin and a 0.51 goals-against average (GAA).
In the program’s 23-year history, Notre Dame is 403-10-16 (.958) when holding the opposition to 0-1 goals.
ND Seniors Among Nation’s Best
The 2010 Notre Dame senior class currently joins its North Carolina counterpart as the most successful group in the country on the basis of total victories, with a four-year record to date of 80-11-4 (.863) that includes three consecutive trips to the NCAA College Cup and an appearance in the 2008 national title match.
The .863 winning percentage compiled by the Fighting Irish seniors is fourth-best on the national scene.
And Juniors Aren’t Half Bad Either
Like their senior teammates, the Fighting Irish juniors share the national lead with North Carolina in total wins by the Class of 2011, with a three-year record to date of 61-6-2 (.899), including two trips to the NCAA College Cup and a berth in the 2008 title match. The Notre Dame junior class also currently ranks fourth in the nation with a .899 winning percentage.
That record could be even more impressive when one considers that three of those six losses occurred in a nine-day span (Sept. 4-13) last season. The only other losses were late-game one-goal setbacks to North Carolina in the past two College Cups (2-1 in the ’08 final, 1-0 in the ’09 semifinals) and earlier this season at 13th-ranked UCLA (2-1 in OT on Sept. 10), along with a 0-0 draw at Pittsburgh last year (a match in which Notre Dame outshot the Panthers, 25-7) and a 1-1 draw at Connecticut on Oct. 15 of this year (after the Huskies tied the match with 2:35 left in regulation).
Fresh-Faced Contributors
Part of Notre Dame’s success this season can be traced to the poised and rapidly maturing play of its freshmen, four of whom are now among the starting XI for the Fighting Irish.
Midfielders Mandy Laddish and Elizabeth Tucker wasted little time in getting their feet wet at the college level, having earned starting nods in virtually every match this season (Laddish all 16, Tucker 15). Laddish ranks third on the team in total minutes (1,371) by a field player, while Tucker (a two-time BIG EAST Rookie of the Week selection) is third on the team with seven goals, three assists and 17 points, while standing second on the team with four game-winning goals (all of those marks are among the top 10 in the BIG EAST). Tucker also leads all BIG EAST freshmen in virtually every offensive category during conference play, having tallied five goals (three of them game-winners), three assists and 13 points.
On Sept. 12 at Loyola Marymount, defender Kecia Morway became the third rookie in the starting lineup, while forward Adriana Leon got her first starting nod on Oct. 1 vs. Syracuse, with Leon potting her first career goal on Sept. 24 against Cincinnati.
One other Notre Dame freshman note: during the final 10 minutes of the first half at Northwestern on Sept. 19, the Fighting Irish had five freshmen on the pitch at the same time, as starters Laddish, Tucker and Morway were joined by Leon and midfielder Rebecca Twining, the latter of whom was making her college debut.
Sunday School
Notre Dame is unbeaten in its last 16 matches on Sunday (15-0-1) and owns a 34-2-2 (.921) record in the past 38 contests when closing out the weekend, dating back to September 2007 (when the Fighting Irish 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).
Irish Thinking Pink In October
Following the success of this past spring’s jersey auction at the Mexico exhibition match to benefit Camp Whatcha-Wanna-Do (which raised nearly $3,000 for the Fort Wayne camp for children with cancer), the Notre Dame women’s soccer team once again gave fans the shirts off their backs.
During its home matches against Seton Hall and Rutgers on the weekend of Oct. 8-10, the Fighting Irish wore special white/pink uniforms to support Kicks Against Breast Cancer, a national soccer initiative to raise funds for breast cancer research. From Sept. 24-Oct. 11, fans had the opportunity to bid on these autographed, game-worn jerseys by going to the official Notre Dame athletics auction web site at www.UND.com/auctions.
Proceeds from this auction (which topped $5,000) will go directly to Kicks Against Breast Cancer. For more information on this worthwhile cause, visit www.kicksagainstbreastcancer.org.
We Love The New Digs
Alumni Stadium is quickly earning a reputation as not only one of the nation’s finest college facilities, but also a truly intimidating place for visiting teams. In fact, following Notre Dame’s loss to top-ranked North Carolina in its first match at the new stadium (Sept. 4, 2009), the Fighting Irish have reeled off 23 consecutive victories, outscoring their opponents, 62-6 in that span while recording 18 shutouts.
Beasts Of The BIG EAST
With a 3-1 win at Providence on Oct. 17, Notre Dame now owns an NCAA Division I-record 75-match unbeaten streak (71-0-4) against BIG EAST opposition, dating back to a 4-1 loss at No. 15 Marquette on Sept. 30, 2005. In that time, the only ties were a pair at Connecticut (scoreless on Oct. 13, 2006; 1-1 on Oct. 15, 2010), another scoreless draw at Pittsburgh (Oct. 4, 2009), and a 1-1 deadlock at No. 12 West Virginia in the 2007 BIG EAST final (won by the Mountaineers on penalties, 5-3, but the result is recorded as a tie).
Not only is Notre Dame’s current conference unbeaten streak an ongoing NCAA Division I record, but it also is threatening some other marks in other NCAA divisions. The present Fighting Irish string is the fourth-longest in NCAA history across all divisions, with Notre Dame having eclipsed Division II record holder Metro State (Colo.) and its 71-match unbeaten run on Oct. 8 with a 2-1 victory over Seton Hall at Alumni Stadium (the other four members of the top five in this all-time category are Division III schools).
Division III Hardin-Simmons University (Texas) is the current all-division record holder with a 109-match unbeaten streak against conference opponents, dating back to 2003 (the Cowgirls also have an active 128-match unbeaten run in regular season league play).
Since joining the BIG EAST 15 years ago, the Fighting Irish are 142-8-6 (.929) all-time in regular-season conference matches, 35-2-1 (.934) in the BIG EAST Championship, and hold a 740-91 scoring edge dating back to that first league season in 1995.
What’s more, Notre Dame maintains a 15-year, 99-match home unbeaten streak (98-0-1) against BIG EAST teams, with Connecticut the lone conference team ever to defeat the Fighting Irish at home (5-4 in overtime on Oct. 6, 1995, at old Alumni Field). The only result separating Notre Dame from a 99-match conference home winning streak has been a 0-0 draw with Rutgers on Oct. 22, 2004, also at old Alumni Field.
Our Fearless Leader
Now in his 12th season at Notre Dame, head coach Randy Waldrum ranks fourth on the NCAA Division I all-time winning percentage list with a .791 (353-85-22) mark in his 21 years in the women’s game. He also is fourth among active coaches for career winning percentage, while his 353 career wins rank fifth on the all-time NCAA Division I charts — Waldrum earned his 350th career victory on Oct. 3 vs. St. John’s at Alumni Stadium.
A two-time National Coach of the Year (2008 by the NSCAA, 2009 by Soccer America), Waldrum has led Notre Dame to seven NCAA College Cups, four NCAA finals and the 2004 national championship. He is second in NCAA Division I history with seven College Cup appearances and four title-game berths in his storied career.
The 2-0 Guarantee
Notre Dame is 324-0-1 all-time when claiming a 2-0 lead and is unbeaten in its past 301 contests when going ahead 2-0 (dating back to a 3-3 tie with Vanderbilt on Sept. 15, 1991, in Cincinnati).
In fact, just two of the past 213 Fighting Irish opponents to face a 2-0 deficit have forced a tie, something achieved by four opponents in Notre Dame history: Duke on Oct. 17, 1993, in Houston (Irish 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 (Irish 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 293-3-1 (.988) record in those games, including a 195-1-0 (.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 20-4-10 (.735) all-time in the Randy Waldrum era (since 1999) when going to an extra period or two, with the Sept. 10 loss at 13th-ranked UCLA snapping a seven-game unbeaten streak (5-0-2) in added time, dating back to the 2007 season.
Last year, Notre Dame went to overtime on three occasions, defeating West Virginia (3-2 on Oct. 2) and St. John’s (2-1 on Nov. 6 in the BIG EAST semifinal in Storrs, Conn.) and ending in a scoreless draw at Pittsburgh (Oct. 4).
Three current Fighting Irish players have scored “golden goals” in their college careers — senior forward/midfielder Rose Augustin (Oct. 12, 2008 at Villanova), junior forward Melissa Henderson (Nov. 9, 2008 vs. Connecticut in BIG EAST final) and junior defender Jessica Schuveiller (Nov. 6, 2009 vs. St. John’s in BIG EAST semifinal).
Captains’ Choice
Senior defender/midfielder Lauren Fowlkes and junior defender Jessica Schuveiller have been selected to serve as Notre Dame’s captains this year, according to a preseason vote of their teammates. Fowlkes is in her first season as a team captain, while Schuveiller is a second-year captain after becoming the first non-senior to wear the armband for the Fighting Irish since Amy Warner in 2002.
New Ways To Follow The Fighting Irish
The Notre Dame women’s soccer program has expanded its reach this season through a number of media outlets. Most notably, the Fighting Irish have created three Twitter accounts for fans to follow the team on a daily basis — one is operated by head coach Randy Waldrum (@NDCoachWaldrum), a second by assistant coach Ken Nuber (@NDSoccer) and a third by associate media relations director Chris Masters (@NDsoccernews).
In addition, the official Notre Dame athletics web site (www.UND.com) is featuring live in-game blogs for all Fighting Irish home matches this season, allowing fans to ask questions, make comments and share in the excitement of Notre Dame women’s soccer right from their own computers.
These blogs, along with live in-game stats (courtesy of the CBSSports.com College Gametracker) and other special features, are available through the UND.com Women’s Soccer Gameday Central page, which is posted on-line within 24 hours of each home contest.
ND Supporters Group Debuts In 2010
Fans are encouraged to be a part of the new Notre Dame soccer supporters’ group, The Rakes of Mallow. This student-based organization is attending all Fighting Irish home games this year and aims to create a special home pitch atmosphere unlike any in college soccer. To learn more, visit The Rakes of Mallow web site (www.rakesofmallow.net).
Next Up: BIG EAST Quarterfinal
Notre Dame has earned a bye through the first round of the BIG EAST Championship and thus will kick off the conference tournament with a home quarterfinal match at 1 p.m. (ET) on Oct. 31 at Alumni Stadium. The Fighting Irish will take on the winner of the first-round match between the No. 4 seed in the American Division (currently South Florida, which loses a third-place tiebreak with Connecticut based on the Huskies’ 3-0 win over USF on Oct. 10 in Storrs) and the No. 5 seed in the National Division (presently Louisville).
Notre Dame is 35-2-1 (.934) all-time in the BIG EAST Championship and is the two-time defending conference tournament champion, having won 11 BIG EAST postseason titles since joining the conference in 1995. The Fighting Irish also are 17-0 all-time at home in the BIG EAST Championship, having outscored their opponents, 63-4 in those matches.
— ND —