Sept. 14, 2004
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#14/5 Notre Dame at #1/1 Indiana, Wednesday, Sept. 15, 7:00 p.m.
Notre Dame and Indiana continue their series on national television Wednesday evening:
The University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team will face its top test of the 2004 campaign on Wednesday, Sept. 15, when the Irish head to Bloomington, Ind., to take on #1 Indiana – the defending National Champion.
Notre Dame and Indiana have been meeting on a regular basis since both programs began in the 1970s. The first meeting occurred in 1978, a 7-1 victory for the Hoosiers. Indiana soon rattled off nine straight victories until the 1987 Notre Dame team broke through for a 4-3 victory in overtime at Alumni Field.
Indiana dominated the series for another nine straight seasons, but Bobby Clark arrived at Notre Dame in 2001 and immediately stopped the win streak with a 1-0 victory in Bloomington. Indiana eliminated Notre Dame from the NCAA Championship the next season, sending the Irish home with a 1-0 victory.
The 1-0 theme continued last season when the Irish defeated Indiana 1-0 in the first overtime at Alumni Field.
Irish – Hoosiers matchup will be live on CSTV and shown locally in the South Bend market:
Notre Dame and Indiana meet on Wednesday in one of the premier early-season matchups of the 2004 season. CSTV: College Sports Television will be covering the game live and WHME Channel 46 (channel 11 on Comcast) will pick up the feed live as well.
CSTV: College Sports Television, the first 24-hour college sports network, televises more college sports than any other network. There are 30 different men’s and women’s college sports televised including both regular season and championship events. CSTV is #1 in college sports.
CSTV is available on Comcast, Time Warner, Adelphia and Insight cable systems, among others, and is also available on DirecTV (channel 610).
The last time…
Notre Dame visited Bloomington, Ind., was the NCAA Championship second round matchup in 2002. Brian Plotkin, then a freshman for Indiana, scored at 51:03 (his first career goal) to end Notre Dame’s season. The Irish were forced to play a man down for the final 27 minutes after a red card was issued to Justin Ratcliffe on a hard tackle.
The last time the two teams met in regular-season play was in 2001 when Erich Braun’s goal four minutes into the second half provided the Irish with a 1-0 upset victory over #6 Indiana. That victory was the first ever for Notre Dame in Bloomington.
Notre Dame vs. #1:
Notre Dame enters Wednesday’s match against #1 Indiana having faced the nation’s top-ranked team just three times previously in the program’s history. Two of those meetings came vs. Indiana (0-2 loss in 1994, 0-4 loss in 1997) with the other coming vs. Connecticut in 1998 (0-2 loss).
Notre Dame’s highest ranked victory came in 1996, when the Irish defeated #2 UNC Greensboro in the first round of the NCAA Championship.
What you need to know about Notre Dame this weekend:
• Notre Dame (3-0-1) is off to its best start since 1998, when the Irish defeated Valparaiso, Syracuse and Northwestern before a 2-2 tie against Pittsburgh.
• Notre Dame and Indiana have already witnessed each other play four games this season. The Irish participated in the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic for the second year in a row on Sept. 3 and 5, while the Hoosiers were part of the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament for the second consecutive year last weekend. IU claimed the tournament title by defeating CS Fullerton and Evansville.
• Players to watch for Notre Dame: All-America candidates GK Chris Sawyer and D Jack Stewart have also been named to the 2004 Hermann Trophy watch list.
A crazy 3:02:
The Notre Dame – Evansville match on Friday, Sept. 10, had a normal 2-1 final score, but the method both teams used to compile that score was highly unusual. The Irish out shot the Purple Aces 36-4 in the contest and posted several solid scoring chances but did not break through for a goal until 87:58 when Christopher High headed in a cross from John Stephens. Just 1:09 later Justin McGeeney got behind the Evansville defense for what looked like an insurance goal.
The pesky Purple Aces would not go quietly, however, and scored 34 second later when the Irish failed to clear a ball in the 18-yard box.
In the end, the teams combined for three goals in the last 3:02.
Indiana team overview and series history:
The Hoosiers are 4-0-0 on the young season, winning their first two tournaments of the year (at home and at Notre Dame last weekend) … MF Brian Plotkin is the player to keep an eye on for Indiana, scoring two goals and dishing out three assists so far in 2004 … Indiana has posted 98 shots so far this season compared to just 22 for its opponents … MF Jacob Peterson and MF Drew Moore also have two goals for the Hoosiers.
Irish poll watch:
Notre Dame debuted in both the adidas/NSCAA and Soccer America polls at #9. The ninth-ranking was the highest preseason ranking for Notre Dame men’s soccer in the adidas/NSCAA poll (the Irish were ranked third in the preseason last year by Soccer America).
This week, the Irish slipped to 14th in the adidas NSCAA ranking (which is determined by regional ranking as well, Michigan moved ahead of Notre Dame in the Great Lakes Region – therefore the Wolverines had to be ranked above the Irish in the national poll), but remained steady at fifth in the Soccer America top 25.
Two other national polls have been updated as well, with the Irish #5 in the SoccerTimes.com Top 25 and #17 in the College Soccer News.com listing.
Notre Dame reached as high as third in both the adidas/NSCAA and Soccer America polls last season – the highest ranking in the program’s history.
Two Irish players earn Soccer America honors:
Notre Dame’s strong start to the 2004 season has been noticed by one of the nation’s top soccer publications. Soccer America named senior Kevin Goldthwaite (currently sidelined with an injury) to its preseason All-America team. Soccer America also named senior Jack Stewart to its Team of the Week on Thursday, Sept. 9.
Goldthwaite injured his knee in practice before Notre Dame’s first regular season contests. He expected back in the lineup sometime in the next two weeks. Stewart scored two goals during Notre Dame’s first weekend of competition, helping the Irish win their first two games of the season since 1999.
Snapshot of the Irish:
On paper, the Irish will be challenged to replace 35 of 38 goals scored last season. On the field, Notre Dame will boast a quick and talented midfield, a strong defense and one of the best goalkeepers in the nation for the 2004 season.
The Irish attack will be keyed by an athletic midfield, featuring three sophomores in Greg Dalby, Nate Norman (1 G, 1 A) and Ian Etherington and senior Luke Boughen. All four have the ability to move up and score goals, while also setting up forwards Justin McGeeney (2 G, 17 shots in `04) and Tony Megna (12 shots).
The defense will be a strength across the board with All-American Jack Stewart (2 G) and junior Dale Rellas (who missed the `03 season after starting each game as a rookie) in the middle. Ryan Miller will step in at rightback, while Kevin Goldthwaite will patrol the left side. Goldthwaite, one of the best in the country at his position, will miss a few games at the beginning of the season after suffering an injury in practice. Junior Ben Crouse has stepped in and played very well in Goldthwaite’s left back position.
Behind Notre Dame’s talented defense is GK Chris Sawyer (nine saves, two shutouts), the BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year and one of the most talented goal stops in the nation.
Sawyer and Stewart named to the 2004 Hermann Trophy watch list:
Two Notre Dame men’s soccer players have been named to the 2004 Hermann Trophy Watch List, the most prestigious honor in intercollegiate soccer. Senior goalkeeper Chris Sawyer and senior central defender Jack Stewart joined 23 other players from across the country to be considered among the top talents in the nation and ones to watch for outstanding play during the ’04 season.
Sawyer and Stewart were two of four BIG EAST Conference players on the list, joining St. John’s Matt Groenwald and Boston College’s Guy Melamed. With two players on the watch list, Notre Dame joins defending national champion Indiana, North Carolina and UCLA as the only four teams in the nation to have two players on the Hermann list. Sawyer and Stewart also become the first Notre Dame players in school history to be named to the men’s Hermann Watch List.
Sawyer matched the school record for shutouts last season with 12, including an impressive three straight in the BIG EAST Championship, helping the Irish secure the program’s first conference title since 1996. Sawyer was named the BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Defensive Player after the tournament, a trophy that fit well next to his BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Compiling a 485-minute scoreless minute streak early in the 2003 season, Sawyer eventually played all but 10 minutes of Notre Dame’s matches last season. He held Notre Dame’s opponents to one or zero goals in 20 of 23 matches. Sawyer was also named the 2004 Preseason BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year.
Playing just a few yards in front of Sawyer last year, Stewart anchored the Irish defense as a central defender and will continue in that role for 2004. Known throughout collegiate soccer as one of the best defenders in the nation, Stewart excels in the air and is one of the most physical and intense players on the team. The Torrance, Calif., native has moved up from his defensive position to score two goals and dish off two assists in his career.
A list of 15 semifinalists will be announced in November, with three finalists selected in early December. A winner will be announced at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo., on Jan. 8, 2005.
Preseason All-America honors:
Notre Dame has landed two preseason All-America honors by College Soccer News.com. The website named GK Chris Sawyer to its preseason All-America first team, while D Jack Stewart was named to the third team.
Notre Dame will face a challenging schedule once again in 2004: Notre Dame is set to meet several ranked teams this season, including Wednesday’s matchup with #1/1 Indiana. Notre Dame and IU have met 23 times since 1978.
#19/9 Michigan will visit Alumni Field on Oct. 13 and regionally ranked Michigan State will appear at Alumni Field on Nov. 2.
The Irish will face their biggest challenge during the team’s traditional fall break trip through the BIG EAST Conference. Notre Dame will take on #7/9 St. John’s (Oct. 16), #23 Seton Hall (Oct. 20) and Rutgers (Oct. 23) on the road over a seven-day stretch. The Irish will then wrap up their BIG EAST schedule at home on Oct. 30 against Connecticut.
Notre Dame is 12-9-3 (.563) against ranked teams under Bobby Clark, including victories over #4 St. John’s (`03), #9 Virginia Tech (`03), #5 Connecticut (`02), #6 Seton Hall (`02), #7 Furman (`02) and #6 Indiana (`01).
Bobby Clark quick biography:
Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark is in his fourth season at Notre Dame. He has led the Irish to at least 12 wins each season and the 2003 BIG EAST Championship. Overall, he is 40-16-7 at Notre Dame (.690) and helped the Irish qualify for the NCAA Championship tournament for an unprecedented third-straight season in `03.
Winning has been synonymous with Clark’s teams where ever he has coached. His Dartmouth teams (1985-93) posted an 82-42-13 (.646) record over nine years and three Ivy League Championships. At Stanford, Clark put up an 82-42-13 (.646) mark in nine years and finished second in the NCAA Championship in 1998.
Overall, Clark has compiled a 193-79-32 collegiate record (.688) and has landed seven teams in the final national rankings.
The Irish established their motto of `Making History’ early in the 2003 season and that goal was achieved in remarkable fashion. Notre Dame earned its highest-ever preseason ranking in 2003 (third in the Soccer America ranking) and highest-ever in-season ranking in both major polls (third in both polls). Notre Dame also earned its first-ever bye in the NCAA Championship and qualified for the NCAA tournament for the third-straight season – another unprecedented achievement.
Please see p. 12-15 of the 2003 Notre Dame men’s soccer media guide for a more detailed historical biography on Clark.
Keep up with the Irish via the Notre Dame hotline:
The Notre Dame athletic department hotline has realigned its menu offerings for the 2004 fall sports season.
The hotline provides schedule and results information for varsity sports and serves as a supplement to the live coverage and game recaps already provided on the official athletic website at www.und.com.
Here’s how the hotline is aligned (as of Aug. 28):
*Dial (574) 631-3000
*Select any of the following subgroups:
(1) Upcoming schedule and recent results of ALL varsity sports currently in action (select cells 3-9 for the most updated results for specific sports).
(2) 2004 Football schedule.
(3) Basketball information (then press 1 for men’s basketball and 2 for women’s basketball)
(4) Soccer information (then press 1 for men’s soccer and 2 for women’s soccer).
(5) Women’s volleyball (press 1) and men’s ice hockey (press 2) information.
(6) Men’s and women’s cross country information.
(7) Men’s and women’s swimming and diving information (then press 1 for men’s swimming and 2 for women’s swimming).
(8) Tennis information (then press 1 for men’s tennis and 2 for women’s tennis) and men’s and women’s fencing information (press 3).
(9) Women’s golf (press 1), men’s golf (press 2) and women’s rowing (press 3) information.
Notre Dame vs. Indiana – last game recap:
Notre Dame improved to 3-1-2 on the season with a thrilling 1-0 victory over visiting Indiana (2-3-2) in front of a packed house at Alumni Field Thursday, Sept. 18. The Irish, looking to avenge their second-round NCAA tournament loss to Indiana in Bloomington last season, received a clutch overtime goal from junior Kevin Goldthwaite in double overtime to claim the victory.
The Alumni Field announced attendance of 2,131 saw an excellent soccer match during a perfect late-summer evening on Notre Dame’s campus. Both teams managed great defensive play, escaped a few edge-of-your-seat scoring chances and battled physically for over 100 minutes. Notre Dame entered the contest ranked as high as 13th in the nation, while the Hoosier were rated as high as 19th.
Indiana ended up out-shooting the Irish 12-9 in the game and seemed to enter the halftime locker room with a bit of momentum. Notre Dame’s Chris Sawyer, who has not allowed a goal in the last 258 minutes, was forced to make two saves in the first half as Indiana compiled several solid scoring chances.
Notre Dame would match the Hoosiers in scoring chances in the second period, as the team battled back and forth, up and down the field in furious action. The shots ended up even in the second half – 4-4 – but IU’s goalkeeper Jay Nolly was only forced to make one save in the entire game.
The final deciding play came with just under four minutes to play in the second overtime. Freshman Nate Norman, who was a late-regulation substitution in the midfield for Notre Dame, intercepted a lazy Indiana pass just inside the Hoosier zone. Norman darted through three defenders for the break away, along with teammates Justin Detter and Devon Prescod moving ahead on both sides.
Indiana’s Danny O’Rourke, who tallied three shots in the contest, recovered but ended up having to drag Norman down at the top of the 18-yard box. O’Rourke was issued a yellow card and Notre Dame set up for the dramatic free kick just outside of the Indiana penalty box.
Chad Riley, Notre Dame’s set up specialist, took the kick and attempted to bend his effort around the left side of the Indiana wall. The kick came around clear, but Goldthwaite dived in from the right side and redirected the kick into the opposite corner of the net. IU’s Nolly was caught out of position and could not recover.
For Riley, it is his second assist of the season. The goal marks Goldthwaite’s first of the year and sixth in his career. It is also the Sacramento, Calif., native’s first game-winning goal since 2001.