#9/7 Irish Close Regular Season With 1-1 Draw At Boston College

NEWTON, MASS. – A brilliant second half goal was equalized late in a Boston College scrum in front, and after 110 minutes there was no decision between the host Eagles and the University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team on Saturday night. A sizable shots edge and a controlling tempo in the offensive zone by the Fighting Irish did not yield the match-winner, as the contest ended in a 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference draw on Boston College’s Senior Night at the Newton Soccer Field.

No. 9/7 Notre Dame (12-4-2, 7-2-1 ACC) completed the ninth unbeaten road regular season in program history, logging a 6-0-2 record in true road contests this season. The Fighting Irish also claimed a result in their final six regular season matches, posting a 5-0-1 mark in that span.

Notre Dame outshot Boston College (10-8-1, 3-6-1 ACC) 18-9 on a slick field, coated by constant rain in icy cold temperatures, including 8-3 in shots on goal. The Fighting Irish held a perfect 6-0 shot cushion overall in overtime, and also claimed a dominant 10-3 advantage in corner kicks.

A defensive struggle was broken by the Fighting Irish in the 63rd minute, as a hard Notre Dame drive to the right side of the Boston College defense set up a corner kick. Junior defender Brittany Von Rueden (Mequon, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels) served a high-arcing attempt right into the six-yard box, where junior defender/tri-captain Katie Naughton (Elk Grove Village, Illinois/Elk Grove) headed home a diving goal on the run. Naughton’s fourth of the year, with all four goals coming on headers off set pieces, gave Notre Dame a 1-0 lead.

Boston College tied the game on a rebound off the crossbar on what looked to be an offside call later in the second half. Three Eagle attackers crashed the Fighting Irish box in front of sophomore goalkeeper Kaela Little (Tulsa, Oklahoma/Bishop Kelley) after the initial shot, and Allyson Swaby punched in a loose ball to tie the game at 1-1 in the 79th minute. Swaby’s equalizer was the first goal allowed by Notre Dame in a road match in nearly 707 minutes, dating back to the first half of the regular season opener at Illinois on Aug. 22.

Junior midfielder/tri-captain Cari Roccaro (East Islip, New York/East Islip) nearly won the match in regulation, springing free on a great through ball up the middle toward the net in the 90th minute. Boston College goalkeeper Alex Johnson made a great kick save to send the ball out of play to steal the game-winning tally from the streaking Roccaro.

Junior midfielder Glory Williams (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands) had the best Notre Dame chance of the second overtime period, sending a strong left-footed shot toward the right post that Boston College goalkeeper Johnson punched out of play. The Eagles subsequently cleared an ensuing Fighting Irish corner kick out of play.

Notre Dame had the first great chance in the match’s second minute, as a nice cross from sophomore forward Kaleigh Olmsted (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands) from the right wing found its way through to senior forward Karin Simonian (Westbury, New York/W.T. Clarke). Simonian’s try from the left side was knocked away by Johnson for a key save.

A free kick from Von Rueden from 40 yards out found its way to Williams at the top of the 18-yard box in the third minute. Williams was able to swing a left-footed attempt on the loose ball that sailed high and wide to the right of the Eagles net.

The Fighting Irish looked at another great chance in the 30th minute on a Von Rueden corner kick from the right flag. Olmsted skied to get a head on the ball, but the try sailed over the left crossbar and out of play.

Roccaro led all players with five total shots in the match, including three shots on goal, while junior forward Anna Maria Gilbertson (Davis, California/Davis) added four shots to the Notre Dame attack. Von Rueden extended her active Notre Dame lead in career assists to 17 with her fourth helper of 2014.

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.

–ND–

#9/7 Notre Dame 1, Boston College 1 (2OT)

Nov. 1, 2014

Newton, Mass. (Newton Soccer Field)

Notre Dame 0 1 0 0 – 0

Boston College 0 1 0 0 – 0

ND 1. Katie Naughton 4 (Brittany Von Rueden) 62:44. BC 1. Allyson Swaby 1 (-) 78:12.

Total Shots: ND 18 (5-7-3-3), BC 9 (3-6-0-0)

Shots on Goal: ND 8 (2-3-1-2), BC 3 (0-3-0-0)

Saves: ND 2 (Kaela Little 2 in 110:00), BC 7 (Alex Johnson 7 in 110:00)

Corner Kicks: ND 10 (2-4-3-1), BC 3 (0-2-0-1)

Fouls: ND 13 (6-4-0-3), BC 12 (7-3-1-1)
Yellow Cards: Stephanie McCaffrey (BC, 16:25); Glory Williams (ND, 19:48); Jana Jeffrey (BC, 23:43); Cari Roccaro (ND, 88:39)

Offsides: ND 1, BC 1

Records: ND 12-4-2, 7-2-1 ACC; BC 10-8-1, 3-6-1 ACC

Next for ND: At ACC Championship (opponent TBA), Nov. 7 at 5:30 p.m. (ET), UNCG Soccer Stadium