Candace Chapman and her Notre Dame teammates will be looking to continue their recent strong play at home, welcomng an elite field for the Inn at Saint Mary's Classic.

Alumni Field Set To Serve Once Again As Site Of One Of Nation's Top Women's Soccer Tournaments

Sept. 1, 2005

Complete Release in PDF Format
dot.gifspacer.gifDownload Free Acrobat Reader

The top-ranked 2005 Notre Dame women’s soccer team (2-0-0) will play its first official home games as the defending NCAA champions, serving as the host team for the Inn at Saint Mary’s Classic (Sept. 2 and 4; see schedule below) … Alumni Field again will be the host site for one of the nation’s top women’s soccer tournaments, as all four teams currently are ranked in the national polls (Connecticut as high as 9th, per the NSCAA coaches poll; Florida as high as 11th, per Soccer America; and Maryland as high as 25th, per SA).

NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER – Inn at Saint Mary’s Soccer Classic (Sept. 2. and 4, 2005; Alumni Field)

Friday, Sept. 2
#25 Maryland vs. #9 Connecticut (5:00 p.m. EST)
#11 Florida vs. #1 Notre Dame (7:30 p.m.)

Sunday, Sept. 4
#11 Florida vs. #9 Connecticut (11:00 a.m.)
#25 Maryland vs. #1 Notre Dame (1:00 p.m.)

CSTV TO BROADCAST FRIDAY-NIGHT GAMES – College Sports Television will provide delayed broadcasts of both Friday-night games from the Inn at Saint Mary’s Classic … the ND-Florida game will re-air three times in upcoming days: Monday, Sept. 5 (8:00 p.m. EST/in South Bend; 9:00 EDT/in N.Y.); Tuesday, Sept. 6 (12:30 a.m. EST); and Thursday, Sept. 8 (11:00 a.m.) … CSTV is available on various systems, including Direct TV channel 610 … fans are encouraged to check local listings and cstv.com for additional re-air times.

INFORMATION HIGHWAY – GameTracker livestats for all four games can be accessed via www.und.com (see http://und.collegesports.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/083105aac.html) while internet audio is available to CSTV All-Access subscribers (see multimedia link on und.com) … All-Access subscribers can view video/audio of the ND weekly all-sports show while listening to game audio of several sports from ND and other schools … game recaps are available on the ND Sports Hotline (574-631-3000, press “4,” then “2”).

242326.jpeg

Katie Thorlakson

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

WEEK-1 NOTES – Notre Dame opened play at the Vermont Classic with wins over New Hampshire (11-1) and the host Catamounts (6-0) … senior Katie Thorlakson set the ND record for points in an opener (8; 2G-4A vs. UNH) while freshman Kerri Hanks set the ND record for goals in back-to-back games (7; 3G-1A vs. UNH, 4G vs. UVm) … the 17 goals are 2nd-most ever by the Irish in the first two games of a season (behind the 20 scored by the ’96 team, which won 14-0 at Providence and 6-0 at Boston College) … the 17 goals rank as 6th-most ever by the Irish in consecutive games (any time in a season) and are the most since the ’97 team posted big wins over Georgetown (9-0) and Wisconsin (10-0) … ND is 39-1-2 in its past 42 regular-season games … the 11 goals vs. UNH marked the 3rd time in the program’s 18-year history that the Irish have registered double-digit goals in the season opener and are most in an opener since the 14-0 win at PC in ’96 … just five previous games in the program’s history (spanning nearly 400 games) have seen the Irish score more goals – with the UNH game representing the most goals by ND in 205 games (since an 11-0 win over West Virginia, on Oct. 25, 1996) … ND has won six straight openers and 11 of its past 12 season-opening games, with the lone loss coming in double-OT vs. North Carolina during the first game under current head coach Randy Waldrum (in ’99) … the Irish have won their past three season openers by a combined score of 27-4 … since the 11-0 win over West Virginia in the middle of the ’96 season, the Irish had reached double-digit goals just once (10-0 vs. Georgetown, on 10/1/99) prior to the UNH game … it was the 16th double-digit scoring game in the program’s history … the only ND openers with more goals have been the ’96 game at PC (14-0) and a 12-0 win at LaSalle to open the ’93 season … ND now is 16-2 all-time in season openers (the other loss was the ’92 game vs. N.C. State) … the only times ND has scored more goals in a game: 17-0 vs. Tri-State (’89), 14-0 vs. PC (’96), 12-0 at Loyola and at LaSalle (both in ’93) and 12-1 vs. Valparaiso (’90) … the seven different goalscorers vs. UNH – Kerri Hanks (3), Katie Thorlakson (2), Brittany Bock (2), Susan Pinnick, Maggie Manning and Jill Krivacek – equaled the most in a Waldrum-era game at ND (also in ’01 vs. SJU and ’03 vs. North Texas).

ND QUICK NOTES – Since handing Seton Hall an early lead in the final regular-season game of ’04, the Irish are riding a 46-5 scoring edge over the last 12-plus games … ND is 51-12-3 (.796) in the Waldrum era when facing an NSCAA top-25/postseason opponent … the Irish have held 24 of their past 25 opponents to 0-1 goals … ND’s ’04 national-title team (25-1-1) finished 4th in the nation with a 0.51 goals-against avg. and 19th in scoring (2.59 goals/gm), joining UNC, Virginia, Princeton and UCF as teams among the top-20 in both … the ’04 team allowed just 73 shots on goal, nearly matching ND’s goal total (70) … the ’04 team also yielded just 48 corner kicks all season (27 GP) … ND has been 1st or 2nd in the NSCAA poll 9 of 12 seasons since ’94 (all but ’99, ’01, ’02; #1 in ’94, ’95, ’96, ’00, ’04, ’05) … Randy Waldrum is 121-20-5/.846 in six-plus seasons at ND and has eclipsed 300 overall wins as a college coach (304-125-24).

ND WOMEN’S SOCCER BY THE NUMBERS

101550.jpeg

Randy Waldrum

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

967:02 – Erika Bohn’s ’03 shutout streak (5th NCAA his.)
.744 (30-10-1) – Notre Dame’s all-time NCAA Tournament winning pct. (2nd in women’s soccer history)
301-9-12 (.953) – Notre Dame’s all-time record when holding opponent to 0-1 goals (106-3-5 since 9/9/99)
215-3-1 (.984) – Notre Dame’s all-time record when scoring 3-plus goals (117-1-0 since Oct. 6, 1995)
208 – Win streak when taking 2-0 lead (230-0-1 all-time)
121-20-5 (.846) – Randy Waldrum’s record at Notre Dame
58-0-1 – Home unbeaten streak vs. BIG EAST tms (’95- )
39 (ended vs. UConn; now 46-1-0 last 47) – consecutive wins when scoring first
39-1-2 – ND’s record in its past 42 reg.-season games
31 – All-Americans (since 1994)
34-11-3 – ND record vs. NSCAA top-25 teams, since ’99
27 – Thorlakson’s ’04 postseason pts (ND record; 9G-9A)
24 – ND-record streak without allowing 2+ gls (’00 and ’03)
23 – Players who posted GPA of 3.0-plus in 2005 spring semester (11 with 3.4-plus)
21-2-0 – All-time record in BIG EAST Tournament
19-3-2 – All-time record in home tournaments
19 – Players who started in ’04 (17 w/ 5+ GS)
18 – Notre Dame’s current unbeaten OT streak (12-0-5)
16 – Notre Dame record for consec. gms w/out deficit (’03)
16 – Shutouts posted by 2004 team (led nation)
15 – Number of home states and provinces (plus Finland) on 2005 Notre Dame roster
15 – Academic All-Americans (since 1995)
12 – Notre Dame alums in the WUSA (’01-’03)
9 – Starters returning from 2004 national champs
8 – Katie Thorlakson’s points (3G-2A) vs. Santa Clara (most at ND vs. top-10 opp.)
7 – NCAA College Cup semifinal appearances
5 – National ranking for Notre Dame’s 2003 freshman class
4.00 – Semester GPAs posted in ’04-’05 by Ashley Jones (fall) and Jannica Tjeder (spring)
3.31 – Team’s cumulative GPA (as of ’05 spring semester)

222070.jpeg

Erika Bohn

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

3 – PK saves made by Erika Bohn in ’04 NCAA title game
2 – Teams with multiple NCAA titles (UNC and ND)
2 – USYSA Golden Boots on by Kerri Hanks (’03, ’05)
2 – National ranking for 2004 freshman class
1 – Preseason ranking in 2005 NSCAA coaches poll
0.41 – Erika Bohn’s 2004 NCAA-best goals-against avg.

TWO YEARS OF DOMINATION – Notre Dame played 24-plus games in each of the past two seasons and owned similar statistical numbers in many categories … the Irish generated more shots in `04 but owned a lower shooting pct. … the biggest jump came in corner-kick margin (+110 in ’04, +39 in ’03) … the ’04 Irish also did a better job in shutting down the opponents’ 1st-half offense (just 4 GA) … see PDF for 2003 and ’04 stat comparisons.

BIG-GAME PLAYERS – Notre Dame has won 80 percent of its “big games” during the Randy Waldrum era (’99-’05), posting a 51-12-3 record (.796) when facing an NSCAA top-25 or postseason opponent.

FAR & WIDE – Notre Dame’s 2005 roster includes players from 12 states (AZ, CA, CT, IL, IN, MD, NJ, OH, OR, PA, TX, WA), two Canadian provinces (B.C. and Ontario) and Finland … the program’s all-time roster canvasses 30 states and three foreign countries … ND’s student-athlete population in ’04-’05 included nearly 800 individuals from 44 states (all but Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming) and 20 foreign countries.

FIRST-STRIKE WEAPONS – Notre Dame owns a 46-1-0 record in its past 47 games when scoring first (2-1 loss to UConn in ’04 BIG EAST title game) … Amanda Cinalli and Jen Buczkowski each opened the scoring in five games games during the `04 season (Katie Thorlakson had three first-goals in ’04 and senior F Candace Champan two) … Chapman also scored to open the scoring for ND twice in ’04 after the opponent scored first (Cinalli did so once) … the first-goals in the 2005 opening weekend at the Vermont Classic were scored by Thorlakson and Kerri Hanks.

INN AT SAINT MARY’S SOCCER CLASSIC – TEAM NOTES

TOURNEY-TESTED – Notre Dame owns a 95-25-7 all-time record in tournament action, including 39-13-6 (.724) in regular-season tournaments (19-3-2 at home), 25-2- in conference tournaments and 31-11-1 in the NCAAs … since 1994, the Irish are 27-6-3 in regular-season tournaments (with 19 of those wins coming vs. ranked teams) … the Irish own a 47-11-2 overall record in tournament play during the Randy Waldrum era (’99-’05), including 18-4-1 in regular-season tournament action … since losing to Santa Clara and Portland (the teams that went on the play in the ’02 NCAA title game) at the 2002 Notre Dame Classic, the Irish are unbeaten in their past 12 regular-season tournament games (11-0-1) … here’s a look at Notre Dame’s recent tournament play:

240701.jpeg

(from left) Katie Thorlakson, Candace Chapman and Jen Buczkowski collected 2004 All-America honors.

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

Notre Dame in Tournament Action (Waldrum era, 1999-2005)

1999 (8-3-1) – 1-1-0 at tournament in Klein, Texas … 1-1-0 at ND Classic … 3-0-0 at BIG EAST Tournament … 3-1-1 at NCAAs

2000 (10-1-0) – 2-0-0 at ND Classic … 2-0-0 at Portland Classic … 3-0-0 at BIG EAST Tournament … 3-1-0 at NCAAs

2001 (6-1-0) – 2-0-0 at ND Classic … 3-0-0 at BIG EAST Tournament … 1-1-0 at NCAAs

2002 (4-3-0) – 0-2-0 at ND Classic … 2-0-0 at Maryland Classic … 2-1-0 at NCAAs

2003 (7-2-1) – 2-0-0 at UConn Classic … 2-0-0 at ND Classic … 1-0-1 at SCU Classic … 1-0-1 at BE Tourn. … 1-1-0 at NCAAs

2004 (10-1-0) – 2-0-0 at ND Classic … 2-1 at BIG EAST Tournament … 6-0-0 at NCAAs

Totals: 18-4-1 in regular-season tournaments … 13-2-0 in BIG EAST Tournament … 16-5-1 in NCAAs (47-11-2 overall)

FRIEND OR FOE? – Notre Dame’s geographically-diverse roster includes players who are former teammates with members of the other teams in the Inn at Saint Mary’s Classic:

• ND senior F Katie Thorlakson and FLORIDA junior D/F Melanie Booth played together on the Canadian Under-19 National Team … Florida freshman M Ameera Abdullah is a former U.S. national-team program teammates of ND freshman M/F Brittany Bock (U-16s) and freshman D Carrie Dew (U-17s) … ND junior M Clair Gallerano and Maryland junior G Anne Sheveland were teammates on the Dallas Texans while ND sophomore G Lauren Karas and Sheveland shared the nets with the Magic soccer club … Karas also played on the ODP Region III team with UF sophomore defenders Ashley Harris and Nikita Waller.

• MARYLAND junior Nikki Resnick shared the goalkeeping duties with Karas on ODP Region III) … ND sophomore F Susan Pinnick and Maryland sophomore M/D Stephanie Dunning were teammates on the Carmel Commotion … ND freshman M Beth Koloup played on the Bethesda Excel and state ODP with Maryland freshman F Kimmy Bunting.

• Although ND and UCONN will not meet until later in the season (Oct. 14), there are several connections worth noting … ND senior G Erika Bohn is a native of Brookfield, Conn., and played alongside three UConn players on the ODP Region I team: junior F/M Nikki Cross, senior D Alisse Kosloski and senior M Kristi Lefebvre … ND second-semester freshman F Kerri Hanks and UConn junior M Meghan Schnurr were two of the top players on the U.S. Under-19 National Team (ND junior M Jen Buczkowski also played with that team) … Thorlakson played on the Canadian U-19s with UConn sophomore D Katie Radchuck and sophomore G Steph Labbe … ND junior D Christie Shaner and Kosloski played on the F.C. Parkwood club team … Bock played with Schnurr at U.S. U-19 camp and is a former state ODP and club teammate of freshman F/M Elizabeth Eng (ND freshman M/D Kerry Inglis also played with Eng on the ODP Region II team) … Koloup and UConn freshman F Brittany Tegeler were teammates on the Excel.

SCOUTING THE GATORS – Florida (1-0-0) is ranked 11th in this week’s Soccer America poll (also 12th per Soccer Buzz and 15th in the Soccer Times poll) and was 19th in the NSCAA preseason coaches poll (no update until next week) … the Gators opened with a 3-0 win over Drake, with goals from sophomore M/F Jasmine Johnson, senior F Cherry Pickman and freshman F Megan Kerns (who added an assist) … UF returned 24 of 29 letterwinners from its 2004 team that went 16-4-3, finished 2nd in the SEC eastern division (7-2-2) and lost to Central Florida in the 1st round of the NCAAs (2-3) … top returners include Pickman (4G-6A in `04), sophomore F KeLeigh Hudson (5G-4A), senior G Jen Gardner (0.70 GAA), junior D Melanie Booth (2G-5A), junior M Daniela Sanchez (1G-4A0 and senior D Katie Johnson (1A, 23 GS) … see www.gatorzone.com for complete coverage of UF women’s soccer.

SCOUTING THE TERRAPINS – Maryland (1-0-1) is 25th in this week’s Soccer America poll and also received votes in the Soccer Times poll and the NSCAA preseason coaches poll … the Terps opened with a scoreless tie vs. Towson before topping Rhode Island (4-0) behind goals from senior F/M Kimmy Francis, freshman F Kimmy Bunting, senior F Melissa Anderson and sophomore F Kelly Rozumalski … Maryland returned 10 of 15 letterwinners from its 2004 team that went 9-7-4 (3-4-2 in the ACC) and made a run to the NCAA round-of-16 before losing to Washington (0-1) … top returning players include senior M/D Mallory Maher (9G-4A in ’04), Francis (6G-5A0, junior G Nikki Resnick (1.07 GAA), junior M Nataly Arias (2G-4A), Rozumalski (3G) and senior M/F Melissa Anderson (2G in ’02) … see www.umterps.com for additional info. on Maryland women’s soccer.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES – UConn is ranked 11th in this week’s Soccer Buzz and Soccer Times polls, also 13th per Soccer America and 9th in the NSCAA preseason coaches poll … the Huskies opened with a 3-0 win over Hofstra at the Penn State tournament before dropping a 2-1 game to PSU … the UConn opening-week goalscorers included freshman F/M Elizabeth Eng (1G), senior M Kristi Lefebvre (1G-1A), junior M Meghan Schnur (1G-2A) and freshman F/M Maria Picard (1G) … the Huskies returned 17 of 26 letterwinners from their 2004 team that went 18-7-1, finished 2nd in the BIG EAST (8-2-0) and advanced to the 3rd round of the NCAAs before dropping a 2-0 game to Notre Dame … top returners include senior G Megan Jessee (0.59 GAA in ’04), Schnur (5G-9A in ’03), senior D Alisse Kosloski (1G, 26 GS in ’04), junior D/F Niki Cross (3G-2A), sophomore M/G Karyn Rivera (5G-4A) and senior D/M Kathleen Frank (5G-2A) … see www.uconnhuskies.com for additional info. on UConn women’s soccer

TWO OF THE ALL-TIME BEST – Friday-night opponents Notre Dame and Florida are programs that have produced two of the top offensive seasons in NCAA Division I women’s soccer history … ND senior F Katie Thorlakson factored into 47 of ND’s goals in 2004 (23G-24A), good for 5th-most in NCAA history … former SMU/Florida player Danielle Garrett Fotopoulos had a hand in 51 of SMU’s goals in ’95 (32G-19A), good for 2nd on the list behind Mia Hamm’s ’92 season at UNC (65; 32G-33A) … the only other players to score/assist on more goal than Thorlakson’s ’04 output have been SMU’s Lisa Cole in ’87 (50; 37G-13A) and UNC’s Lindsay Tarpley in ’03 (50; 23G-27A).

ND HOME TOURNAMENT HISTORY (see PDF)

ND-UF SERIES NOTES – Friday night will mark the first matchup between two of the six teams that have won NCAA women’s soccer titles (others are UNC, George Mason, Santa Clara and Portland) … ND won the NCAA title in ’95 and ’04 while Florida was the ’98 champ … ND and UF played to a 1-1 tie during the ’04 spring season (in Dallas) … the Irish controlled the run of play and scoring chances for much of that game but a defensive lapse allows a UF goal … ND tied the game after Mary Boland made a horizontal run that dragged the defense with her before slotting a pass up the middle … current senior F Katie Thorlakson ran onto the ball and finished a 1-on-1 chance with the ‘keeper, burying a 10-yard shot into the upper-left corner for the tie.

FIRST-TIME VISITORS – Since the start of the ’93 season, teams making their first visit to Alumni Field have gone just 3-37-1 vs. the Irish in those games … Florida and DePaul are set to make their first Alumni Field visits in ’05 … ND’s all-time record in series openers is 70-25-2 (.732), including 37-5-0 since ’93 and 47-8-0 in all series openers at home (22-3-0 since ’93) … the Irish opened last week by beating first-time opponents New Hampshire (11-1) and Vermont (7-0) … ND also will face Gonzaga and South Florida for the first time during the ’05 season.

MORE ND-UF CONNECTIONS – Former Notre Dame player Tiffany Thompson was a four-year assistant with the Gators and was on the staff for UF’s 1998 NCAA championship season … the ND volleyball team is slated to play at Florida’s tournament in the fall of ’05 while the Irish baseball team reached the championship game of the 2005 NCAA Gainesville Regional.

ND-MARYLAND SERIES NOTES – Notre Dame beat Maryland in a ’96 NCAA Tournament quarterfinal played at Saint Mary’s College … the Terps were on their way to tying the series six years later at the ’02 Maryland Classic (leading 2-0) before the Irish erupted for five goals in 25 minutes, en route to the 5-2 win … current 5th-year player Candace Chapman helped spark that comeback, moving from central back to the midfield and quickly putting the Irish on the board (she accelerated up the middle before scoring on a 20-yard strike into the far-right sidenetting).

VETERAN COACHING TRIO – The Inn at Saint Mary’s Classic brings together three individuals who have combined for nearly 1,000 wins in 65 combined seasons as college soccer head coaches: UConn’s Len Tsantiris (417-111-27, in 25 seasons), ND’s Randy Waldrum (304-125-24, in 24) and Florida’s Becky Burleigh (268-67-15, in 16) … Tsantiris ranks 5th in Division I all-time winning pct. (.776) while Waldrum is 7th (.751; 228-70-17) … on the opposite side of the spectrum, Maryland’s Brian Pensky picked up his first win as a college head coach last week.

233531.jpeg

Kerri Hanks

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

HANKS SETS RECORDS, EARNS NATIONAL HONORS – ND second-semester freshman Kerri Hanks was named Soccer America national player of the week while Soccer Buzz included her on its 12-player “elite team of the week” … Hanks earlier was named BIG EAST player of the week, after opening her career with 7G-1A in the pair of games at the Vermont Classic … Hanks – who trained with the U.S. U-19 National Team last fall and joined the Irish in the spring of ’05 – set the ND record for goals in back-to-back games (7), tied the record for goals in a game (4, in 6-0 win over Vermont) and already is one shy of tying the team record for hat tricks in a season … the Dallas native became the third ND player to post hat tricks in consecutive games (also Cindy Daws as a senior in ’96, Meotis Erikson in ’97 freshman season) and was the first Irish freshman in 13 years to register a hat trick in the opener (3G-1A vs. New Hampshire) … Rosella Guerrero is ND’s only other freshman to register a hat trick in an opener (4-3 loss to N.C. State, in ’92) … Hanks is one of 21 all-time ND players to score a hat trick (14 have done so as freshmen) but she joins Amy Warner (in ’00) as the only Irish freshmen with hat tricks since ’97 … in the UNH game, she helped quickly end an early tie by assisting on a Susan Pinnick goal and then registered her hat trick in a 13-minute stretch … Hanks scored on a one-timer inside the far-left post (pass from Maggie Manning), cashed in a Katie Thorlakson thru-ball inside the left post and later knocked in Thorlakson’s endline cross … she scored the first 3G vs. UVm in a 20-minute stretch and later joined Thorlakson as one of four ND players ever to score 4G in a game (Thorlakson had her 4-goal game in ’04 vs. St. John’s) … Hanks joined Monica Gerardo as the program’s only freshmen ever to score 4G in a game … Gerardo scored 4G vs. Indiana in ’95 and also had a 4G-game vs. Seton Hall in ’96 (as did Jenny Strieffer in ’97 vs. Georgetown) … Hanks joined Susie Zilvitis (’88) and Erikson (’97) as the only ND freshmen with two hat tricks in a season … the Irish record for hat tricks in a season (3) is shared by Daws (’96) and Jenny Heft (’98) while five others have posted two HTs … the program’s first 17 seasons saw just 10 players register hat tricks in a season opener (6) or the second game (4) but Hanks did so in both game-1 and game-2 … she joined Guerrero and her fellow ’96 graduate Michelle McCarthy as the only Irish players with two career hat tricks in an opener or game-2 … Hanks opened the scoring vs. UVm on a 20-yard direct kick to the upper-right corner, later scoring on a tricky leftfooted far-post shot and then putting back a deflected shot (the final two goals were assisted by Amanda Cinalli) … she broke free for her final goal, on a shot to the lower left … Hanks was the top scorer with the U.S. U-19s (22G in 30 GP), scored 47G in two seasons at Allen HS and won two USYSA Golden Boot Awards with the Dallas Texans (’03 national champs, lost ’05 title in PKs) … she is 3G shy of becoming the 17th ND freshman with double-digit goals.

SHE’S BACK … – Notre Dame senior F Katie Thorlakson collected 2004 national player-of-the-year honors and hit the ground running at the 2005 Vermont Classic, setting a Notre Dame record for points in a season opener vs. UNH (8t, with 2G-4A) … Thorlakson scored the opening goal and assisted on a Susan Pinnick score, later assisting on the final two Kerri Hanks goals and adding the corner-kick assist on Amanda Cinalli’s goal before scoring her own second goal of the game … that four-goal stretch, featuring 1G-3A from Thorlakson, covered just 5:13 on a scoreboard that saw the Irish lead jump from 3-1 to 7-1 … Thorlakson also tied the ND record by registering a point in 12 straight official fall games with the Irish … Anne Makinen had points in 12 consecutive games during the 1999 season but (like Thorlakson) did so in only 11 straight team games, as she missed four games that year while playing with the Finland National Team (she had a point in the game before departing for national-team duty and then recorded points in the 11 games after returning to action with the Irish) … Notre Dame players have posted 8-plus points in a game 12 times in the program’s 18 seasons, led by three from Thorlakson (most by any player) … she holds the Irish record with 10 points in a game (4G-2A, vs. St. John’s on 10/31/04) and earlier that season had an 8-point game vs. #4 Santa Clara on Sept. 5, 2004 (3G-2A) … Monica Gerardo and Jenny Streiffer are the only other players ever to register 8-plus points in multiple games during their Irish career (each did so twice). … after the UNH game, Thorlakson had scored or assisted on 30 of Notre Dame’s previous 39 official fall-season goals … she scored the first (and only) Irish goal in the 2004 NCAA title game vs. UCLA and opened the scoring in both ’05 preseason games before notching the game’s first goal once again vs. the Wildcats. … Thorlakson moved into sole possession of 13th place on the Notre Dame career scoring charts with 120 points (39G-42A) and now is just one goal shy of joining an elite group of five previous Irish players who have reached the 40G-40A plateau. … her 39 goals tie her with current U.S. National Team standout Shannon Boxx (’99) for 13th in ND history while her 42 assists now rank 10th in the Irish record book, passing ’97 grad. Kate Fisher’s 41 … with her next goal, Thorlakson will join Streiffer (70G-71A), Cindy Daws (61G-57A), Makinen (65G-56A), Erikson (59G-46A) and Gerardo (73G-44A) in ND’s 40G-40A club … the 4-assist game marked the first of Thorlakson’s ND career … Thorlakson is close to passing former teammate Amanda Guertin (123; 48G-27A from ’00-’03) and ’94 grad. Alison Lester (126; 45G-36A) into 11th place on the ND career scoring charts (Boxx holds down 10th place, with 135) … Thorlakson also had a big opener in ’04, with 2G-3A in the 7-2 win over Baylor … her points streak ended last weekend vs. Vermont, playing just 29 minutes as the Irish utilized their bench in that 6-0 win.

233529.jpeg

Carrie Dew

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

DEW-JONES REPORT – Notre Dame’s biggest losses from the 2004 national championship team came in the defensive third, as the only departed starters were senior center backs Melissa Tancredi and Gudrun Gunnarsdottir while one of the team’s top outside backs (Kate Tulisiak) also was lost to graduation … two former teammates on the Cal-South state ODP team, freshman Carrie Dew and sophomore Ashley Jones, have been among the solutions for the new-look back line … Dew is emerging as a top option to start at a central defender spot while Jones has been a candidate at outside back, allowing juniors Christie Shaner and Kim Lorenzen to get some looks at the central role … Jones played as a midfielder and defender in opening week and her strong play earned a spot on the Vermont Classic all-tournament team (she played the full 90 minutes in the 6-0 win over Vermont) .. Dew and Jones were captains of the Cal-South team that won the 2004 national ODP title (Jones went on to win the 2004 USYSA girls-18 title as well, with SoCal United).

THE NEW ASSISTANT – Current sophomore F/M Amanda Cinalli became the 16th Notre Dame freshman to score double-digit goals (10, in 2004) but she totaled just 5 assists in that 27-game season … Cinalli nearly has matched that assist total this season, with a pair of 2-assist games at the Vermont Classic (plus a goal in the 11-1 win over UNH) … Cinalli’s versatile and strong all-around skills have allowed her to serve as both a forward and midfielder in ’05, thus opening up the attack to better utilize the team’s deep offensive talent.

INJURY UPDATE – Notre Dame continues to play without three injured players – senior D/M Jenny Walz (meniscus), freshman M/D Kerry Inglis (ankle) and sophomore M/F Jannica Tjeder (out for season due to knee surgery) – while freshman M Becca Mendoza recently joined the team after completing summer play with the Mexican National Team.

IT TAKES TWO – Notre Dame’s lone loss of the 2004 season saw the Irish claim a 1-0 lead at UConn in the BIG EAST title game … the Irish then had several cracks at the magical 2-0 cushion that has proven to be insurmountable in the 18-year history of Notre Dame women’s soccer (instead, UConn rallied for the 2-1 win) … the Irish now are 231-0-1 all-time when claiming a 2-0 lead and have won 208 straight games when stretching out to a 2-0 cushion, dating back to Sept. 15, 1991 (when Vanderbilt ultimately forced a 3-3 tie) … there have been only two other games in the program’s history when the Irish gave up a 2-0 lead (but still went on to win): a 4-3 victory over UConn in the ’96 BIG EAST title game (the Irish led 3-0 but the Huskies scored three straight) and a 3-2 win over Duke at a ’93 lateseason tournament in Houston … the previous 121 opponents to face a 2-0 deficit vs. the Irish have been unable to even tie the score (since the ’96 BIG EAST title game).

242343.jpeg

Ashley Jones

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

BIG-TIME HELPER – Current sophomore M/D Ashley Jones had four assists in 2004 and each was the primary assist on gamewinning goals … two of those big passes came in the postseason: on Jen Buczkowski’s goal vs. #19 Boston College in the BIG EAST semifinals and the leftside cross on Candace Chapman’s header vs. #15 UConn in the NCAA third round … Jones earlier had set up Buczkowski’s goal vs. #20 BC in the regular season (1-0) and also assisted on Maggie Manning’s early goal in the 3-0 win at Texas Tech … Katie Thorlakson led the ’04 team with 6 GWAs, followed by Jones (4) and Buczkowski (3).

TRENDY – Here’s a look at some of the Notre Dame players’ scoring and games-played trends:
Katie Thorlakson – 72 consecutive GP (entire career)
Jen Buczkowski – 0G-1A in last 9 GP (8G-10A in previous 20 GP), 53 straight GP
Annie Schefter – 0G-4A in last 17 GP (4G-3A in previous 12 GP), 53 straight GP
Christie Shaner – 50 straight GP (52 of 53 GP in career)
Kim Lorenzen – 43 straight GP (52 of 53 GP in career)
Lizzie Reed – 42 straight GP (52 of 53 GP in career)
Jill Krivacek – 37 straight GP (53 of 53 GP in career)

HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE – The 2004 NCAA quarterfinal win over Portland gave Notre Dame its seventh unbeaten season at home (14-0-1) and first since the 2000 team went 15-0-0 at Alumni Field … others are ’91 (10-0-0), ’93 (8-0-0), ’94 (8-0-0), ’96 (14-0-0) and ’97 (11-0-1).

BLAME IT ON RIO? (actually … Campinas) – Notre Dame’s 2000 team had a preseason training trip to Brazil and went on to claim the No. 1 ranking before advancing to the NCAA semifinals (as the top seed) … the ’04 team (10 days in Brazil, 6 weeks at #1) then duplicated that pattern and advanced all the way to claiming the NCAA title (as the #4 seed) … the Aug. 10-19 trip in 2004 (based in Campinas, Brazil) featured a 5-0-1 record and 16-3 scoring edge vs. top semi-pro women’s teams from the Sao Paulo area … the games attracted local spectators and included traditional exchange of gifts, plus group photos … the Irish enjoyed great camaraderie at the five-star Vitoria Hotel and soaked in the atmosphere at first-division Brazilian men’s games at Ponta Preta and Guarani … meals included many exotic and tasty forms of pizza and the unique Brazilian steakhouses with table-top carvings of a variety of entrees … top scorers on the trip included Candace Chapman (4G), Katie Thorlakson (6A), Jannica Tjeder (3G-2A) and Ashley Jones (2G-3A).

244151.jpeg

Annie Schefter

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

IRISH UNMATCHED IN THE CLASSROOM – Notre Dame’s 2004 national championship team actually was overflowing with players who owned strong Academic All-America credentials (the CoSIDA team recognizes “starters or top reserves” who have a GPA of at least 3.20), with current senior G Erika Bohn receiving 2004 first team Academic All-America honors (she now owns a 3.67 cumulative GPA, as an art studio major) while current senior M Annie Schefter (3.76, psychology and pre-professional science) was a 2nd-team selection … other top scholars on the 2004 team included ’05 graduate and central back Gudrun Gunnarsdottir (3.31 prior to ’04 season, as finance major) and current junior D/M Kim Lorenzen (3.24, finance) … as a group, the ND women’s soccer team followed up the nation title by posting a 3.38 team GPA in the 2004 fall semester and then a 3.35 in the spring of ’05 that ranked 2nd-best among ND’s 26 varsity sports … ’05 graduated F Mary Boland (spring ’05) joined current sophomore M/D Ashley Jones and sophomore F/M Jannica Tjeder in posting 4.0 semester GPAs during 2004-05.

THORLAKSON HITS RARE 20-20 MILESTONE – Katie Thorlakson in 2004 joined an elite list of 10 all-time Division I players to reach 20 goals and 20 assists in a season but then became part of an even more exclusive group, as one of five to reach 22G and 22A – before reaching 23G-23A when the dust had settled on the ’04 season (23G-24A) … former UNC great Mia Hamm (32G-33A, ’92) is the only Division I player ever to total more goals and more assists in a season than Thorlakson … six of the 20-20 players – former ND great Cindy Daws (26G-20A, ’96), the UNC trio of Hamm (32-33, ’92), Robin Confer (20-22, ’97) and Lindsay Tarpley (23-27, ’03), UConn’s Sarah Whalen (21-22, ’97) and Santa Clara’s Mandy Clemens (24-23, ’99) – each received some type of national player-of-the-year recognition during their 20-20 seasons … others on that short list include another former Irish player, Jenny Streiffer (22G-22A, ’96), four-time All-American and UC Santa Barbara legend Carin Jennings (20G-26A, ’86) and UNC Greensboro’s Kati Kantanen (24G-20A) … Thorlakson and Tarpley are the only 20-20 players in the past five seasons … Thorlakson joined Hamm, Tarpley, Clemens and Streiffer as the 5th player ever to reach 22G-22A … she ultimately joined Hamm, Tarpley and Clemens as the only “23-23” players.

PRIMETIME POINTS – Junior defensive M Jill Krivacek has totaled 2G-1A (5 points) in six career NCAA Tournament games (3 GS), compared to 2G-4A (8 points) in the rest of her ND career (46 GP/27 GS) … the biggest of her postseason points came on the goal in the ’04 NCAA 2nd round vs. Wisconsin (1-0), when she headed in a Katie Thorlakson corner kick with just 53 seconds left in regulation.

FINAL-MINUTE HEROES – The first 379 games in Notre Dame women’s soccer history had seen the Irish win in the final minute (regulation or OT) just twice but it then happed twice more in the next 10 games … in fact, Jen Buczkowski’s goal at Georgetown on Oct. 10, 2004 (2-1), with 44 seconds left in regulation, made her the first ND player since ’94 to win a game by scoring in the final minute … then, in the 2nd round of the ’04 NCAAs, Buczkowski’s longtime club and ODP teammate Jill Krivacek scored with 53 seconds left for the thrilling 1-0 win over Wisconsin … Buczkowski had not registered a game-winning goal in her first 37 games with the Irish but the score at GU sparked a 7-game stretch in which she totaled 4 GWGs … Krivacek now has just three goals in her ND career but two are GWGs and the third came in the ’03 NCAAs … even after the pair of 2004 fantastic finishes, just five of the program’s 393 all-time games have featured a last-minute GWG (by either team) – and GU’s Harbin Field has been the site for two of them … Buczkowski’s goal helped avenge the heartbreaking loss suffered by the Irish on their previous visit to GU … the Hoyas won that day, 4-3, on a goal with 24 seconds left in regulation, in a game that also remains the only time in the last 10 seasons that the Irish have scored three goals and failed to win (111-1-0) … the previous ND player to win a game in the final minute of play was Michelle McCarthy, whose goal with 25 seconds left in OT (119:35) completed a wild comeback vs. William & Mary, 4-3 … Jody Hartwig’s goal in the 85th minute had forged a 2-2 tie for the Irish in that game but the Tribe scored first in OT (non-sudden death) before future All-American Rosella Guerrero answered with another tying goal … the only other Irish player to score a last-minute GWG was future All-American Ragen Coyne, vs. Wright State in the 1992 Midwest Conference championship game (89:24).

HOME SWEET HOME – Notre Dame owns a 166-14-3 all-time record (.915) at Alumni Field, including 48-10-1 vs. top-25 teams … 8 of ND’s last 10 home losses have been by a single goal … ND went unbeaten at home in the 2004 regular season (9-0-1), marking the 9th time in the program’s first 15 years at Alumni Field that ND did not lost a regular-season home game (all but ’90, ’92, ’95, ’02, ’03) … the Irish have won nearly 92% of their all-time regular-season home games at Alumni Field (133-11-3, .915), including four seasons with one loss … in 10 of the previous 11 seasons (all but ’03), the Irish have suffered 0-1 regular-season losses at home (97-7-3, .921 in that 11-year stretch) … ND added five postseason home wins in 2004 for a 14-0-1 home record that included a 47-7 scoring edge (avg. 3.1-0.4), plus 357-61 in shots (24-4), 178-30 in shots on goal (12-2) and 99-21 in corner kicks (7-1) …

HOME GIRLS – Notre Dame’s top scorers at Alumni Field in 2004 included junior F Katie Thorlakson (17G-17A, 51 pts, 3.4 ppg, 7 GWG), senior F Candace Chapman (9G-4A, 22 pts), sophomore M Jen Buczkowski (4G-8A, 16 pts, GWG) and junior M Annie Schefter (4G-6A, 14 pts, 2 GWG) … Thorlakson has totaled 24 points in her past six home games (8G-8A) and racked up 69 points at Alumni Field during the previous two seasons (24G-21A, 9 GWG in 31 GP) … Schefter has scored all 8 of her career goals (4 GWG) at home while Buczkowski has registered 8 of her 10 career goals and 30 of her 39 career points with the Irish in the confines of Alumni Field.

FRONTRUNNERS – Since a 3-2 loss to BYU on Oct. 19, 2002, ND has trailed in just 11 of 57 games for 283:06 (5.4% of 5,209:29), going 50-5-2 in that 57-game stretch … 5 of ND’s 10 deficits in that span have been 11 minutes or shorter while only three teams have led the Irish more than 40 minutes over that 51-game stretch (Michigan for 60, Boston College for 83, Pittsburgh for 41).

ND UPDATED RECORD BOOK (see PDF)

THORLAKSON RISES TO THE TOP – Here’s a look at Katie Thorlakson’s impressive 2004 credentials that helped her earn national player-of-the-year honors from Sports Illustrated On Campus, Soccer America and Soccer America)

NATIONAL LEADER – ranked 1st in nation in assists (24) and points (70), 2nd in goals (23)

MULTIPLE THREAT – equally dangerous as finisher and set-up player, as one of 10 players in NCAA history (3rd from ND) with 20G-20A in same season (one of 4 ever to reach 23-23, with 22G-23A) … nation’s only player with more than 15G-15A … one of 10 ND players to reach 30G-30A in career (now 39G-42A; reached 30-30 in 62 GP, 4th-quickest in ND history)

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE – helped overcome loss of several top offensive players in ’04 due to graduation, injuries and national-team duty (ND’s other starting F were freshman Amanda Cinalli and senior Candace Chapman, a converted D coming back from ACL injury)

RUNAWAY – her 70 points are more than double team’s 2nd-leading scorer (32)

PERFECT TEN – named CSTV National Student-Athlete of the Week after setting ND record with 10 pts in game vs. St. John’s (4G-2A, also tied ND record for goals in gm/most since ’97)

BIG WINNER – tied ND record for gamewinning goals in a season (8, by Rosella Guerrero in ’94), with no other player on ’04 team having more than 4 GWGs … also ranks 8th in ND record book with 13 career GWGs, 6 shy of Jenny Heft’s record

ON A ROLL – totaled 36 pts (12G-12A) in 11-game point streak to end ’04 (1G-1A vs. Seton Hall, 2G-2A vs. Mich., 4G-2A vs. St. John’s, 1G vs. BC, 1A vs. UConn, 1G-2A vs. EIU, 1A vs. WIS, 1G vs. UConn, 1G-2A vs. Portland, 1A vs. SCU, 1G vs. UCLA), after 4-game pt “slump”

PULLING HER WEIGHT – played role in nearly 70% of team’s goals in ’04 (47 of 70), with many other goals coming with her on the bench cheering the reserves

SIX-PACK – first ND player ever to score/ assist on team’s first five goals in game (’04 opener vs. Baylor, again vs. #4 SCU) … went one better by having a hand in first six scores vs. St. John’s, yielding even more impressive streak of 12 straight Irish goals in which she scored or assisted (ended with G/A on 24 of final 28, dating back to 2nd goal in 3-1 win over SHU)

RECORD PACE – her 70 points ended just shy of the ND record of 72, set by 1996 national player-of-the-year Cindy Daws

PRIMETIME PERFORMER – totaled 23 pts (8G-7A) in 2004 games vs. top-25 teams (10 GP), including 3G-2A vs. #4 Santa Clara (only player in nation with 8-plus pts vs. top-25 team) … also racked up 27 pts (9G-9A) through 9 postseason games in ’04, besting the ND record for points in one postseason (Anne Makinen, 8G-3A in ’97) … no other players in ND history have more than 15 points in one postseason.

244170.jpeg

Katie Thorlakson

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

PILE-O-POINTS – her 70 points were 28 points beyond her combined total from ’02 and ’03 (42) … joined Cindy Daws (72; ’96), Jenny Streiffer (66; ’96) and Jenny Heft (61; ’98) as only ND players with 60-plus pts in a season … her 23A ranked 11th in NCAA history and 4th at ND … her 23G are 3rd in ND single-season history.

CENTURY MARK – her 120 career pts (updated for ’05) would rank near top of many school’s record books but she is 13th in ND career scoring (39G-42A), still 6G away from that top-10

BIG GAMES – only player from top-25 team with 8-plus pts in ’04 gm … one of two players in nation to post 8-plus pts in multiple ’04 gms (only player with 4G in a game and 3A in another)

BIG EAST’S BEST – first ND player named BIG EAST offensive player of year … 3-time BE player of week: 2G-4A vs. Baylor and EIU (Aug. 30); 3G-2A vs. #13 Stanford and #4 SCU (Sept. 6); 1G-1A vs. #20 WVU and Providence (Oct. 4), no award final week (6G-4A vs. Mich. and SJU) … named to Soccer Buzz/Soccer America national teams of week (Aug. 30, Sept. 6)

WARMUP – totaled most regular-season goals (13) by ND player since ’99 (Jenny Heft, 16) … 3rd ND player to reach 14G-14A in reg. season (10th ND history with 43-plus reg.-season pts)

FINDING THE NET – posted 5-game goal streak from Sept. 19-Oct. 3 (4 GWGs in that stretch)

CONFERENCE CALL – led BIG EAST in points, goals, assists, GWGs and total shots (ND-record 127)

RACKING ‘EM UP – posted games in ’04 with 10 pts (4G-2A , SJU), 8 pts (3G-2A, SCU), 7 pts (2G-3A, Baylor) and 6 pts (2G-2A, Michigan), totaling 5 multi-goal games

REPEAT OFFENDER – joined Jenny Streiffer (’96) as only ND players with 8-plus pts in multiple games of same season (Monica Gerardo only other player to do in career) … first ND player with 3-plus goals in multiple games of season since Jenny Heft’s three hat tricks in ’98

OL’ RELIABLE – now has appeared in 72 cons. gms with ND (since ’02 U-19 World Champ.)

HOME SWEET HOME – totaled 69 points in 30 games at Alumni Field in ’03 and ’04 seasons (24G-21A, 9 GWG), including 51 pts in 15 home games during ’04 (17G-17A, 7 GWG)

HOT CORNER – 8 of her 24 assists in ’04 have come on corner-kick services (4 postseason)

What They Said About Katie Thorlakson IN 2004

Santa Clara Head Coach Jerry Smith – “(Thorlakson) is a player with international experience and she can raise her level to whatever level it needs to be. Good forwards can be quiet for periods of a game and then turn it up. … I’m a coach that doesn’t emphasize the physical stature of a player. So I think Katie is an example of why you don’t have to be the biggest or the fastest. She has a nice combination of determination, grit and skillfulness. She has a great feel for the game. She reminds me of a player I used to watch in the ’70s, he played for Germany – Gurd Muller. He was a very small forward but was very crafty and sneaky. If you research Gurd Muller, you will know that’s a huge compliment to Katie. She is a terrific player and we have a lot of respect for her.”

Wisconsin Head Coach Dean Duerst (asked to compare Thorlakson and Tiffany Weimer of Penn State) – “They are very comparable and outstanding goalscorers. Weimer has some people around her that play her through a little bit more forward. She scores a lot more goals on just breakaways and she kind of just hides out there whereas Katie is very involved in every aspect of Notre Dame’s game. … They are two of the premier players that I’ve seen in the past few years in the country.”

Eastern Illinois Head Coach Stave Ballard – “Thorlakson is dynamic and does so many things. She knows the game well, she’s technical, she’s quick and she can do it 1-v-1 but she also shares the ball and that’s so nice to see. She is a complete player and I just love watching her play. It’s fortunate in soccer that you don’t have to be 6-foor-10 to be a dominant player, even on the men’s side you see players who are 5-5 who are dominant players. And (Thorlakson) is great in the air. She is 5-3 but she can get up with the best of them. She reads the flight of the ball. There are so many things she adds to that team and it’s a pleasure to watch that on the field.”

ND Head Coach Randy Waldrum – “Candace Chapman is readjusting to forward and Amanda Cinalli is still a young kid. Sometimes they aren’t in sync with Katie and we have to try different things. That all shows what Katie does because there have been several games where she’s had to carry the load. She is a tremendous model for the other kids to see, to play with her and see how she handles different situations. It amazes me how much she fights people off. She has been double- and triple-teamed the past month. That all makes her stats even more incredible. Most scoring players up front just score goals and don’t do anything else but Katie is in the game 90 minutes and she brings others in. You rarely find a player with those kind of stats on both sides, with goals and assists.”

BIG EAST 2004 AWARD RECAP

• Randy Waldrum received an unprecedented fourth BIG EAST coach-of-the-year award (also ’99, ’00, ’03; no other coach has more than two) … he also was ’98 Big 12 coach of the year (at Baylor) and twice was named Missouri Valley Conference men’s soccer coach of the year at Tulsa (’91, ’93) … Waldrum’s 23 coaching seasons (prior to ’05) include six NSCAA regional coach-of-the-year honors … he was the only Division I women’s soccer coach to repeat as an NSCAA region coach of the year (Great Lakes Region, in ’03 and ’04).

• Notre Dame’s seven all-BIG EAST selections were nearly double any other team (four schools each had four honorees).

• G Erika Bohn – despite ultimately leading the nation with a 0.41 goals-against average – again was overlooked for the BIG EAST awards (she was an NSCAA 2nd team all-region pick in ’03 but was not named all-BIG EAST).

• Melissa Tancredi became the third player to repeat as BIG EAST defensive player of the year, joining former Notre Dame great Jen Grubb (’98, ’99) and UConn’s Sara Whalen (’95, ’96)

• Katie Thorlakson amazingly was the first ND player ever named BIG EAST offensive player of the year, despite the fact that former M Cindy Daws (’96) and Anne Makinen (’00) earned the Hermann Trophy while others such as four-time All-American Holly Manthei (the NCAA all-time assists leader) and forward Jenny Streiffer (who joined Mia Hamm as the only women’s soccer players ever to reach 70 career goals and 70 assists) likewise could have preceded Thorlakson as BIG EAST offensive player-of-the-year recipients.

• Notre Dame became the first team since ’95 to sweep the top three BIG EAST awards – offensive (Thorlakson) and defensive (Tancredi) player and coach (Randy Waldrum) of the year … Thorlakson followed Tancredi’s ’03 lead as the only players ever to receive a major BIG EAST women’s soccer award after not being all-BIG EAST previously in their careers.

242342.jpeg

Candace Chapman

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

• Candace Chapman holds the unique distinction of earning all-BIG EAST honors at multiple positions, after being a 1st-team selection as a freshman and sophomore at right back (also ’02 BIG EAST defensive player of the year) and a 3rd-teamer as a forward in ’04.

• Jen Buczkowski followed in the footsteps of three all-time greats – Daws (`95, ’96), Makinen (`97-’00) and Manthei (`95-’97) – as the fourth Notre Dame midfielder to earn 1st team all-BIG EAST

• Thorlakson, Amanda Cinalli and Chapman became the fourth trio of forwards from the same team to earn all-BIG EAST, including Streiffer, Monica Gerardo (both 1st team) and Amy Van Laecke (2nd team) in 1996 followed by Jenny Heft, Gerardo (both 1st team) and Streiffer (2nd team) in ’98 … UConn produced three 1st-team forwards in ’95 (Jana Carabino, Kerry Connors, Christy Rowe).

• Thorlakson and Tancredi pulled off the offensive/defensive double, achieved just twice previously in the 10-year history of the BIG EAST women’s soccer awards (by Connors and Whalen with the ’95 and ’96 UConn teams) … Len Tsintaris also was the 1995 coach of the year, the only previous time that a BIG EAST team produced the offensive, defensive and coach awards in the same season.

• Christe Shaner, in the words of Waldrum, was ND’s “most consistent defender” in ’04 but she failed to improve on her 2nd team all-BIG EAST from ’03, slipping to 3rd team … the ’04 first team all-BIG EAST selections included just one defender (Tancredi).

• Irish players now have combined to win six of the past eight BIG EAST defensive player-of-the-year awards … ND’s previous recipients include former greats Kate Sobrero (’97) and Grubb (’98, ’99), plus Chapman in ’01 and Tancredi in ’03.

• Cinalli became ND’s eighth freshman ever to be a 1st-team all-BIG EAST selection, with others including Gerardo (’95), Streiffer (’96), Grubb (’96), Makinen (’97), Fs Meotis Erikson (’97) and Amy Warner (’00), and Chapman (’01) … two others – M Shannon Boxx (’95) and Shaner – were 2nd team all-BIG EAST picks as freshmen … ND produced a pair of 1st-team forwards for the second consecutive season (Warner and Mary Boland in ’03), with no other BIG EAST team including two 1st-team forwards since ’99 (Streiffer and Heft).

• 22 Notre Dame players now have combined for 1st team all-BIG EAST honors 38 times since ’95, with that group including 7 defenders combining 13 first-team awards, 4 midfielders (10 awards), 8 forwards (12 awards) and 3 goalkeepers.

• Defensive midfielder Jill Krivacek’s 3rd-team honor fittingly recognized one of several ND players (such as defenders Kim Lorenzen and Gudrun Gunnarsdottir and midfielder Annie Schefter) who might be among the top players on other BIG EAST teams.

NOTRE DAME PLAYER QUICK-FACT SHEET

F – #7 Katie Thorlakson (Sr.; Langley, BC) … Hermann Trophy Watch List; ’05 preseason All-American; BE off. player of the year … 2005 stats: 2G-4A (8 pts), 2 GS … ND record for pts in opener (8; 2G-4A vs. UNH in ’05); played just 29 min. vs. UVm … ’04 stats: 23G-24A (70 pts), 8 GWG, 27 GP/26 GS … 2004 Nat’l Player of the Year (Soccer America, Soccer Buzz, SI On Campus) … career: 39G-42A (120 pts/13th ND history), 14 GWG, 72 GP/65 GS … 8th in ND history with 1.67 pts/gm (2nd with 70 pts in season) … led nation in ’04 in pts, asts (2nd in gls) … G/A on 24 of ND’s final 26 goals in ’04; 4th player in NCAA history to reach 23G-23A … 2G-3A vs. Baylor; 8 pts vs. #4 SCU (3G-2A) most at ND vs. top-25 (3rd with hat trick vs. top-10); 8 GWG in ’04 tied ND record .. ND record 10 pts vs. SJU (4G-2A, tied ND goal rec.); 1st ND player w/ G/A on team’s first 5 goals (vs. BAY, SCU, 1st 6 vs. SJU)

244221.jpeg

Amanda Cinalli

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

F/M – #5 Amanda Cinalli (So.; Maple Hts, OH) … ’04: 1st team all-BE; 4th ND fr. to score 1st goal; 4th ND player with first 2G (BAY) … 2005 stats: 1G-4A (6 pts), 2 GP/1 GS ’04 BE player of week (1G vs. VU, GU), rookie of week (GWG vs. UConn, 1A vs. SYR) … 2004 stats: 10G-5A (25 pts), 27 GP/24 GS, 4 GWG ’04: GWGs vs. E. Illinois and Portland (2) in NCAAs … career: 11G-9A (31 pts), 29 GP/25 GS prep All-American; U.S. U-17 National Team

F – #2 Kerri Hanks (Fr.; Allen, TX) … Soccer America national player of the week after 3G-1A vs. UNH, 4G vs. Vermont … 2005 stats: 7G-1A (15 pts), 2 GP/1 GS ND record for goals in consec. gms (7); tied ND record with 4G in game … ’04 signee joined ND in spring of ’05 (trained with U.S. U-19 Nat’l Team in fall of ’04) … top scorer with U.S. U-19s (22G in 30 GP)

D/F – #8 Candace Chapman (Sr.; Ajax, ONT) … ’05 Soccer America preseason All-American (one of 11); Hermann watch list (25) … 2005 stats: 2 GS … ’04: 3rd team all-BIG EAST; GWGs in NCAAs vs. UConn, SCU … led ND with 4G in Brazil (summer ’04) … 2004 stats: 12G-8A, 32 pts (2nd BE), 27 GP/16 GS … ’04: 2G vs. BAY, 2G-1A vs. SHU, 1G vs. SCU (reg.-sea.) and ASU … career: 17G-14A (48 pts), 4 GWG, 67 GP/55 GS 2nd tm All-American/BE Def. Player of Yr. (’02); missed ’03 (ACL inj. w/ Canada)

242334.jpeg

Susan Pinnick

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

F/M – #17 Susan Pinnick (So.; South Bend, IN) … missed ’04 season due to injury (club team van accident in summer ’04) … ’05 stats: 1G, 2 GP (also scored in ’05 preseason vs. Butler and Virginia) … 76G-36A at St. Joseph’s HS … prep All-American and member of U.S. Under-17 National Team … helped Carmel Commotion reach ’03 nat’l title game (’05 semi’s)

F – #13 Maggie Manning (Sr.; Lake Oswego, OR) … Oregon ’02 player of the year at Jesuit HS (90G in 3 prep seasons) … ’05 stats: 2G-2A (6 pts), 2 GP … ’04: 2G-1A, 13 GP … career: 9G-7A (25 pts), 55 GP/6 GS, GWG … 2G vs. TX Tech (’04)

M – #9 Jen Buczkowski (Jr.; Elk Grove , IL) … ’05 Hermann Watch List; Pl. every min. w/ ’05 Nordic Cup champs (U.S. U-21s) … 2005 stats: 2 GS … 2004 All-American, 1st tm all-BIG EAST … 4 GWGs in 5-win span in ’04 (last-min. at GU, twice vs. BC) … ’04: 8G-11A (2nd BE/19th nation), 27 pts (4th BE), 4 GWG, 27 GP/25 GS … ’04: 1G-2A vs. BAY, 1G-1A vs. SCU, 2A vs. SHU/SJU … career: 12G-17A (41 pts), 4 GWG, 53 GP/50 GS 69G-52A in 3-yr HS career; #6 recruit in ’03; prep All-American, U.S. U-19 team

M – #11 Annie Schefter (Sr.; Yakima, WA) … ’04: GWG vs. EIU/Stan. (PK); 1A vs. EIU/Port. (NCAAs); dad Rob played ND tennis … ’05: 2 GP/1 GS … ’04: 4G-7A (15 pts), 2 GWG, 27 GP/22 GS … 2nd-tm Academic All.-American (3.73 GPA; psych/pre-prof. studies) … career (inj. in ’02): 8G-12A (28 pts), 2 GWG, 53 GP/42 GS … U.S. U-19 Nat’l Team (’02); Gatorade WA player of the year

M/F – #10 Brittany Bock (Fr.; Naperville, IL) … U.S. U-20 Nat’l Team player pool (former U-16/U-17/U-19 player); 24G as prep sr. … ’05: 3G, 2 GP/1 GS (2G vs. UNH) Nat’l champ/Golden Boot w/ IL ODP (’03), runner-up w/ Windy City Pride (’04) and IL ODP (’05)

M/D – #12 Ashley Jones (So.; Westlake Village, CA) … ’04: G vs. UConn @BET (1-2); 4 GWAs (TT, BC twice, UConn/NCAAs) … ’05 stats: 2 GP/1 GS … ’04: 1G-4A (6 pts), 27 GP/6 GS won ’04 national titles with Cal-South ODP and club (SoCal United) … career: 1G-4A (6 pts), 27 GP/7 GS … 3rd-leading scorer on ’04 preseason Brazil trip (2G-3A)

DM – #24 Jill Krivacek (Jr.; Geneva, IL) … ’04: 3rd tm all-BE; All-Tour. at ND Classic; GWG vs. WIS in 90th minute (NCAAs) … ’05: 1G (vs. UNH), 2 GP/1 GS … ’04: 1G-2A, 27 GP/23 GS … career: 4G-5A (13 pts), 51 GP/29 GS … 78G at Rosary HS

242437.jpeg

Lizzie Reed

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

M/F – #15 Lizzie Reed (Jr.; Franklin Lakes, NJ) … had A vs. UNH and UVm … ’04 GWA at WVU (3-1), 1G-1A vs. SJU (7-0) … ’05: 2A, 2 GP/1 GS … ’04: 1G-2A, 27 GP/10 GS … car.: 3G-5A (11 pts), 52 GP/19 GS … HS All-American; ODP nat’l runner-up (NJ)

DM – #21 Claire Gallerano (Jr.; Dallas, TX) … Def. M known for tenacious tackling and ball-winning … missed ’05 spring (ankle) … ’05: 2 GP/1 GS (vs. UVm) … ’04: 15 GP/1 GS (vs. TT) … career: 21 GP/2 GS … Dallas Texans product (’03 national champs)

D – #18 Christie Shaner (Jr.; Ambler, PA) … ’04: headers vs. WVU, SJU; 2nd-tm Acad. All-Dist. … 2nd tm all-BE (’03; 3rd tm ’04) … ’05: 2 GS … career: 3G-3A (9 pts), 52 GP/45 GS All-Tour. ’04 ND Classic; U.S. U-21 camps (’04); #22 recruit in ’03 (SA) … ’04 stats: 2G, 25 GP/21 GS; 2,209 min./82 per gm (2nd on tm) … Prep All-American; member of nat’l semifinalist Bucks Challenge

D/M – #4 Kim Lorenzen (Jr.; Naperville, IL) … ’04 GWG at WVU, GWA vs. BC (1-0), 1G-1A vs. SJU, 1G vs. EIU in NCAAs … ’05: 2 GS … ’04: 3G-4A, GWG, 27 GP/21 GS … career: 3G-4A, 52 GP/43 GS … ’03 ODP nat’l champs (Illinois; w/ 3 ND players)

CD – #19 Carrie Dew (Fr.; Encinitas, CA) … Former member of U.S. U-16 and U-17 national teams … ’05: 2 GS … named to 2005 USASA Select-23 Nat’l Team … Played on national champs with S.D. Surf (’03), Cal-South ODP (’04)

G – #1 Erika Bohn (Sr.; Brookfield, CT) … Preseason BIG EAST Goalkeeper of Year (’05); member of ’05 U.S. Nordic Cup team … ’05 stats: 0.68 GAA, 1 SV, 1 GA, 2 GS (2-0-0) … 1st Team Academic All-American in ’04 (3.67 GPA, art studio) … ’04 stats: 0.41 GAA (led nation), 39 SV, 9 GA, 25 GP/22 GS (21-1-1) … ND-rec. 967-min. shutout streak in ’03 (5th NCAA history) … career: 0.69 GA, 132 SV, 44 GA, 71 GP/67 GS (55-11-2), 24 solo ShO … 3 PK saves (1 in reg.) in ’04 NCAA title game vs. UCLA

242443.jpeg

Lauren Karas

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

G – #6 Lauren Karas (So.; Flower Mound, TX) … ’04 wins over ASU (2-1), TX Tech (3-0), UWGB (4-0), Pitt (3-1; off bench) … ’05: 0.00, 2 GP (47:53), 4-0-0 … ’04: 1.24, 5 GA, 11 SV, 8 GP/5 GS … Golden Glove Award with North Texas ODP at ’04 Nationals

G – #0 Nikki Westfall (Jr.; Waterville, OH) … Strong ’04 spring season as ND starter, with Bohn injured (5-1-1; 5 GA) … ’04: 0 GA/2 SV, 5 GP (125:59) … car.: 0.31, 6 SV, 1 GA, 13 GP Played w/ WPSL champs F.C. Indiana summer ’05 (10 shutouts)

WALDRUM SURPASSES 300-WIN TOTAL – Seventh-year ND head coach Randy Waldrum posted his 200th career win as a Division I women’s head coach in the 2-1 game vs. Miami on Nov. 2, 2003, and registered his 100th win at Notre Dame in the 3-0 game at Texas Tech on Sept. 12, 2005 … Waldrum also coached eight seasons as college men’s soccer head coach and now owns 304 combined wins as a men’s and women’s college head coach (304-125-24/.698, in 23-plus seasons) … Waldrum now owns a 228-70-17 mark (.751) in 15-plus combined seasons as the women’s head coach at Tulsa, Baylor and Notre Dame (good for the 7th-best win pct. in the NCAA record book) … the Irish are 121-20-5 (.846) in the Waldrum era, including 47-4-2 over the past three seasons (.906) … Waldrum repeated as BIG EAST coach of the year in 2000 and became the first three-time BIG EAST women’s soccer coach of the year (in ’03) before winning the award again in ’04 … he was the only repeat selection for NSCAA region coach-of-the-year honors in ’04 (Great Lakes Region) … in ’99, he became the only coach in the history of the NCAA women’s soccer championship to lead a team to the title game in his first season as that team’s head coach … he was the fourth 1st-year coach to take his team to the NCAA semifinals, beating top-ranked and unbeaten Santa Clara in San Jose … his women’s soccer record includes 61-36-9 in six years at Tulsa, 46-14-3 in three seasons at Baylor.

242327.jpeg

Randy Waldrum

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

20-SOMETHING – Notre Dame in 2004 reached the 20-win plateau for the ninth time in a span of 11 seasons, going on to set the ND record for wins in a season (25-1-1) … the 1996 team held the previous record of 24 wins, with the Irish also posting 23 victories in 1994, ’97 and ’00, 21 wins in ’95, ’98 and ’99, and 20 Ws in ’03.

PUNCHING THE CLOCK – Current senior F Katie Thorlakson missed the first two games of her ND career due to the 2002 Under-19 World Championship but has not missed a game since joining the Irish (72 straight) … senior M Annie Schefter (missed ’02 due to injury) and junior M Jen Buczkowski each have appeared in all 53 games over the past two seasons while four juniors have played in 52 of the 53: D Christie Shaner (50 straight, dnp vs. ASU in ’03), D Kim Lorenzen (43, dnp vs. Indiana State in ’03), F/M Lizzie Reed (42, dnp vs. West Virginia in ’02) and DM Jill Krivacek (37, dnp vs. UConn in ’03).

242323.jpeg

Kim Lorenzen

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

FIRST-HALF FORTRESS – The Notre Dame defense has been particularly stingy in the 1st half the past four seasons, allowing just 27 goals in the 1st half of those 93 games (0.30/gm) … the 1st half in ’02 saw little scoring (12-10 ND edge), compared to a 40-7 first-half edge in ’03 (30-4 in ’04, while allowing just 64 first-half shots and 15 corner kicks) … the Irish have been equally dominant in the first (76-12) and second half (78-15) over the past three seasons (’03-’05).

GOING THE DISTANCE – Notre Dame is unbeaten in its past 18 overtime games (13-0-5), since the 3-2, double-OT loss to UNC in the ’99 opener … prior to the 0-0 game vs. Rutgers in ’04, the Irish played 18 straight non-OT games (longest since the ’97 and ’98 teams combined for 31 straight non-OT games) … after the opening ’99 loss to UNC, that Irish team went on to post a 2-1, double-OT win at UConn and played to a 1-1 tie at Nebraska in the NCAA quarterfinals (adv. on PKs) … the 2000 team had OT wins over Stanford, at West Virginia and vs. Santa Clara in the NCAA quarterfinals (all 2-1) plus a 0-0 tie at UConn … ’01 featured an unprecedented five OT games (2-1 vs. Indiana, Villanova, WVU and Michigan; 2-2 vs. Wisconsin) while the ’02 team added 1-0 OT wins over Rutgers and BC … the ’03 team had a 0-0 tie with Stanford (at SCU) and OT wins over Villanova (1-0) and Miami (2-1, BE quarter’s) … the ’04 team played to a 1-1 tie with UCLA in the NCAA title (the Irish won, 4-3 on PKs).

SHARING THE WEALTH IN OT – Notre Dame’s 13 overtime wins in the Waldrum era include goals from seven players (own goal vs. Stanford in ’00; PK win vs. UCLA in ’04 NCAA title game): Anne Makinen (vs. UConn, ’99), Amanda Guertin (ND record 4; vs. West Virginia in ’00, Michigan in ’01, Boston College in ’02, Miami in ’03 BIG EAST quarter’s), Meotis Erikson (vs. SCU in ’00 NCAA quarter’s), Kelly Tulisiak (vs. Indiana, ’01), Amy Warner (2; vs. Villanova in ’01, Rutgers in ’02), Mia Sarkesian (vs. WVU, ’01) and Katie Thorlakson (vs. Villanova, ’03) … Thorlakson is the only current player who has scored an OT goal with the Irish (she also was the only player on the ’04 team with an OT goal already to her credit) but three of her current teammates did convert PKs in the 2004 NCAA title-game shootout vs. UCLA: Jen Buczkowski, Annie Schefter and Jill Krivacek.

BAM! … BUCZKOWSKI DOES IT AGAIN – Sophomore M Jen Buczkowski did not register a gamewinning goal in the first 37 games of her ND career before delivering a pair of GWGs in the late moments of back-to-back 2004 wins at Georgetown (89:16; 2-1) and vs. #20 Boston College (79:06; 1-0) … three games later, she added her 3rd GWG in the 4-0 win at Michigan and then had the GWG in the BIG EAST semifinal vs. BC (2-0; giving her 4 GWGs in span of 5 wins) … Buczkowski also surged to 2nd among 2004 BIG EAST players with 11 assists, trailing only her teammate Katie Thorlakson’s 24 (tops in the nation in `04).

242432.jpeg

Jen Buczkowski

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

NOTRE DAME VETERANS CAREER HIGHS

Katie Thorlakson – 4 Goals (vs. St. John’s ’04) … 4 Assists (vs. UNH ’05) … 10 Points (4G-2A, vs. SJU ’04)

Candace Chapman – 2 Goals (vs. Pitt ’01, BAY, SHU ’04) … 5 Assists (2G-1A, vs. SHU ’04)

Annie Schefter – 2 Goals (vs. WKU ’03), 2 Assists (vs. Hartford ’03), 5 Points (2G-1A, vs. WKU ’03)

Jen Buczkowski – 2 Goals (vs. OK, LOY ’03), 2 Assists (vs. BAY, SHU, SJU ’04), 5 Points (2G-1A vs. OK ’03)

Amanda Cinalli – 2 Goals (vs. BAY, PORT ’04), 2 Assists (vs. MICH ’04; vs. UNH, UVm ’05), 5 Points (2G-1A vs. BAY ’04)

Kim Lorenzen – 3 Points (1G-1A vs. SJU ’04) Lizzie Reed – 3 Points (1G-1A vs. SJU ’04)

Erika Bohn’s most saves in a game – 7 vs. Villanova (’02; 1-2), 6 vs. Rutgers (’02; 1-0) and Georgetown (’04; 2-1)

DEPTH CHARGES – The 2004 season was a unique one in many ways for Randy Waldrum’s squad, as the veteran Irish coach and his players embraced a system of deeper substitution and rotating lineups (something that likely will be a trademark of the ’05 team as well) … 19 different players started for the Irish in ’04, including 17 who have logged at least five starts … ND recently has elected to not start several top players on the second game of a weekend, instead bringing them off the bench for a “shock troops” effect that was made popular by legendary ND football coach Knute Rockne (he often would start his entire 2nd team, then bring in the top group later in the game).

THOR BRINGS THUNDER AND LIGHTNING – Katie Thorlakson led the nation in 2004 in assists (24) and points (70) while ranking 3rd in goals (23) … her 10 points vs. St. John’s (4G-2A) were 5th-most by a Div. I player in `04 (among players from 306 schools) while her 8 points vs. #4 Santa Clara tied for 8th and were most by any player vs. a top-25 opponent … she was the only player from a 2004 top-25 team who posted 8-plus points in a game (doing so twice) and was one of two players to post 8-plus points in multiple games during the ’04 season … she also was one of just two players in ’04 who posted 4- plus goals and 3-plus assists in games during the ’04 season … see PDF for ’04 NCAA stat leaders

242325.jpeg

Christie Shaner

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

MAGIC NUMBERS ­- The 3-goal mark has been virtually an automatic win for ND, with the Irish 215-3-1 all-time (.984) when scoring 3-plus, losing to N.C. State in the ’92 opener (4-3), UConn in ’95 (5-4, OT) and at Georgetown in ’02 (4-3), plus a 3-3 tie vs. Vanderbilt in ’91… the Irish had won 88 straight when scoring 3-plus, before the GU loss (now 118-1-0 since 10/6/95) … ND is 301-9-12 (.953) all-time when holding the opponent to 0-1 goals (106-3-5 since 9/9/99), including tough 1-0 losses in ’02 to eventual NCAA champ Portland and top-ranked Stanford … prior to the UP loss, the Irish had been 56-0-3 in the previous 59 games when allowing 0-1 GA (dating back to 1-0 loss to SMU in ’99, playing minus Finnish national teamer Anne Makinen) … the program’s 18-year history includes just 303 goals allowed in 395 games (0.77 GA per game) … the Irish have allowed more than one goal in only 73 all-time games (19%) and have yielded 3-plus goals in just 33 all-time games (8%; including two 6-goal games by the opponent, four 5-goal and six 4-goal) … 92% of ND’s all-time games have seen the Irish hold the opponent to 0-2 goals with a 317-26-15/.906 record in those games (ND is just 4-28-1 all-time when allowing 3-plus).

GOALS-A-PLENTY – Stretching from ’92-’05, the Irish have scored in 94.9% of their games (296 of 312) … since ’94, the Irish have scored in 258 of 271 (.952; three shutouts in NCAA title games) – with goals in 192 of 200 regular-season games (.960) over that 12-year stretch … ND saw its 31-game scoring streak (3rd-best in Irish history) end in ’02.

244232.jpeg

Jill Krivacek

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

WINDY-CITY TRIO NOW A QUARTET – Notre Dame’s geographically-diverse 2005 roster includes four players who grew up playing close to one another in the Chicago area … those Windy City natives are led by three juniors – M Jen Buczkowski (Elk Grove HS), D/M Kim Lorenzen (Naperville North HS) and defensive M Jill Krivacek (Geneva; Rosary HS) – who now have been joined by freshman M/F Brittany Bock (Naperville/Neuqua Valley HS) … the foursome helped lead the Illinois team to the 2003 Olympic Development national title in the summer of ’03, with Bock earning the Golden Boot Award while playing up an age group … each of the Chicago veterans played key, but subtle, roles on the 2004 national-title squad, with Lorenzen’s great versatility allowing her to play anywhere on the field (she scored the gamewinning goal in the 74th minute at #20 West Virginia and had the primary assist on Buczkowski’s GWG vs. #20 Boston College) … the 5-foot-11 Krivacek has fortified the defensive midfield spot while Buczkowski is the classic field general and ranked 3rd on the ’04 team with 27 points (8G-11A).

BIG & BRIGHT – The lone star state has deep connections to ND women’s soccer (all three coaches and four players are Texas natives):

• Seventh-year ND head coach Randy Waldrum is a native of Irvin, Texas, played at Midwestern State (Wichita Falls, Texas) from ’77-’80, coached the men’s teams at Austin College (’82) and Texas Wesleyan (’88) and coached the Baylor women from ’96-’98 (he was the Texas Longhorns club’s director of coaching from ’87-’89).

• 3rd-year assistant Dawn Greathouse is a native of Allen, Texas, and played for Waldrum as the starting ‘keeper at Baylor … she also starred for the Texas Longhorns and the Region III and North Texas ODP squads.

• Junior M Claire Gallerano (Dallas/Ursuline HS) helped lead the Dallas Texans to the ’03 USYSA national club title (in the girls-18 division).

242348.jpeg

Claire Gallerano

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

• Freshman F Kerri Hanks (Allen) – a ’04 signee who did not enroll at ND until the spring of `05, due to Under-19 World Championship training with the U.S. team – earned the USYSA’s Golden Boot Award as the tournament’s top scorer with that ’03 Dallas Texans. She then won the Golden Boot again in ’05 as the Texans lost the girls-19 national title games in PKs. Hanks totaled 47 goals in two seasons at Allen HS before focusing on U-19 duty.

• Sophomore G Lauren Karas (Flower Mound HS) also has starred for the Dallas Sting and Texans club teams, plus the Region III and North Texas ODP teams (she earned the Golden Glove Award with North Texas at the 2004 ODP nationals).

• Freshman M Rebecca Mendoza (Garland) was a standout at North Garland HS (77G-58A in first three seasons) and helped lead the Dallas Sting to a 3rd-place finish at 2005 USYSA Nationals (girls-18) while also playing for North Texas ODP in ’03 and ’04 (dnp in ’05 due to duties with Mexican National Team, as she holds dual citizenship).

• ND’s all-time roster includes 17 Texas natives, most notably: early scoring leader Stephanie Porter (’90-’93; Spring/Klein HS); steady M Tiffany Thompson (’91-’94; Houston/Cypress Creek HS); clutch ‘keeper Liz Wagner (’98-’01; Spring/Klein HS); All-America D Monica Gonzalez (’97-’01; Richardson/Plano East HS); and high-scoring F Amanda Guertin (’00-’03; Grapevine HS).

GREAT STARTS – The ’03 season saw ND go unbeaten after 19 games for the 4th time in the program’s history while the ’04 team surpassed that feat with a 19-0-1 start … the ’04 season marked the 2nd time an ND team has won the first 15 games of the season (then 0-0 vs. Rutgers), one shy of the record-setting 16-0-0 start in ’00 … here’s a look at ND’s top season-opening streaks (see PDF):

GOAL PATROL – Notre Dame players have combined for 25 multiple-goal games over 53 games in the past three seasons (compared to just five in all of ’02), by 12 different players … the 2005 opener vs. New Hampshire saw freshman F Kerri Hanks, senior F Katie Thorlakson (2) and freshman M/F Brittany Bock each register multi-goal games and Hanks added a 4-goal game two days later vs. Vermont … three different players – Amanda Cinalli, Thorlakson and Candace Chapman – had two goals in the 2004 opener vs. Baylor, with Thorlakson adding 3G vs. Santa Clara, 2G vs. both UWGB and Michigan and then 4G vs. St. John’s while Maggie Manning had 2G at Texas Tech and Chapman added 2G vs. Seton Hall while Cinalli had 2G vs. Portland … current players who posted multiple-goal games in ’03 included: Manning vs. Hartford (2), Jen Buczkowski vs. Oklahoma, Thorlakson and Annie Schefter vs. Western Kentucky and Thorlakson at Rutgers … Thorlakson has totaled eight multiple-goal games in her ND career (including one 3-goal game and the 4G game) … Chapman, Manning and Hanks each own two multi-goal games with the Irish.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEBUT – No Notre Dame freshman had a double-digit goalscoring season from 2001-03 but Amanda Cinalli changed that trend with a 10-game season in 2004 … freshman Kerri Hanks (7) already is just three goals shy of becoming the 17th ND freshman with a double-digit goal season.

ND Freshmen w/ Double-Digit Goals (see PDF)

242452.jpeg

Brittany Bock

spacer.gif

spacer.gif

OT-TESTED … BUT RUSTY – Notre Dame is unbeaten in its past 18 overtime games (13-0-5) and is 13-1-5 overall in OT during the Randy Waldrum era but the Irish have played to overtime just twice in their past 32 games (0-0 vs. Rutgers, on Oct. 22, 2004; 1-1 NCAA title game vs. UCLA that ended 4-3 on PKs).

CORNERING THE MARKET – Dating back to the 2004 regular-season game vs. Rutgers (Oct. 22), Notre Dame has owned the corner-kick edge in 12 of its past 14 official fall games, also finishing tied in CKs for one of those games (5-5 vs. UCLA in the NCAA title game) … Santa Clara is the only recent opponent with more CKs than the Irish, by a one-kick margin (6-5, in the NCAA semifinals) … the Irish have racked up an 88-19 CK margin (nearly 5:1) in the past 14 games … that 14-game stretch has included 7 games with no CKs allowed by ND (also 3 GP with 1 CK allowed and 2 CKs by Portland in the ’04 NCAA quarterfinal) … Notre Dame attempted all 14 corner kicks in its pair of games at the ’05 season-opening Vermont Classic (12 vs. UNH, 2 vs. UVm) … excluding the pair of games at the 2004 College Cup weekend, the Irish have racked up a 79-8 CK edge (nearly 10-to-1) in the other 12 games since Boston College held a 4-2 CK edge on Oct. 18, 2004.