Sept. 22, 2002
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Sophomore defender Mary Boland’s diving header held up as the gamewinner as the seventh-ranked Notre Dame women’s soccer team posted its fourth straight victory, 1-0 over visiting Seton Hall, in BIG EAST Mid-Atlantic Division action Sunday afternoon at Alumni Field.
Notre Dame (6-2-0, 2-0-0 BIG EAST Mid-Atlantic) – which has yet to allow a first-half goal in 2002 – registered its second first-half goal of the season in the 22nd minute, on a double-header sequence initiated by junior forward Amy Warner’s leftside cross. Freshman Katie Thorlakson then went up to challenge SHU ‘keeper Leah Miller and sent a short header to the left side. Boland was running into the play and dove low to the ground, with her header settling into the left side of the net for her third goal of the season (21:31).
The Irish finished with a 13-2 overall shot edge, in a game that featured just eight shots on net (Miller made six saves). Both teams had five corner kicks, with ND holding a 12-10 edge in fouls.
Notre Dame played minus three of its top defensive players, with both senior captains – central defender Vanessa Pruzinsky and midfielder Ashley Dryer – sidelined due to ankle injuries while sophomore central back Gudrun Gunnarsdottir remained out with her foot injury.
Seton Hall (3-6-0, 0-2-0) had its best scoring chance in the 32nd minute, when senior defender Jo Ann Flanagan sent a shot into a crowded penalty-box area. The shot deflected off several players and carried towards the right side of the goal, with Irish junior midfielder Randi Scheller sweeping the ball off the goalline to preserve the 1-0 lead.
Notre Dame freshman ‘keeper Erika Bohn foiled several potential SHU chances en route to her third shutout of the season, with her season goals-against average dropping to 0.66.
The game marked Notre Dame’s 41st consecutive home win vs. a BIG EAST opponent, with the Irish owning a 45-1-0 all-time home record vs. BIG EAST teams (81-4-2 in all games vs. the BIG EAST). The current 41-game home winning streak vs. BIG EAST teams includes a 211-15 scoring edge, 28 shutouts and 12 games with one goal allowed.
The Irish tried several lineup variations in an attempt to jumpstart the offense, with Thorlakson moving up from the midfield to a high forward role in the earlygoing. Sophomore Candace Chapman again shifted from central defense into the midfield, as the Irish looked to add to their lead in the second half.
#7 NOTRE DAME 1 0 – 1
SETON HALL 0 0 – 0
ND 1. Mary Boland 3 (Katie Thorlakson, Amy Warner) 21:31.
Shots: SHU 2-0-2, ND 8-5-13.
Corner Kicks: SHU 2-3-5, ND 4-1-5.
Saves: SHU (Leah Miller) 6, ND (Erika Bohn 0, team save 1) 1.
Fouls: SHU 10, ND 10.
Offsides: SHU 3, ND 6.