Sept. 19, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – No. 15 Michigan State topped No. 24 Notre Dame behind two goals from Domenic Barone in men’s soccer action on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Stadium. The loss snapped Notre Dame’s four-game unbeaten streak.
Notre Dame (2-2-2) had a 22-13 advantage in shots, while Michigan State (5-1-0) had one more shot on goal (7-6). The Irish held a 7-6 edge in corner kicks for the match. Spartan goalkeeper Avery Steinlage made six saves in the win and Notre Dame junior Will Walsh (Morristown, N.J./Delbarton) had five stops.
Barone nearly put the Spartans on the board in the 25th minute, yet a diving Walsh deflected the ball wide of the post. The Michigan State forward deposited his first goal of the afternoon in the 40th minute as he headed in a Josh Barens cross from 10 yards out.
Michigan State led 1-0 at halftime. Both teams had eight shots and three corner kicks in the opening half.
“It was a disappointing result for us today,” stated Irish head coach Bobby Clark. “I felt we started slowly. I thought it was a fairly lethargic first half for both teams. We lost a goal, which dug a hole for us and then we had to chase the game.”
Notre Dame had arguably its best look of the afternoon in the 68th minute as senior defender Greg Klazura (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic) possessed the ball deep on the left side and sent a cross into freshman forward Harrison Shipp (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest), who could not get enough leg on it from six yards out and Steinlage made the save.
A Steinlage save also was needed on a Jeb Brovsky (Lakewood, Colo./Green Mountain) shot from the top of the 18-yard box with just over 12 minutes remaining in the match.
Barone gave Michigan State a two-goal lead in the 84th minute as he scored off a cross from Cyrus Saydee.
The Irish kept attacking in the final minutes as a diving Steinlage had to punch out a deep blast from sophomore midfielder Dillon Powers (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) in the 86th minute. Powers had a team-high four shots for Notre Dame.
“I thought for long periods of the second half we did very well,” commented Clark. “Without creating really good chances, we handled the ball much better and sharper. We went to three in the back and that left us open and then they got the goal that iced it with six minutes left. I felt we had momentum in the second half, but their second goal killed it.”
Notre Dame was handed four yellow cards in the match, while Michigan State was issued one.
The Fighting Irish will open BIG EAST play on Saturday, Sept. 25 when they welcome St. John’s to Alumni Stadium. Kickoff against the Red Storm is slated for noon (ET), which precedes Notre Dame’s home football game versus Stanford at 3:30 p.m. (ET). There is no admission to the Notre Dame-St. John’s match.
Alumni Stadium – Notre Dame, Ind.
September 19, 2010
#15 Michigan State (5-1-0) 1 1 – 2
#24 Notre Dame (2-2-2) 0 0 – 0
Scoring: MSU: Domenic Barone (Josh Barens, Cyrus Saydee) 39:30; MSU: Domenic Barone (Cyrus Saydee) 83:49
Shots: MSU 8-5 – 13, ND 8-14 – 22
Corner Kicks: MSU 3-3 – 6, ND 3-4 – 7
Goalkeepers: MSU: Avery Steinlage – 6 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W; ND: Will Walsh – 5 SV, 2 GA, 90:00, L
Fouls: MSU 11, ND 19
Offsides: MSU 2, ND 2