Game 4 Preview: Illinois

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s soccer team (3-0) has had a hot start to the 2022 season, and they’ll look to continue that trend at home on Sunday, August 28, versus Illinois (3-0). The battle between two unbeatens kicks off at 4 pm ET inside Alumni Stadium. Reminder to all fans, admission is free all season. For those who can’t make it in person, the game will be streamed live on ACCNX.

Also to note for in-venue fans on Sunday, don’t miss our postgame “Shots on Goal”, where fans 8th grade and under can come on the field and take a shot on goal.

A 3-0 START

It’s been a great start to the 2022 season for the Irish, firing off a 3-0 record with a 7-0 goal aggregate. The best part of the seven goals – it’s come from five different players: Wingate (2), Mercado (2), Klenke, Fisher and Albert.  

Notre Dame is averaging an impressive 22.67 shots per game, which ranks 10th nationally. Diving in more, they are averaging 11.33 shots on goal, which ranks 8th nationally. 

In addition, the Irish are averaging 11.67 corners per game which ranks first in the country. 

DOMINANT DEFENSE

For the fifth time in program history and the first time since 2010, the Irish has started the season with three straight shutout victories. The other instances and the streaks include 1994 (3), 1995 (8), 2008 (4), 2010 (4). 

More impressive than that, the Irish defense has only allowed one single shot on net in three games, boasting a 34-1 advantage there. Total shots-wise, the Irish boast a whopping 68-3 advantage.  

MAC HERMANN WATCH LIST

A big reason for the backline’s success is center back Eva Gaetino. Now her success hasn’t gone unnoticed for she was named to the Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List. On August 18, the United Soccer Coaches announced its 61 players up for soccer’s most prestigious award. The list gets narrowed down to 15 players on Nov. 30.  

RETURNING BACKLINE

The Irish return all but two starters from last year’s starting eleven, losing just its two central midfielders in Camryn Dyke and Brook VanDyck. Thus, it’s entire backline defense of Wirtz, Gaetino and Hudson are back, plus the addition of freshman Leah Klenke. 

The three starting defenders last year helped post a 0.963 goals against average. All-in-all, the Irish defense allowed 22 goals with 97 shots on net. The 22 goals were the fewest allowed in Coach Norman’s tenure (not counting the shortened 2020 season due to Covid-19), and the fewest since 2016.

WIN NO. 100

When Notre Dame knocked off No. 19 Saint Louis on Aug. 25 to improve to 3-0, it not only marked the team’s first ranked win on the year, but also career win No. 100 for Coach Norman. Norman is in his fifth year with the Irish as a head coach and in his 10th year overall has a head coach. 

ALBERT SHINES WITH FREE KICK GOAL

In Albert’s first game back as a starter, the sophomore midfielder made an instant impact, firing off the game-winner in impressive fashion at Saint Louis. Taking a free kick a few yards back from the top of the penalty arc, Albert bent the ball to the upper-left corner for the goal. The highlight can be viewed by clicking the link below:

BRACE YOURSELF

Both Olivia Wingate and Maddie Mercado recorded their second career braces in the opening weekend. Wingate notched two goals against Marquette, while Mercado delivered in both the air and ground with two against Western Michigan. 

Wingate ranked third on the team last year in goals with seven, while Mercado ranked fourth with five. Both those goal totals were respective career bests for Wingate and Mercado. 

FRESH BLOOD

A talented freshmen foursome join the Irish for the 2022 season: Leah Klenke, Berkley Mensik, Laney Matriano and Kiki Turner. 

Klenke has started all three games for the Irish and Coach Norman has high praise for his talented upcomer: one of the best incoming freshmen I’ve had here in terms of being ready to go game one. She can play any position. 

And that’s exactly what she’s done thus far, starting at both center mid and left back depending on the game. Klenke has registered three points thus far, scoring in the win over Marquette, then delivering a beautiful cross and assist to Mercado in the game-winner over Western Michigan.  

Matriano has started in two games this season in the midfield and seen significant time already. Meanwhile, expect to see Mensik subbed in late in the first half and flash her speed and prowess on the ball. 

RED, WHITE AND ALBERT

Korbin Albert missed the season opener but for good reason. She was in Costa Rica with the US women’s national youth team competing in the U20 World Cup. Albert played in two games with Team USA before they were eliminated after not making it out of the group stage.

Albert made an immediate impact in her first official start back with the Irish against Saint Louis on Aug. 25, scoring a game-winner off a free-kick from distance.

Albert was a game-changer for the Irish in her debut 2021 season. In fact, Top Drawer Soccer listed Albert as one of the 10 best freshmen in Division I soccer in 2021. Albert finished with the second most goals on the team with 12, which tied for the 13th most all-time in program history for a freshman. Albert also played her best soccer down the stretch, scoring eight of her goals over the last 11 games. 

Lastly, Albert wasn’t the only Irish to don the red, white and blue this past summer, for Bri Martinez competed with the U23 squad in the Three Nations Tournament in Sweden.

LOCAL PENN STANDOUTS RETURN

Two grad student transfers into the program return home to their roots for their final season. Mackenzie Wood and Kristina Lynch, both from Granger, attended Penn High and won a state title in soccer together. 

Wood, a 5-9 goalkeeper from Northwestern, will be battling Ashley Naylor for the starting spot. Expect to see both starting games early on in the season. 

Lynch, a 5-7 forward from Florida State, won NCAA titles with the Seminoles in both 2018 and 2021. She is currently recovering from an ankle injury and will miss the first few weeks.  

VAN ZANTEN SENDS JAMAICA TO WORLD CUP

It was a moment you dream about as a little kid, but on July 18, Kiki Van Zanten lived it. Competing with Team Jamaica during Concacaf Women’s Qualifying, Van Zanten was subbed in in overtime against Costa Rica and delivered the game-winning goal. As a result, Jamaica earned Concacaf bronze and a spot in the 2023 Women’s World Cup. You can watch the goal by copying the link below:

HOME SWEET HOME

The Irish have made Alumni Stadium a difficult venue for opposing programs to succeed in. Since its creation in 2009, Notre Dame has gone 110-27-6, good for a .792 winning percentage. In fact, they have only surrendered one loss or better on six separate seasons. 

Looking at just the past four years (counting this season as a year), the Irish are 24-4-2 at home. 

Notre Dame went 10-1-1 during the 2021 campaign – its lone loss was a 3-2 decision to Clemson in the ACC Tournament.