SOUTH BEND, Ind. – No. 1 Notre Dame opens up ACC play by welcoming No. 3 Virginia to Arlotta Stadium for one of the most highly anticipated games of the 2023 season at noon ET on Saturday, March 25. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.
GAME DETAILS
Location: South Bend, Indiana | Arlotta Stadium
Schedule: March 25 — Noon ET
TV: ESPNU
Live Stats: UND.com
Twitter Updates: @NDlacrosse
For a more in-depth look at the matchup – Game Notes: Notre Dame
THE VIRGINIA SERIES
• Saturday will be the 18th meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Virginia. The Irish trail the Cavaliers in the series by a narrow margin of 8-9.
• The two teams met at Klockner Stadium last season with Virignia winning by a score of 12-8.
• Pat Kavanagh and Eric Dobson each scored twice for the Irish in the defeat.
• Seven of the last 11 meetings have been decided by two goals or less.
THE BROTHERS KAVANAGH
• Pat Kavanagh became the fourth Tewaaraton Finalist in program history in 2021 and his brother Chris joined the 2022 squad as an attackman.
• The two brothers have combined for 63 points this season, Pat totaling 34 (10G, 24A) and Chris recording 29 (21G, 8A).
• Chris and Pat became the first set of ND teammates to each record eight or more points in the same game in program history, each posting eight, in the win over Cleveland State.
• The brothers have linked up on 19 goals during their career, with one assisting the other’s goal.
• Pat led the team during the 2022 season in points (64) and assists (39). He was second in goals (24), caused turnovers (12) and ground balls (39) while Chris was second in points (33) and assists (11) while tied for third in goals (22).
• In just 12 games in the 2022 season, Pat became the all-time single-season ND assist record holder with 39, breaking his own record from the 2021 season.
• Pat owns the single-game points record at ND, recording 10 points in a game three times in his career, twice against Syracuse and this season again against Michigan.
• The brothers also excel in the ground ball aspect of the game, combining for 33 on the season.
BEATING THE BEST
• The matchup against No. 3 Virginia will be Notre Dame’s fifth straight game this season against a team ranked in the top 20 in the InsideLacrosse poll.
• Notre Dame has recorded wins over then No. 15 Georgetown, No. 4 Maryland, No. 10 Ohio State and No. 20 Michigan.
• The Irish have a record of 43-38 against top 10 teams since the start of the 2010 season, including a record of 3-0 this season.
STRONG STARTS
• The Irish have wasted no time jumping on opponents early in games this season, outscoring the opposition by a combined score of 32-13 in first quarters.
• Notre Dame has scored on its first possession in five of its six games this season, with Eric Dobson firing in the first goal in four games.
• Chris Kavanagh and Eric Dobson have thrived in first quarters, each scoring seven goals on the season in the opening 15 minutes of play.
FITTING RIGHT IN
• Notre Dame welcomed four transfers to the 2023 roster and each player made has made significant contributions through two games.
• Chris Fake and Chris Conlin have each earned starts as defensemen in every game this season, combining for 12 caused turnovers and 28 ground balls.
• Brian Tevlin and Jack Simmons have played major minutes in the midfield, as Simmons has seven goals and two assists while Tevlin has five goals and an assist while adding 14 ground balls.
• Tevlin has also traded his short stick in for a long stick on the Irish man-down unit at times this season.
DOMINATING DEFENSE
• The Irish enter the weekend allowing just 8.17 goals per game, ranking second in the country.
• Notre Dame leads the ACC and ranks sixth in the country in caused turnovers per game this season, averaging 10.67.
• The Irish have recorded at least 10 caused turnovers in five of six games this season.
• Notre Dame has posted a shutout quarter in five games this season against Marquette (3rd), Georgetown (2nd), Maryland (2nd), Ohio State (3rd) and Michigan (2nd).
• ND recorded a season-high 14 caused turnovers in the win over No. 10/9 Ohio State.
• The Irish have allowed more than 20 shots on goal in a game just once this season.
ENTENMANN IS ELITE
• Senior Liam Entenmann has cemented his status as one of the top goalies in the country with his play in 2023.
• Entenmann leads the country in goals against average, allowing just 7.50 goals per game. He is the only goalie in the country to average fewer than eight goals per game in 2023.
• The senior has a save percentage of .602 (65 saves, 43 goals allowed), ranking third in the country.
• Entnemann has made double-digit saves in each of the last four games.
• He was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks following his performances in wins over No. 4 Maryland and No. 10/9 Ohio State.
SHARING IS CARING
• Notre Dame’s ball movement has been dizzying at times this season, as the Irish have dished out 55 assists this season.
• ND ranks third in the country in assists per game, averaging 9.2.
• Pat Kavanagh leads the country in assists per game (4.0).
• Thirteen different players have recorded at least one assist this season.
• Pat Kavanagh is one of five players in program history to reach the 100-career assist milestone, totaling 107 in his career. The senior currently ranks third and is just 10 shy of breaking the ND record held by David Ulrich (110).
ATTACKING MIDFIELD DEPTH
• Despite the Kavanagh brothers earning much of the national headlines, the Irish midfield units have been very productive in 2023.
• The starting midfield trio of Eric Dobson, Quinn McCahon and Bryce Walker have combined for 31 goals in 2023.
• Dobson leads the group with 15 goals, while McCahon has posted 10 and Walker has added six.
• The second midfield has combined for 20 goals, as Reilly Gray has eight while Jack Simmons has posted seven goals and Brian Tevlin has five.
CASHING IN ON THE EMO
• Notre Dame had one of the greatest man-up units in recent memory during the 2022 season, leading the country in efficiency.
• The Irish enter the weekend 10-for-16 (.625) on the EMO through this season, ranking third in the country.
• Chris Kavanagh is tied for fourth in the nation in EMO goals with five.
• The Irish EMO unit cashed in on 21-of-31 chances (.677) last season.
CHALLENGING SLATE AHEAD
• Notre Dame has never shied away from putting together a challenging schedule and the 2023 slate is no different.
• Of Notre Dame’s 12 regular-season opponents, eight are currently ranked in the top 20 in the USILA poll and/or the Inside Lacrosse Top 20 polls.
CORRIGAN ALL-TIME DI PROGRAM WINS LEADER
• With the win over No. 1 Duke on April 10, 2021, Baumer Family Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Kevin Corrigan broke the NCAA record for most wins at a DI program with 311, passing Bob Shillinglaw (Delaware).
• Corrigan became just the third coach in NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse history to reach the 300-win mark at a single school with the win over Marquette on April 10, 2019.
• Corrigan is one of just four active Division I coaches to reach the 300-win mark in his career.
• Corrigan has an overall record of 337-172 in his 37 seasons of coaching.
• The head coach is 327-157 in his 35 seasons at Notre Dame.
• Corrigan is the longest tenured men’s lacrosse coach at the DI level.