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GM 7 Preview: Detroit

Irish host Titans on Thursday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. ET, inside Alumni Stadium

3-seed Notre Dame (12-3-4)NCAA Tournament
2nd & 3rd Rounds
Where:Fayetteville, AR | Razorback Stadium
Watch:ESPN+
2nd Rd Opponent:6-seed Memphis (19-1)
When:Friday, Nov. 16 | 4 p.m. ET
3rd Rd Opponent:Pitt or Arkansas
When:Sunday, Nov. 18 | 7 p.m. ET
Social:NDWSOC Twitter
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NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s soccer team (4-1-1) looks to keep Alumni Stadium a tough venue to earn a result when the Detroit Titans (1-5-0) come to town on Thursday, Sept. 9. Kickoff is slated for 7 pm ET and will be streamed live on ACCNX. Admission is free all season long.

JUST AROUND THE CORNER .. FROM ALUMNI STADIUM

The Irish have enjoyed a dramatic advantage in corner kicks vs its opposition, 42-13. Notre Dame’s 7.0 corners/game ranks 35th in the nation and fifth in the ACC.

The Irish even scored off of a Sammi Fisher corner kick against Purdue, as Olivia Wingate headed it past the goalie and into the net.

LATE RALLY STYMIED

Coach Norman’s best start with the Irish came in 2019 when they fired off a 6-0-0 unblemished record. Coach Norman also matched the unbeaten mark this season, but the Tigers unfortunately had other plans in overtime.

Trailing Mizzou 2-0 in the second half, the Irish showed a lot of fight by tying the match by regulation’s end to force overtime. Sammi Fisher converted a PK in the 73rd minute before Korbin Albert hit the equalizer in the 87th.

PURDUE NOTABLES

ND continued to make Alumni a tough place to earn a result by downing Purdue by the score of 1-0 on Sept. 2. The Irish executed a corner kick to perfection. Fisher deep to Wirtz, who headed it to the middle of the box to Wingate, whose head put it in the back of the net.

In addition, sophomore goalkeeper Kaylin Slatter made her first career start in net and recorded her first career shutout as well.

HOME SWEET HOME

Since Alumni Stadium’s creation in 2009, Notre Dame has gone 100-26-6, good for a .781 winning percentage. In fact, they have only surrendered one loss or fewer on six separate seasons.

Looking at just the past three years, the Irish are 14-3-2 at home.

GAME-WINNERS

Game-winning goals – well Sammi Fisher has two through six games, which currently ranks 14th in the country.

Fisher’s first came in the season opener against Bowling Green after a 2.5 hour weather delay.  She then converted the game-winning penalty in overtime at Wisconsin – on her birthday no less.

SHOT RATES OF WINGATE

When Olivia Wingate gets a shot off, lookout because it’s going to be a dangerous shot on net. In fact, her .833 shot accuracy percentage ranks 10th in the nation and tops all players in the ACC. In all, she has 12 shots, with 10 on net.

THREE-HEADED MONSTER

Sammi Fisher (6 points), Olivia Wingate (6 points) and Korbin Albert (5 points) are the attacking three-headed monster for the Irish thus far this season.

First, there’s Fisher, who is a two-time All-ACC selection. She enters this week’s games with 19 career goals and nine career assists. The graduate student is looking to top her 2019 season total of six goals and she’s off to a great start with three.

“She’s calmer in the final third. She’s seen it all at this point. She understands what we need from a game. Possesses this maturity level of understanding,” said Coach Norman.

Then there’s Wingate, who boasts two goals and two assists. She scored the game-winner against Purdue and was responsible for the assist of Albert’s game-tying goal at Mizzou that forced overtime.

“Wingate has really blossomed in the new formation. She’s incredibly athletic and stretches the backline. If teams press us, that gives her the freedom to explore space and use her speed up top. She’s one of the fastest kids in the country in my opinion,” said Coach Norman.

Albert’s five points come from two goals and one assist. Both goals have come on the road – at Wisconsin and at Mizzou. Albert is the lone freshman that has cracked the starting lineup.

Korbin is a gifted attacking player that can do things on the ball that not too many players in this country can. She’s awesome in tight spots or 1v1 areas,” said Coach Norman.

LENDING A HAND FOOT

Junior midfielder Maddie Mercado has assisted two goals this season, which co-leads the Irish. Mercado had just two career assists to her name prior to this season starting.

”Mercado is an all-around player. A feisty tenacious defender. She boasts a creative side with her game and passing. A box-to-box midfielder,” said Coach Norman.

NATE TAKES

“We want to be a team that applies a lot of pressure. We have a lot of depth so keep the game fast pace. We want to be up in people’s faces, make them uncomfortable and create a lot of chances.”