April 5, 2003
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s soccer team closed out the 2003 International Showcase in fine fashion Saturday night at Alumni Field, posting a 3-1 victory over the Mexican National team. Saturday’s earlier game saw Michigan score early in the game before notching the gamewinner in the 86th minute for a 2-1 win over the Canadian Under-19 National Team.
Freshman Annie Schefter – who missed all of the 2002 season due a summer ACL knee injury – played a key role in the win, helping hold Mexico to just three shots on net while starting at a new position (central defender) in place of injured junior Melissa Tancredi. Schefter opened the scoring late in the first half when she knocked in an Amanda Guertin free kick that had rebounded off the crossbar, with Guertin scoring on a similar play early in the second half before fellow junior Amy Warner scored in the 69th minute for a 3-0 lead.
Notre Dame’s lineup included Schefter and sophomore Gudrun Gunnarsdottir at central defense while senior Vanessa Pruzinsky started at right outside back and sophomore Candace Chapman at left back. The midfield formation included junior Randi Scheller at the recessed position and junior Kim Carpenter and freshman Maggie Manning in the high midfield roles – with Guertin, Warner and freshman Katie Thorlakson comprising the forwards. All 11 starters, including freshman ‘keeper Erika Bohn, played the full 90 minutes.
“We were very pleased with the play of the team tonight and with the support for this tournament,” said Notre Dame head coach Randy Waldrum, whose past two Irish teams also posted spring wins over Mexico.
“The weather played havoc with a lot of sporting events all over the nation in the past few days but we were able to see three great games this week and look forward to continuing these international exhibition games in the future.
“It was great to see players like Annie Schefter, ‘Gunna’ (Gunnarsdottir), Vanessa Pruzinsky and Candace Chapman to play so well. They all are key players in our defense and had missed large parts of last fall or this spring due to injuries – so it was very encouraging to see them play so well.
“Annie still is not at 100% but tonight you saw her great skill level and the experience factor that she brings from her time with the U.S. national program. She stepped right in this week and met the challenge of playing centrally in the back – and she was great in the air, she die not lose a battle. Maggie Manning also has made great strides this spring. Her confidence level on the ball has really improved and she is more involved and active in the play. She needs to have that type of high work rate to make an impact on the game.”
Notre Dame finished with a 20-11 edge in total shots (13-3 in shots on net) while the game featured just four corner kicks (three by ND).
Guertin has made a name for herself with the Irish on set plays and Saturday’s game was no exception. Her 25-yard free kick from the center of the field hit squarely off the crossbar and kicked down to the goalline, with backpedaling ‘keeper Jennifer Molina-Shea caught out of position to gather in the loose ball. Schefter was following the shot and fired into the open net for the 1-0 lead heading into halftime (43:38).
Early in the second half, Thorlakson took a pass on the left flank and lofted a 30-yard shot that glanced off the crossbar and sailed high into the air. Guertin settled the ball and calmly deposited it into the net for the 2-0 cushion (54:12).
Thorlakson’s pass led to Warner’s run down the right side midway through the second half, with Warner using her speed to beat her defender before finishing for the crucial third goal.
Mexico averted the shutout in the 75th minute, when Erica Audelo headed a leftside cross into the right corner of the net for the final 3-1 score (74:14).
In Saturday’s first game, a hand ball in the box led to an early penalty kick – with Michigan’s Erika Kleinholz converting the chance for the 1-0 lead (9:51).
The Canadian Under-19 squad – which held a 21-8 total shots edge (but just 6-4 in shots on net) – netted the equalizer with 23 minutes left to play, with Michigan ‘keeper Suzie Grech dropping the ball in a goalmouth scramble and Caroline Vallancourt knocking in the loose ball (66:25).
Rachel Rothenbach’s leftside corner kick set up the gamewinning goal, with Canada unable to clear the zone before Colleen McAndrews scored for the 2-1 win (85:01).
Mexico 0 1 – 1
Notre Dame 1 2 – 3
ND 1. Annie Schefter( Amanda Guertin) 43:38.
ND 2. Amanda Guertin (-) 54:12.
ND 3. Amy Warner (-) 68:24.
MEX 1. Erica Audelo (-) 74:14.
Shots: MEX 5-6 – 11, ND 10-10 – 20.
Corner Kicks: MEX 0-1 – 1, ND 2-1 – 3.
Saves: MEX (Jennifer Molina-Shea) 10, ND (Erika Bohn) 2.
Fouls: MEX 8, ND 13.
Offsides: MEX 3, ND 7.
Canada Under 19s 0 1 – 1
Michigan 1 1 – 2
MICH 1. Erika Kleinholz (PK) 9:51.
CAN 1. Caroline Vallancourt (Josee Belanger) 66:25.
MICH 2. Colleen McAndrews (Rachel Rothenbach) 85:01.
Shots: CAN 8-13 – 21, MICH 4-4 – 8.
Corner Kicks: CAN 3-1 – 4, MICH 1-5 – 6.
Saves: CAN (Stacey VanBoxmeer) 2, MICH (Suzie Grech) 5.
Fouls: CAN 10, MICH 11.
Offsides: CAN 0, MICH 2.