NOTRE DAME, Ind. – No. 7/7 Notre Dame (1-0) scored 13 unanswered goals over a span of 35:36 in a 17-7 route of Cleveland State on Saturday afternoon to open the 2020 season in Loftus Sports Center.
The Irish had 10 players find the back of the net in the lopsided affair. Senior Bryan Costabile, a unanimous first team All-American, led the team in goals with four, all coming in the first three quarters of play. Freshman Pat Kavanagh turned in a remarkable collegiate debut, finishing with seven points off three goals and four assists.
Sophomore Quinn McCahon and senior Tommy McNamara each added two goals in the winning effort.
Another freshman playing in his first collegiate game who impressed was goalkeeper Liam Entenmann made eight saves while allowing just two goals in over 37 minutes of play as the starter.
How It Happened
The Vikings scored the opening goal in the opening minute and then it was all Irish the rest of the way. The Irish ended the first half with 12 straight goals to take a 12-1 lead into the break. All six of the starting attack and midfield all scored goals in the first half for Notre Dame.
The Irish outscored the Vikings 4-2 in the third quarter to lead 16-3 after 45 minutes of play. The visitors were able to cut into the lead in the fourth frame when Notre Dame pulled all of the first team players. The Irish won by a final score of 17-7.
Goal Of The Game
Pure. Filth.
💻 (ACCN subscription required): https://t.co/Ty0IyjaA0T
📊: https://t.co/xShsDD7k81#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/41xFZtBZlr— Notre Dame Lacrosse (@NDlacrosse) February 15, 2020
Notre Dame Player Of The Game
Kavanagh turned in a monster performance in his Notre Dame debut, leading the team in points with seven off three goals and four assists, despite not playing a large part of the second half.
Stat Of The Game
Notre Dame’s defense was impenetrable for large stretches of the game. After the Vikings scored on their first possession, the Irish defense held Cleveland State scoreless for a stretch of 35:36.
Notre Dame Notes
- With the win, the Irish are now 1-0 against the Vikings in the series.
- Notre Dame moves to 27-5 in season openers under Baumer Family Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Kevin Corriganand 32-7 in program history.
- The Irish improve to 36-6 in games played in the month of February during Corrigan’s tenure.
- Over the last five seasons, Notre Dame is 10-1 when playing indoors.
- Graduate student Charlie Trense, sophomore Griffin Westlin and freshmen Liam Entenmann and Pat Kavanagh earned the first starts of their career on Saturday.
- With four goals, Costabile now has scored 14 goals over his last three season openers. The senior has 93 in his career, just seven shy of becoming the second midfielder in program history to reach the 100-goal milestone.
- Costabile pushed his consecutive goal streak to 28 games, the second longest active streak in the country.
Up Next
The Irish welcome No. 19/19 Richmond to campus at noon ET on Sunday, Feb. 23. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX ($) via the Watch ESPN app.
— ND —
The University of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team pursues excellence on and off the field through the three pillars in which the program is built: Character, Culture & Community. These three foundational values guide the promise of the program, which is to provide its student-athletes with the most compelling and enriching experience in all of college athletics. Through academics, competition, service and travel, the program aims to immerse its players in situations that enhance their student-athlete experience to help them become the people, students and teammates they aspire to be.
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