SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team closed out the regular season with a senior day victory, topping Louisville 15-9 Thursday evening at Arlotta Stadium.
On their final regular season game at Arlotta, five senior honorees were featured on the box score, including Jackie Wolak who posted a team-high seven points (3-4-7).
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish jumped out to an early lead as Jackie Wolak connected with Kasey Choma for the 1-0 tally just 14 seconds into play. The goal was Choma’s 50th of the season and Wolak’s team-leading 75th point.
Fellow senior Jane McAvoy extended the lead shortly after before Choma net her second of the day and the box score was flooded with members of the Irish class of 2023.
MK Doherty, Madison Ahern and Kristen Shanahan also got on the scoreboard to extend the ND lead to 8-0 through one quarter of play.
After four assists early in the contest, Wolak net her first of the game to give the Irish the 9-1 lead. Ahern then recorded her third straight hat trick to carry the 10 goals into halftime, with Notre Dame up 10-4.
Choma joined her classmate with three goals and tied for the team-best 52 on the season with her opening goal of the third quarter off the free position. Her hat trick performance was a team-best 12th of the season.
Louisville started to chip back at the Irish lead, cutting the Notre Dame lead t0 three, up 12-9, late in the game but Wolak’s two additional tallies, her sixth and seventh points of the game, to put the Irish back out front by five.
In her final regular season game with the Blue and Gold, graduate senior Hannah Dorney fired the final goal into the back of the net for the 15-9 victory.
STAT OF THE GAME
Kelly Denes surpassed 200 career draw controls with her third of the day, going on to register 10 controls and eclipsing her previous season best of 100 set in 2022.
The junior midfielder now boasts 103 draw controls on the season and has 207 draw controls during her Irish tenure.
ND NOTES
- Wolak’s seven points off three goals and four assists improves her season total to 81.
- Three Irish seniors recorded hat tricks in the contest as Ahern and Choma joined their classmate with three goals a piece to lead the team.
- The trio has now combined for 216 points this season with Ahern adding an assist in the match for 16 total points between her, Choma and Wolak against Louisville.
- The Irish handled the draw control Thursday, outdrawing the Cardinals 24-4 with Kelly Denes leading the way for the Irish with 10. The junior hit 200 career draws with her third control of the day. She later notched a career-best single season best with her 103rd late in the fourth.
- Eight seniors saw playing time Thursday night as part of their senior recognition, including six starters from the graduating class.
- The Irish defensive corp caused 10 turnovers Thursday against the Cardinals, including MK Doherty and Kelly Denes whose causes led to ground ball pick ups breakaway goals for both.
- Hannah Dorney’s four ground balls led the team and tied her career high.
- For the third consecutive game, Lilly Callahan made seven saves in the crease, earning the decisive win and her 12th victory of the season.
UP NEXT
With the conclusion of the regular season, the Irish will head to Charlotte, North Carolina, next week for the ACC tournament, April 26-30.