Oct. 18, 2002
2002 NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER NOTES – vs. BYU (Oct. 19)
IRISH LOOK TO KEEP ROLLING: The Notre Dame women’s soccer team (9-6-0) – ranked 23rd in this week’s NSCAA coaches’ poll – looks to continue its postseason push when Brigham Young (9-5-0) visits Alumni Field on Saturday night (7:00) … the Irish just completed a rare stretch of four straight games vs. top-20 teams by beating #8 UConn (3-1) and #13 Michigan (1-0) … Saturday’s game will mark the first-ever meeting between ND and BYU (Purdue, a 3-1 winner last week, is the only team since 1995 to beat the Irish in its first visit to Alumni Field) … ND has outshot its opponents 48-14 in the last three games … the Irish – despite being out of the running for the BIG EAST Tournament (3-3 Mid-Atlantic Division play) – still are holding onto hopes of rallying for an at-large berth into the 64-team NCAA Tournament … ND has endured a series of injuries (mostly to players in the defensive third) and additionally had to play vs. #20 Purdue without junior F/D Melissa Tancredi (5-yellow-card suspension).
WEBSITES: For in-depth information on ND’s upcoming opponents, please consult their official websites: www.byucougars.com, www.suathletics.com (Oct. 27) and www.bceagles.com (Oct. 29).
LIVE STATS AND AUDIO: Notre Dame continues to offer live in-game statistics for 2002 home soccer games (follow link on main page of www.und.com) … an internet audio broadcast of Saturday’s ND-BYU game also will be available at www.und.com (available to subscribers of the College Sports Pass, see website for details).
ND SPORTS HOTLINE: For schedule and result information on all 26 Notre Dame varsity sports, call (574) 631-3000 (press “4” for soccer information and then ‘2″ for women’s soccer results).
COUGARS NOTES: BYU – riding a six-game winning streak – was ranked in the national polls earlier this season and owns a top-30 power ranking, with a strong schedule that includes a 1-0 win over Portland (the Pilots were minus ace player Christine Sinclair) and losses to Michigan (1-2), Kentucky (0-2), USC (0-1) and UCLA (0-6) … junior All-America midfielder Aleisha Cramer-Rose is a former member of the U.S. National Team program … Cramer scored twice in Thursday’s win at New Mexico (3-2), with 4G-4A for the season (20G-26A for her career) … senior F Jeni Viernes (6G-4A) is BYU’s only player with more than four goals … sophomore G Mandy Gott has made 10 starts, with a 1.89 GAA, 36 saves and 18 goals allowed, while freshman Ashley Smith made her third start in the win over UNM (0.62 GAA, 17 SV, 3 GA) … BYU returned five starters and 11 of 16 letterwinners from its 2001 team that went 14-7-1 and won the Mountain West Conference (5-1-0), with a 1-0 NCAA win over Kansas and a 3-0 loss to Nebraska … BYU’s first varsity season was 1995, with trips to the NCAA every year from 1997-2001 … ND and BYU were headed for a meeting in the 2000 NCAA quarterfinals, but Santa Clara posted a 2-1 overtime win at BYU in the round of 16 (ND then beat SCU, 2-1 in OT).
FRIEND OR FOE?: Notre Dame senior M and tri-captain Ashley Dryer (Salt Lake City/West HS) played for several years alongside three current BYU players – senior F Jeni Viernes, senior M Kelly Hunsberger and junior D Farrah Hoffens Olmstead – with the Utah state Olympic Development Program … several other BYU players are products of the Utah ODP, including junior Ds Annie Hoecherl and Britney Holman and junior M/F Aydre Soffe.
LINEUP STABILIZES: Despite an onslaught of injuries, the Irish fielded a strong lineup in the wins over #8 UConn and #13 Michigan … junior Melissa Tancredi moved from F to central D, where she dominated in the air (winning all 18 heading duels vs. UConn), coupled with her trademark physical play and strong tacking … freshman Katie Thorlakson then moved up to forward (scoring her first goal of the season vs. the Huskies), senior M Ashley Dryer returned from her seven-game injury layoff and sophomore Mary Boland moved up to defensive midfield, where she played a key role in shutting down UConn playmaker Sarah Popper … sophomore Candace Chapman – who had started at midfield and forward in recent weeks – returned to the defense (at left back), with junior Kim Carpenter occupying the right back spot … ND’s other five starters have been at their respective spots all season: junior forwards Amanda Guertin and Amy Warner, junior M Randi Scheller and freshman central D Cat Sigler (each of those players has started all 15 games) – plus freshman G Erika Bohn (13 GS).
PROBABLE NOTRE DAME LINEUP
Pos. … Player (Yr.; hometown) … 2002 stats
F … #12 Amy Warner (Jr.; Albuquerque, NM) … 15 GS, 8G-5A (3 GWG) … hat trick vs. Georgetown
F … #6 Amanda Guertin (Jr.; Grapevine, TX) … 15 GS, 6G-7A (3 GWG) … 2 CK assists vs. Maryland and UConn; GWG at Michigan
F … #7 Katie Thorlakson (Fr.; Langley, BC) … 13 GP/12 GS, 1G-2A … member of Canada’s Under-19 National Team
AM … #3 Randi Scheller (Jr.; Kutztown, PA) … 15 GS, 5G-1A (GWG) … GWG on CK header vs. UConn
DM … #11 Ashley Dryer (Sr.; Salt Lake City, UT) … 10 GP/9 GS, 1A … missed 5-plus games due to injury
DM … #10 Mary Boland (So.; Hudson, OH) … 13 GP/9 GS, 3G (GWG) … also has started at F and D
LD … #8 Candace Chapman (So.; Ajax, ONT) … 13 GS, 2G-3A (GWG) … member of Canadian National Team
CD … #22 Cat Sigler (Fr.; Windsor, CA) … 15 GS, 1G … has started every game at central D
CD … #17 Melissa Tancredi (Jr.; Ancaster, ONT) … 12 GP/10 GS, 3G … all three goals on CK headers
RD … #25 Kim Carpenter (Jr.; Webster, NY) … 15 GP/14 GS, 1A … 1st-year starter, also has started at M
G … #0 Erika Bohn (Fr.; Brookfield, CT) … 14 GP/13 GS, 1.45 GAA, 33 SV, 17 GA … first ND freshman G since ’93
NOTRE DAME CAREER STATS (veterans)
Amanda Guertin (Jr., F) … 61 GP/57 GS, 32G-17A, 81 pts (13 GWG)
Amy Warner (Jr., F) … 54 GP/47 GS, 26G-10A, 62 pts (10 GWG)
Randi Scheller (Jr., M) … 60 GP/40 GS, 15G-15A, 45 pts (2 GWG)
Ashley Dryer (Sr., M) … 76 GP/61 GS, 3G-12A, 18 pts
Melissa Tancredi (Jr., F) … 28 GP/20 GS, 7G-4A, 18 pts (1 GWG; injured in ’00)
Candace Chapman (So., D) … 34 GP/33 GS, 5G-5A, 15 pts (3 GWG)
Mary Boland (So., F/D) … 23 GP/14 GS, 5G-2A, 12 pts (1 GWG)
Kim Carpenter (Jr., M) … 39 GP/14 GS, 2G-1A, 5 pts
Kate Tulisiak (So., D) … 16 GP/4 GS, 0G-0A
Lauren Kent (Jr., G) … 11 GP/2 GS, 362:21, 4 GA, 13 SV, 0.99 GAA, 1-1-0
FIRST-TIME VISITORS: Since the start of the 1993 season, Notre Dame opponents that were making their first visit to Alumni Field have lost to the Irish 31 times, with just twos win for the opposition and one tie in that stretch (.955, 31-2-1) … ND’s all-time record in series openers is 61-24-2 (.713), including 28-4-0 since 1993 and 41-7-0 in all series openers played at home (16-2-0 since ’93) … teams that recently have lost to ND in their first visit to Alumni Field include Harvard (2000), Penn State, Hartford and Eastern Illinois (all in 2001) and Virginia Tech (2002) … BYU (Oct. 19) will join VT (0-5) and Purdue (3-1) in making its first trip to Alumni Field during the 2002 season … since ’93, the only other team to beat the Irish in its first trip to Alumni Field was UConn in 1995 (5-4, OT).
PLAYING THE BEST: ND has played some of its best soccer in recent years when facing a ranked opponent, with a 21-9-2 record vs. ranked teams in the Waldrum era (since ’99) … that trend held true in 2001, when the Irish went 5-1 vs. ranked teams (2-1 vs. Penn St., 2-0 vs. Hartford, 2-1 vs. WVU, 3-0 vs. Miami, 0-3 at UConn and 2-1 vs. Michigan) … the Irish lost to a pair of ranked teams (Santa Clara and Portland) in the 2000 ND Classic before winning at #25 Maryland on Sept. 15 (5-2), losing at #9 West Virginia (3-0), dropping the 3-1 game to #20 Purdue and beating #8 UConn (3-1) and #13 Michigan (1-0) … over the course of the 2001 and ’02 seasons, ND owns an 8-5-0 record vs. NSCAA top-25 teams (18-4-1 vs. unranked teams).
ROAD REVERSAL: The 1-0 win at #13 Michigan game gave ND a chance to reverse a trend that saw the Irish lose three straight games on the opponent’s field (now 6-5 in the last 11), with the losses coming at current #21 Villanova (1-2), Georgetown (3-4) and current #8 WVU (0-3).
KEY PIECE OF PUZZLE: The return of senior M Ashley Dryer to the lineup sparked the Irish offense to the 3-1 win over #8 UConn … in the previous seven games (spanning the time that Dryer was sidelined with knee and ankle injuries), ND had totaled just 12 goals while allowing 12 goals by the opposition (including three games in which the opponents scored three-plus goals) … since Dryer’s return, ND has owned a 4-1 scoring edge (33-10 in shots, 12-6 in shots on goal, 9-4 in corner kicks).
LIGHTING THE SPARK: Freshman F/M Katie Thorlakson – who was a key part of Canada’s attack in the recent Under-19 World Championship – could be due for an offensive breakthrough, after scoring to tie the game in last week’s 3-1 comeback vs. #8 UConn (her first goal with the Irish, to go along with two assists).
‘TIS BETTER TO GIVE?: Despite a dropoff in her goal production this season (26 over first two seasons, 6 in 2002), junior Amanda Guertin continues to emerge as a dangerous playmaker due to her pinpoint corner kicks and effectiveness on other set plays … Guertin has totaled roughly one-third of ND’s assists in 2002 (7 of 23), nearly matching her combined total in 2000 and ’01 (10) … five of Guertin’s seven assists in 2002 have come via the CK – including two each in the key comeback wins over #25 Maryland (5-2, to classmate Melissa Tancredi on 2nd and 4th goals) and #8 UConn (3-1, to junior M Randi Scheller and Tancredi after 1-1 tie), plus the kick that produced freshman D Cat Sigler’s goal for a 3-0 lead vs. Pittsburgh (5-0).
VETERAN LEADERS: Notre Dame’s starting forwards and midfielders include four battle-tested veterans (one senior and three juniors) who have combined for 251 games played, 205 starts, 78 goals and 56 assists … juniors Amy Warner (54 GP/47 GS, 28G-10A, 9 GWG) and Amanda Guertin (61 GP/57 GS, 32G-17A, 13 GWG) – a.k.a. “fire and ice” – have the makings of becoming one of ND’s top forward classmates while their classmate Randi Scheller (60 GP/40 GS, 15G-15A) and senior Ashley Dryer (76 GP/61 GS, 3G-12A) provide experience in the midfield.
POSTSEASON FOCUS: Notre Dame will not be participating in the BIG EAST postseason but still could qualify for the 64-team NCAA field, by virtue of strength of schedule (eight of ND’s 2002 opponents currently are in the NSCAA top 25, with four others ranked in previous national polls) and the fact that the Irish could finish high in the Great Lakes Regional rankings … this week’s regional rankings included Michigan (#13 nationally), Purdue (#16) and Notre Dame (#23) in the top three spots … another BIG EAST team, Syracuse, was selected for the 2001 NCAA Tournament despite not making the 2001 BIG EAST Tournament.
SCHEDULE STRENGTH: ND already has faced seven opponents in 2002 that were ranked in the NSCAA top-25 at game time (five others have been ranked earlier), with BC a candidate to be again be ranked when the Irish face the Eagles on Oct. 27 … three previous ND teams have faced seven NSCAA top-25 teams in the regular season: the ’92, ’94 and ’95 teams (each doing so in the 14th game) and the 2000 team (16th game) … ND’s other 2002 opponents ranked by the NSCAA at game time: Santa Clara, Portland, Maryland, WVU, Purdue and UConn (3-4-0) … five others – Hartford, Rutgers, Villanova, BYU and BC – have been ranked at times in the 2002 season … ND is 5-5-0 vs. teams that have been ranked at some point in 2002 (with BYU and BC still to come).
PRUZINSKY, GUNNARSDOTTIR LIKELY OUT FOR SEASON: Notre Dame’s top defenders – senior captain Vanessa Pruzinsky (Trumbull, Conn.) and sophomore Gudrun Gunnarsdottir (Seltjarnames, Iceland) – likely will miss the rest of the 2002 season … Pruzinsky – the BIG EAST preseason defensive player of the year, after starting 72 of ND’s 73 games in her first three seasons – has been slowed by a nagging ankle injury, playing just the first 50 minutes of the Sept. 6 Santa Clara game and 60 minutes in the lategoing of the Sept. 20 Rutgers game (ND did not allow a goal in either stretch) … Gunnarsdottir – the BIG EAST defensive player of the week after opening wins over Providence and Virginia Tech – missed six games with a foot injury (Sept. 13-29), played sparingly vs. Pittsburgh and started vs. WVU and Purdue, before being sidelined again in the late moments of the Purdue game (she had surgery on Oct. 10 to repair ligament damage in her right ankle) … Pruzinsky – who owns a 4.0 GPA as a chemical engineering major – may have the option to apply for a fifth year of eligibility.
DEFENSIVE CHALLENGES: Notre Dame entered 2002 already looking to replace three of five starters from the defensive third – adding further frustration to a string of injuries to the defense … in addition to the above season-ending injuries to Vanessa Pruzinsky and Gudrun Gunnarsdottir, the Irish have played all season without highly-touted freshman Annie Schefter – a likely starter at left back who was a starter with the U.S. Under-19 National Team and was rated by Soccer America as the No. 11 incoming freshman … Ashley Dryer – one of the nation’s premier defensive midfielders – missed five games and parts of two others, due to nagging knee and ankle injuries … ND’s many options in the back even have included junior F Melissa Tancredi, who suffered a leg injury late in the June 27 Villanova game (sidelining her for the Georgetown game; she also dnp vs. Purdue due to a 5-yellow-card suspension ) … other defensive options have included versatile sophomore Mary Boland (who has missed two games) and junior Kim Carpenter, who has shifted back from the midfield … sophomore Candace Chapman has started at both outside and central back – and then at midfield and forward – after returning from the Under-19 World Championship.
INJURY TOLL REACHES 45 GAMES: An assortment of injuries and illnesses now have forced six of the team’s top-13 players to miss a combined 45 games (not including several partial games missed, or games missed due to the Under-19 World Championship) … the games missed include 13 by senior D Vanessa Pruzinsky, five by senior M Ashley Dryer and two by sophomore D/F Mary Boland – plus freshman D/M Annie Schefter (15, due to season-ending ACL injury), sophomore D Gudrun Gunnarsdottir (8) and junior F/D Melissa Tancredi (2) … Pruzinsky, Gunnarsdottir and Schefter are expected to miss the rest of the season.
FIRST-HALF FORTRESS: Notre Dame did not allow a 1st-half goal in its first nine games, with the next five games producing eight 1st-half goals by the opposition (two by Georgetown and WVU, three by Purdue, one by UConn) … ND (6) and its opponents (8) have combined for just 14 first-half goals, compared to a total of 37 second-half goals (24 by ND, 13 by the opponents) … in the last six games, ND has been outscored 8-4 in the 1st half but owns a 9-3 edge in the 2nd half.
CONFERENCE CALL: Notre Dame’s all-time record in regular-season conference games is 84-7-2 (.914), including 65-7-2 (.892) in BIG EAST games (since ’95) … the Irish own a 47-1 record in all-time home games vs. BIG EAST opponents, with 43 straight home wins vs. BIG EAST teams (since 5-4 OT loss to UConn in ’95) … the 43-game home winning streak vs. BIG EAST teams includes a 219-16 scoring edge, 29 shutouts and 13 games with 1 GA (plus 4-3 win over UConn) … since joining the BIG EAST in ’95, ND’s all-time record in vs. BIG EAST teams (including 1-1-0 vs. UConn in the NCAAs) is 84-8-2 (.904).
GOING THE DISTANCE: Notre Dame is unbeaten in its last 12 overtime games (9-0-3), dating back to the 3-2, double -OT loss to UNC in the ’99 opener … that team went on to post a 2-1, double-OT win at UConn and played to a 1-1 tie at Nebraska in the NCAA quarterfinals (advanced on PKs) … the 2000 team had three OT wins – over Stanford, at West Virginia and vs. Santa Clara in the NCAA quarterfinals (all 2-1) – while also playing to a scoreless tie at UConn … the ’01 season featured an unprecedented five OT games, with four 2-1 wins (vs. Indiana, Villanova, WVU and Michigan) and a 2-2 tie with Wisconsin … the OT streak continued in 2002, with the Sept. 27 win over Rutgers (1-0).
OT MASTERS: Juniors Amy Warner and Amanda Guertin share the ND record for career goals scored in overtime (2), with ’96 national player of the year Cindy Daws also scoring two OT goals (including vs. Portland in the ’95 NCAA title game) … 11 other former ND players scored one OT goal … Guertin holds the ND record for OT points (6; 2G-2A; see quality and quantity note), followed by Warner and Daws with five OT points each … in addition to her double-OT goal on Sept. 20 vs. Rutgers (1-0), Warner scored in OT vs. Villanova (’01) and had the primary assist on Kelly Tulisiak’s OT goal in the 2001 win over Indiana (both 2-1) … she also had the cross that produced an OT own-goal to beat Stanford in 2000, thus playing a key role in four of ND’s last eight OT goals (Guertin has scored or assisted on four of the last seven).
HAT TRICKERY: Amy Warner’s three-goal effort at Georgetown (Sept. 29) made her the 13th ND player ever to post multiple hat tricks in her career (also vs. Providence on Sept. 3, 2000 – the earliest hat trick ever posted by an ND freshman) … 10 previous ND players have totaled three-plus hat tricks, led by Jenny Heft’s six (’96-’99), five each from Rosella Guerrero (’92-’95) and Monica Gerardo (’95-’98) and four by Michelle McCarthy (’92-’95).
HOME, SWEET HOME: Notre Dame’s all-time overall record at Alumni Field is 134-11-2 (.918), including 110-7-2 in the last 119 (just 4-5-0 in the last nine) … the Irish own a 42-4-1 record in their last 47 home games, with a 2-2 tie vs. Wisconsin and the 3-2 NCAA loss to Cincinnati (both in 2001) prior to the 2002 losses to SCU, Portland and Purdue.
PRIME-TIME FLURRY: ND’s offensive outburst in the 5-2 win at #25 Maryland represents the most goals ever scored by the Irish vs. an NSCAA top-25 opponent playing on its home field … it matched the 6th-highest goalscoring day for the Irish in any game vs. a top-25 foe (2nd-most since ’97) and tied ND’s 2nd-highest goal output in a regular-season game vs. a top-25 team … ND’s top all-time scoring games vs. top-25 teams include ’97 postseason wins over UConn (6-1, BIG EAST title game), Nebraska (6-0, NCAA 2nd round) and UCLA (8-0, NCAA quarterfinal) – plus the 8-1 win over Indiana in the ’96 NCAA 1st round and the 6-1 win over Santa Clara in 2000.
DRYER DOES IT AGAIN: Lost amidst the disappointment of the 4-0 loss to SCU was another stellar defensive effort from senior M Ashley Dryer (Salt Lake City, Utah) … Dryer essentially neutralized SCU’s star midfielder Aly Wagner (she did not factor into any of the SCU goals), later was named to the Maryland Classic all-tournament team, after playing a lead role in the midfield battle (while fighting off illness) and then combined with sophomore Mary Boland to hold Rutgers All-American Carli Lloyd (one shot) in check during a 1-0 OT win (Dryer left the game in the 2nd half, with an ankle injury) … in the 2001 BIG EAST Tournament, Dryer shut down BIG EAST midfielder of the year Sarah Rahko in the semifinal win over Boston College before holding another top M (Lisa Stoia) in check to help beat WVU in the BIG EAST title game.
GETTING THE GWGs: Junior Amanda Guertin (Grapevine, Texas) continues to add clutch goals and assists to her career totals (32G-17A, in 61 games) – with her 13 gamewinning goals already tied with former teammate Meotis Erikson for 7th on the ND all-time list (four ahead of classmate Amy Warner) … six of Guertin’s GWGs have come in one-goal games, including two in OT … nearly half of Guertin’s career goals (13 of 32, or 40.6%) have been gamewinners – well ahead of the other players on the GWG list (next is Warner, at 43.6%, and Michelle McCarthy at 30.5%) … here is the exclusive company that Guertin finds herself amidst on the Irish career GWG charts:
Name (pos., years) … GWG/Gls (Pct. GWGs)
1. Jenny Heft (F, 1996-99) … 19/80 (23.8%)
2. Michelle McCarthy (F, 1992-95) … 18/59 (30.5%)
3. Rosella Guerrero (F, 1992-95) … 16/55 (29.1%)
Monica Gerardo (F, 1995-98) … 16/73 (21.9%)
Anne Makinen (M, 1997-2000) … 16/65 (24.6%)
6. Jenny Streiffer (F, 1996-99) … 15/70 (21.4%)
7. Meotis Erikson (F, 1997-2000) … 13/59 (22.0%)
Amanda Guertin (F, 2000- ) … 13/32 (40.6%)
9. Amy Warner (F, 2000) … 9/26 (34.6%)
QUALITY & QUANTITY: Amanda Guertin’s gamewinning goals have come with both frequency and in countless clutch situations … here’s a look at some of the top moments in her career:
* Unassisted goal in OT to hold off upstart West Virginia and maintain #1 ranking (2-1, 2000)
* GWG vs. Boston College (2-1) to end ND’s only deficit of 2000 (prior to NCAA semifinals)
* GWG in 2000 NCAA second-round win over Michigan (3-1)
* Pass that initiated Meotis Erikson’s OT goal vs. #4 Santa Clara (2-1), sending ND to 2000 NCAA College Cup semifinals
* GWG vs. #8 Penn State in 2001 Key Bank Classic (2-1)
* Direct score via corner kick for GWG vs. Georgetown (2-1, 2001)
* Flick pass as part of set play for only scoring in 1-0 win over #3 Nebraska (2001)
* Free-kick cross that led to double-header goal, beating #19 WVU in another OT game (2-1, 2001)
* Scored both goals in 2001 win at Yale (2-0)
* Cashed in a shanked clearance to beat Michigan in OT (2-1, 2001)
* Scored again directly on corner kick to open scoring vs. St. John’s in 2001 BIG EAST quarterfinal (2-0)
* Set up Amy Warner rebound goal, then scored for 2-0 lead in 3-0 win over BC (2001 BIG EAST semi’s)
* Scored and provided corner kick that led to late GWG vs. WVU in 2001 BIG EAST title game (2-1)
* Netted both goals in 2001 NCAA first-round win over Eastern Illinois (2-0)
* Provided pair of corner-kick assists and scored GWG in 5-2 comeback at #25 Maryland (2002)
* Duplicated that effort with two more corner-kick assists in final two goals of 3-1 comeback vs. #8 UConn (’02)
* Cashed in GWG in 59th minute for 1-0 win at #13 Michigan (’02), her third career GWG vs. the Wolverines.
GERTY’S GOALS: Junior F Amanda Guertin scored a goal in each of the final 10 games of the 2001 season – good for the third-longest goalscoring streak in Division I women’s soccer history (Brandi Chastain had a 15-game streak while playing for Santa Clara in 1990, with Hartford’s Maria Kun compiling an 11-game streak in 1997) … Guertin also scored in six of seven games during the 2002 spring season, in one of the two fall exhibitions and in 2002 games vs. Virginia Tech, Maryland, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Purdue and Michigan.
SCORING STREAKS: ND carried a 31-game scoring streak into the Sept. 6 Santa Clara game (third-best in ND history, behind a 55-game streak from 1997-99 and a 36-game streak from ’95-’96), with the streak ending in a 4-0 loss to SCU (followed by a 1-0 loss to Portland and the recent 3-0 loss at WVU) … the previous time that the Irish had failed to score was the 0-0 tie at UConn (10/22/00) … since 1994, ND has scored in 155 of 161 (.963) regular-season games (0-0 tie vs. UNC in ’94, 2-0 loss to UNC in ’95) and 49 of 52 postseason games (three shutout losses to UNC in NCAA title games).
MARYLAND CLASSIC HONORS: Sophomore D Candace Chapman (Ajax, Ontario) was named defensive MVP of the ND Classic (Sept. 6-8) before repeating the honor at the Maryland Fila Classic … Chapman – who made plays all over the field in the ND Classic battles with Santa Clara and Portland — opened the UP game at central defense, with strong marking of her Canadian national teammate Christine Sinclair (before shifting to her customary right back) … she played both defensive positions vs. Hartford and started centrally vs. #25 Maryland, before shifting to midfield and sparking the 5-2 comeback by scoring the first Irish goal (her top defensive moments included clearing a shot off the goalline late in the first half). … junior F Melissa Tancredi (Ancaster, Ontario) was named the tournament’s offensive MVP … Tancredi was an emergency starter at central D in the Hartford game and was hampered by a nagging Achilles injury (she came off the bench in the first and second half vs. Maryland) … Tancredi’s undying hustle and physical presence changed the tenor of the Maryland game, with her headers providing the tying and 4-2 goals … ND’s all-tournament selections at the Fila Classic included junior F Amy Warner (GWG goal vs. Hartford, rebound shot to set up GWG vs. Maryland, followed by an official assist on last ND goal), senior M Ashley Dryer – who turned in a gutsy effort while battling through illness – and freshman G Erika Bohn, who registered a variety of big plays including a breakaway stop with the Hartford game tied up and a lunging tip over the crossbar with the Irish still trailing the Terps, 2-1 in the 75th minute.
BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS: Three ND players were honored by the BIG EAST for their roles in wins over Rutgers and Seton Hall … junior F Amy Warner (Albuquerque, N.M.) was named BIG EAST offensive player of the week, sophomore Mary Boland (Hudson, Ohio) defensive player of the week and freshman Erika Bohn (Brookfield, Conn.) goalkeeper of the week … Warner’s goal ended the RU game with 9:17 left in the second OT (she ran onto a thru-ball from Maggie Manning and arched a crossing shot into the upper left corner) … two days later, Warner’s leftside cross initiated a double-header sequence, with Boland scoring on the diving header vs. SHU … Boland started at left back, limiting RU and SHU to a total of seven shots on net, and shifted to the midfield in the second half of the RU game, filling in for injured Ashley Dryer (the team’s top defensive midfielder) … Boland picked up where Dryer left off, as the Irish limited RU’s top player Carli Lloyd to one shot for the game … Bohn – the first freshman to start in the nets for the Irish since Jen Renola in ’93 – made six saves and stopped several other RU scoring chances before helping foil several potential chances in the SHU game … Boland’s classmate Gudrun Gunnarsdottir earlier was named BIG EAST defensive player of the week after the opening wins over Providence (3-0) and Virginia Tech (5-0).
RESULT NOTES: With the opening 5-0 win at Providence, ND now is 13-2-0 in all-time season openers (9-1-0 in last 10; 3-2 OT loss to UNC in ’99) … the 4-0 loss to Santa Clara represented ND’s largest margin of defeat ever at home (the Irish had not been shut out at home since ’92) … ND suffered consecutive shutout losses (0-1 vs. Portland) for the first time since ’89 … following the 5-2 win at Maryland, the Irish have not lost to an ACC team other than UNC since a 2-1 loss to Duke on Sept. 25, 1992 (8-0-1 vs. ACC teams, other than UNC, since that game) … Purdue (3-1) became just the second team since 1993 to beat the Irish in their first visit to Alumni Field (31-2-1 in that stretch).
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RETURN: Notre Dame welcomed back two players who competed in the Under-19 World Championship, held in three Canadian cities … the exciting tournament was capped by a 1-0 OT U.S. win over Canada in the title game, with 47,000 fans in attendance at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium … Portland’s Christine Sinclair earned the “golden boot” award as the tournament’s top scorer (10 G) and formed a potent offensive tandem with ND freshman Katie Thorlakson (who plays mostly as an attacking midfielder with Canada) … ND sophomore Candace Chapman also was a starter with Canada, playing mostly right back while also shifting to central midfield … Irish freshman M Annie Schefter was on track to be a starter for the U.S. but was sidelined with an ACL knee injury in late July.