Oct. 13, 2011
Full Match Notes Package in PDF Format
2011 Notre Dame Women’s Soccer — Matches 16-17
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-5-3 / 4-2-2 BIG EAST) vs. Georgetown Hoyas (11-5-0 / 5-3-0 BIG EAST)
DATE: October 14, 2011
TIME: 7:30 p.m. ET
AT: Notre Dame, Ind. – Alumni Stadium (2,500)
SERIES: ND leads 16-1-1
LAST MTG: Tie 1-1 (10/24/10)
WEBCAST: UND.com (free-live)
STATS/BLOG: UND.com (live)
TWITTER: @NDsoccernews
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-5-3 / 4-2-2 BIG EAST) vs. Villanova Wildcats (7-7-2 / 3-5-0 BIG EAST)
DATE: October 16, 2011
TIME: 1:00 p.m. ET
AT: Notre Dame, Ind. – Alumni Stadium (2,500)
SERIES: ND leads 17-1-0
LAST MTG: ND 1-0 (10/22/10)
WEBCAST: UND.com (free-live)
STATS/BLOG: UND.com (live)
TWITTER: @NDsoccernews
Storylines
- Notre Dame embarks on a season-long three-match homestand to end the regular season. The Fighting Irish are 5-1 this year at Alumni Stadium, where they have outscored the opposition, 19-3.
- Notre Dame is in third place in the BIG EAST’s National Division with 14 points, putting the Fighting Irish one point behind Georgetown and three back of divisional leader Louisville entering this weekend.
Notre Dame Entertains Georgetown, Villanova This Weekend
As the regular season winds down, Notre Dame will look to maintain its recent resurgence as the Fighting Irish begin a three-match BIG EAST Conference homestand at 7:30 p.m. (ET) Friday against Georgetown at Alumni Stadium. Notre Dame then welcomes Villanova to town on Sunday for a 1 p.m. (ET) conference clash.
The Fighting Irish (7-5-3, 4-2-2) come in riding a season-long four-match unbeaten streak (all by shutout) after a 2-0 win at Seton Hall and a scoreless draw at Rutgers last weekend. Junior goalkeeper Maddie Fox earned solo shutouts in both contests behind a Notre Dame defense that allowed just eight shots on goal. Meanwhile, senior Jessica Schuveiller and freshman Lauren Bohaboy scored in the opening 22 minutes to clinch the win at Seton Hall.
Rankings
- Notre Dame is receiving votes in the latest NSCAA poll.
- Neither Georgetown nor Villanova are ranked.
A Quick Look At The Fighting Irish
It’s a story that’s still in its formative stages, but Notre Dame (7-5-3, 4-2-2) continues to add pages to the journal of its recovery from some early stumbles, as the Fighting Irish are in the midst of a season-long four-match unbeaten streak, putting them back in the thick of the conversation for yet another BIG EAST Conference National Division title.
Part of the reason for Notre Dame’s recent resurgence has been the play of its defense, which has pitched four consecutive shutouts, the longest defensive run by the Fighting Irish in BIG EAST play in four years. In that time, Notre Dame has held its opponents to an average of just 3.5 shots on goal per match, with junior goalkeeper Maddie Fox (the BIG EAST’s leader with a 0.64 goals-against average and .865 save percentage) there to stop what little has been getting through the sturdy Fighting Irish back line.
At the other end of the pitch, senior tri-captain Jessica Schuveiller has seamlessly transitioned from center back to holding midfielder and has found the scoring touch of late, netting four goals in the past five matches, including the eventual match-winning scores against Connecticut and Seton Hall.
Another key to Notre Dame’s success has been the play of freshman forward Lauren Bohaboy, who leads all BIG EAST rookies in goals (6) and points (13) despite not finding the back of the net until the season’s ninth match. Her six goals (all of which have coming in league play) are good for third in the BIG EAST during conference matches and have all come during her last seven outings.
Scouting Georgetown
Georgetown currently stands in second place in the BIG EAST’s National Division with 15 points (5-3-0 record), in addition to posting an 11-5-0 overall mark. The Hoyas are coming off a split performance at home last weekend, defeating Cincinnati 2-1, before falling to division leader Louisville by the same score in double overtime.
Senior forward Camille Trujillo scored all three Georgetown goals last weekend and has a team-high nine goals this season (tying her for third in the BIG EAST). Senior midfielder Ingrid Wells assisted on both of Trujillo’s scores against Cincinnati, giving her a team-high eight assists and 24 points (8G-8A) this year. Senior forward Samantha Baker is third on the squad with five goals and six assists (16 points), due in part to her exceptionally-dangerous long throw-ins and corner kicks.
Senior goalkeeper Elizabeth Hanna has seen the majority of time between the pipes for GU, recording a 1.31 goals-against average (GAA) with a .742 save percentage and four shutouts.
Georgetown is led by head coach Dave Nolan, who has a 91-56-13 record in his eighth season with the Hoyas, including an 0-8-1 record against Notre Dame.
The Notre Dame-Georgetown Series
The Fighting Irish and Hoyas will be playing for the 19th time on Friday night, with Notre Dame leading the all-time series with Georgetown by a 16-1-1 margin (9-0-0 in South Bend). Notre Dame in unbeaten in its last 10 matches against the Hoyas (9-0-1) since Georgetown earned its first series win over the Fighting Irish, 4-3 on Sept. 29, 2002, in Washington, D.C.
Last year, Notre Dame took a 1-0 lead at GU’s North Kehoe Field on Melissa Henderson’s penalty kick in the 74th minute, only to see the Hoyas’ Camille Trujillo net the tying goal with 4:09 left in regulation and the teams wound up playing to a 1-1 draw (the first deadlock in the series). The last time Notre Dame played host to Georgetown at Alumni Stadium on Oct. 25, 2009, the Fighting Irish earned a 2-0 win on goals in the first 15 minutes of each half.
The Last Time Notre Dame And Georgetown Met
Melissa Henderson scored her team- and BIG EAST-leading 14th goal of the season to put No. 4/5 Notre Dame on top of Georgetown in the 74th minute, but the Hoyas got a late equalizer and two of the conference’s top squads wound up playing to a 1-1 double-overtime draw in a wildly-entertaining regular season finale on a sun-drenched afternoon on Oct. 24, 2010, at North Kehoe Field in Washington, D.C.
With the draw, the Fighting Irish extended their NCAA Division I-record unbeaten streak against conference opponents to 77 matches (72-0-5).
Notre Dame appeared headed for another late-match win following Henderson’s goal, which came at 73:31 via a penalty kick after she was hauled down in the box. However, Georgetown got back on level terms with 4:09 remaining on Camille Trujillo’s goal off a scramble in the area. The Fighting Irish outshot the Hoyas, 3-1 in the two overtime periods, but the two sides wound up sharing the spoils when the final whistle blew.
Nikki Weiss was magnificent between the pipes for Notre Dame, making a career-high eight saves, including several giant stops during the first half when she recorded six of her saves. Georgetown’s Jackie Desjardin matched Weiss nearly stop for stop, finishing with six saves.
For the day, GU held a narrow 18-16 edge in total shots, with a 9-7 margin in shots on goal. The teams nearly split the corner kick tries (8-6 Hoyas), while Notre Dame was charged with 11 of the 17 fouls in the match, as well as both offside calls.
Other Notre Dame-Georgetown Series Tidbits
- Notre Dame senior forward/tri-captain Melissa Henderson and Georgetown senior midfielder Ingrid Wells both spent Oct. 3-7 at the U.S. Under-23 National Team camp at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., with the camp being jointly run by the USA U-23 developmental staff and U.S. National Team head coach Pia Sundhage, who was using the camp as an evaluation of younger players for future call-ups to the full Women’s National Team (possibly as early as next year’s Olympic qualifiers).
- Henderson, Wells, and Notre Dame senior midfielders/tri-captains Jessica Schuveiller and Courtney Barg have been teammates at various times on the United States U-20 and U-23 national teams.
Scouting Villanova
Villanova enters this weekend’s action with a 7-7-2 record, including a 3-5-0 mark (nine points) in the BIG EAST’s National Division. VU visits DePaul on Friday afternoon before heading to South Bend for Sunday’s matinee.
The Wildcats have battled through an up-and-down season in 2011, going unbeaten in their first six matches (4-0-2), followed by a six-match losing streak, before their current stretch of three wins in four outings. VU split its two matches at home last weekend, falling 3-2 in double overtime to division leader Louisville before rebounding with a 1-0 victory over Cincinnati two days later.
Junior forward Heidi Sabatura scored the only goal Villanova would need against Cincinnati, finding the back of the net just 4:32 into the contest. Sophomore midfielder Stephanie Myers scored both goals in the extra-time loss to Louisville.
The Wildcats offer a balanced offensive attack, led by senior forward Katie Ryan (9G-5A), Myers (7G-4A) and Sabatura (5G-6A). Sophomore Jami Kranich has played every minute in the VU goal this season, posting a 1.44 goals-against average (GAA) with a .724 save percentage and one shutout.
The Wildcats are led by head coach John Byford, who is now in his fourth season at Villanova with a 36-32-8 record, and in his 10th year as a collegiate head coach with an overall record of 84-71-16. Byford also is 0-3 all-time against Notre Dame.
The Notre Dame-Villanova Series
Sunday will be the 19th meeting in the series between Notre Dame and Villanova, with the Fighting Irish holding a 17-1-0 series lead on the Wildcats (9-0-0 in South Bend). Notre Dame has won eight consecutive matches against VU since the Wildcats posted their first win over the Fighting Irish, 1-0 on Sept. 27, 2002, at Villanova.
Last year, Notre Dame earned a hard-fought 1-0 road win over Villanova on Adriana Leon’s goal in the 23rd minute. The last time the Wildcats came to Alumni Stadium, the Fighting Irish posted a 2-0 victory over Villanova on Oct. 23, 2009, thanks to second-half goals by Melissa Henderson (54th minute) and Erica Iantorno (71st minute).
The Last Time Notre Dame And Villanova Met
Adriana Leon scored midway through the first half and No. 4/5 Notre Dame kept Villanova on its heels for much of the match during a 1-0 BIG EAST Conference victory over the Wildcats on a blustery cold afternoon on Oct. 22, 2010, at the West Campus Soccer Complex in Villanova, Pa.
With the win, the Fighting Irish picked up a victory at a location that has traditionally been very difficult for Notre Dame, with this marking the fifth one-goal margin in their last six visits to suburban Philadelphia.
Leon netted her second goal of the year, and her first career match-winning score, at 22:45 of the first half with a volley from close range off a cross from Rose Augustin. Notre Dame outshot Villanova, 19-6 in the contest, including an 8-3 edge in shots on goal. The Fighting Irish also earned all six corner kicks during the match.
Nikki Weiss went the distance in the Notre Dame net, making three saves to record her seventh solo shutout of the season and the 10th clean sheet for the Fighting Irish as a team. Jami Kranich tallied seven saves in the Villanova goal to keep the hosts in the running.
Other Notre Dame-Villanova Series Tidbits
- Notre Dame sophomore midfielder Nicole Rodriguez and Villanova sophomore Jami Kranich were teammates on the Connecticut state ODP (Olympic Development Program) team in 2008.
No Worries … We’ve Got This
A few observers around the country may have raised an eyebrow at Notre Dame’s 7-5-3 record this season. But consider the following:
- The Fighting Irish played five matches against Top 25 opponents (actually all were ranked 17th or higher in at least one of the two major polls), and four of those contests came on the ranked team’s home pitch. This doesn’t even factor in Wisconsin, which rose to No. 23 in the Sept. 5 Soccer America rankings, more than two weeks after Notre Dame blanked the Badgers, 2-0 in the season opener at Alumni Stadium.
- Two of those losses were on the road at teams that would rise to No. 1 in the national rankings the following week (North Carolina and Stanford), and in both matches (plus the draws at No. 17/18 Santa Clara and Rutgers, and the overtime loss at No. 14/15 Marquette), Notre Dame was in a position to win or claim no worse than a draw inside the final 10 minutes.
- Overall, four of Notre Dame’s five losses have been by one goal, with two coming on the road in overtime (No. 3 North Carolina and No. 14/15 Marquette) and a third on the road in the final three minutes of regulation (No. 2 Stanford).
- Following up on that point, the fates have been unkind to the Fighting Irish when it’s mattered most. At UNC, senior defender/tri-captain Jessica Schuveiller had her potential game-winning header in the 85th minute tag the crossbar, something her classmate, midfielder Ellen Jantsch, would duplicate in the 72nd minute of a tied match at Santa Clara. In addition, Jantsch nearly doubled Notre Dame’s lead at Stanford with a 72nd-minute header that grazed the left post, while Schuveiller almost netted the equalizer against Louisville in the 62nd minute as her free kick from outside the box beat Cardinals’ goalkeeper Chloe Kiefer, only to be cleared off the line by Louisville defender Casey Whitfield. Most recently, Notre Dame outshot Rutgers 5-0 in the first overtime (3-0 on goal) but was denied by three diving saves from RU goalkeeper Jessica Janosz.
- Head coach Randy Waldrum is known for playing a rugged non-conference schedule as a means of preparing his squad (especially his younger players) for the tests they will face later on, particularly in the postseason. In fact, in 12 of Waldrum’s 13 seasons at Notre Dame (all but ’06), the Fighting Irish have faced at least two Top 25 opponents during their non-conference slate.
- It’s not as though Waldrum, his staff, and even some of his players haven’t rebounded from a slow start before. In 2007, the Fighting Irish opened 3-4-1 before going unbeaten in their next 17 outings (16-0-1) to reach the College Cup. In 2009, Notre Dame began the year 3-3-0, then compiled a 19-match unbeaten streak (18-0-1) that led to another College Cup berth.
Sunday School
Notre Dame is unbeaten in 24 of its last 27 matches on Sunday (20-3-4), including a 17-match unbeaten streak that was snapped with a 2-0 loss to Connecticut in the BIG EAST Championship quarterfinals on Oct. 31, 2010.
Still, the Fighting Irish own a 39-5-5 (.847) record in the past 49 contests when closing out the weekend, dating back to September 2007 (when Notre Dame lost three consecutive Sunday matches to nationally-ranked Stanford, Oklahoma State and Penn State, all by 2-1 scores and the first two in overtime).
Henderson A Trend Setter
If you’re looking to spot a trend in Notre Dame’s success during the past four seasons, look no further than senior forward Melissa Henderson. Since the Garland, Texas, native arrived in South Bend, she has scored 63 goals (second-most among active Division I players, and sixth in school history) and added 24 assists for 150 career points (11th in school history), making her one of 26 Fighting Irish players with at least 20 goals and 20 assists in her career.
This season, Henderson leads Notre Dame in goals (11), assists (6) and points (28). She also is among the top three in the BIG EAST in every offensive statistical category, including goals, assists, points, goals per match (0.73), assists per match (0.40), shots (55) and shots per match (3.67).
On the national stage, Henderson ranks among the top 20 in total points (14th) and total goals (17th).
What’s more, Henderson has hat tricks this season against Indiana and Cincinnati (one of only four BIG EAST players with a three-goal night, and the only one to do it more than once), giving her five career hat tricks, which is tied for third in school history behind only two-time Hermann Trophy recipient Kerri Hanks (6) and Jenny Heft (6).
These markers have been particularly valuable to Fighting Irish fortunes. In fact, during Henderson’s career, Notre Dame is 39-2-3 when she scores a goal, something she’s done in 17 of her last 30 outings, dating back to last season. The Fighting Irish also are 50-2-3 all-time when Henderson tallies a point, which she has done in 35 of the past 50 contests, a stretch that carries back to 2009.
The only times Notre Dame has lost when Henderson had a goal or point came earlier this season, when she scored goals at No. 2 Stanford (lost 2-1 on Sept. 9) and No. 14/15 Marquette (lost 3-2 in overtime on Sept. 25).
Henderson Called Into U-23 Camp
Senior forward Melissa Henderson recently completed a week-long training camp with the United States Under-23 National Team at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The camp, which took place Oct. 3-7 and featured 25 of the nation’s top college players and young professionals, was jointly overseen by U.S. Soccer Women’s Development Director Jill Ellis, U.S. Soccer Women’s Technical Director April Heinrichs and U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Pia Sundhage.
Sundhage was at the camp to evaluate players for possible call-ups to U.S. National Team camps heading into next January’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Vancouver, and potentially for the run to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Henderson is no stranger to U.S. Soccer, having played with age-group national teams since 2006, including the past three years with the U-23 National Team. In that program’s most recent cycle, which concluded this summer, Henderson scored five goals and added an assist, including three goals at the Four Nations Tournament in Leicester, England, in February/March 2011, leading the United States to the tournament title.
Man-O-Mandy
Sophomore midfielder Mandy Laddish has emerged as one of the leading playmakers in the BIG EAST this season, currently tying for third in the conference and tops on the Fighting Irish roster with six assists.
Not bad for someone who played much of her rookie season at the holding midfield spot (in place of the injured Courtney Barg) and thus ended up with five points (2G-1A) for the year.
As Tough As An Old Schu
Senior defender/midfielder Jessica Schuveiller has been a mainstay for the Notre Dame defense throughout her career. In fact, the rugged (and still remarkably underrated) native of Plano, Texas, has started all 93 Fighting Irish matches and played 93.9 percent of her team’s minutes (8,005 of a possible 8,529) since she set foot on campus more than three years ago.
In that time, Schuveiller has helped Notre Dame post 75 wins, 54 shutouts and a 0.69 goals-against average (GAA), with only three teams scoring more than two goals in a single match against the Fighting Irish under her watch (UNC 6-0 on Sept. 4, 2009, at Alumni Stadium; Duke 3-1 on Aug. 28, 2010, in Chapel Hill, N.C.; Marquette 3-2 in overtime on Sept. 25, 2010, in Milwaukee).
Lately, Schuveiller has assumed a more attack-minded role for the Fighting Irish at the holding midfielder, leading Notre Dame to a 3-0-1 record with four shutouts since she stepped into that position full-time on Sept. 30 vs. Connecticut. Schuveiller also has chalked up four goals and one assist in the past four contests after having scored five goals in the first 88 matches of her career.
A two-time NSCAA all-region pick and the 2010 NCAA Women’s College Cup Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Schuveiller was one of 25 players (along with classmate Melissa Henderson) named to this year’s Soccer America Preseason All-America Team.
Getting The Hang Of Things
It may have taken her a little while to get going, but freshman forward Lauren Bohaboy appears to have found her stride. The Mission Viejo, Calif., native (who scored a combined 79 goals in her final two prep seasons) didn’t find the back of the net for the first time until Sept. 18 at Cincinnati (Notre Dame’s ninth match of the year).
However, that score turned out to be the first sign of Bohaboy’s uncanny attacking presence, with the Fighting Irish rookie having scored six goals this season, all within the past seven matches in BIG EAST Conference play. Included in that flurry was a two-goal effort in a nationally-televised 3-0 win over Connecticut on Sept. 30 at Alumni Stadium.
As a result, Bohaboy currently leads all conference freshman in goals (6) and points (13), and during BIG EAST matches, she ranks third in the league in goals and goals per match (0.75).
Out-Foxing The Competition
Another reason for Notre Dame’s recent four-match unbeaten streak has been the growth of junior goalkeeper Maddie Fox. Coming into the season, Fox had appeared in just 12 collegiate matches for a combined total of 157:11. Yet, the San Jose resident has emerged in recent weeks as a very reliable last line of defense for the Fighting Irish, backstopping Notre Dame to four consecutive shutouts (two solo, two shared) and turning aside all 14 shots she has faced. The four consecutive shutouts are the most for the Fighting Irish in a single season since the beginning of the 2010 campaign, and the most clean sheets in a row during BIG EAST Conference action in four years (Oct. 7-19, 2007).
For the season, Fox leads the BIG EAST and ranks among the top 25 in the nation in goals-against average (0.64, 24th in NCAA) and save percentage (.865, 23rd in NCAA).
Three Best Friends Anyone Could Have
Chemistry is key to the success of any team, but Notre Dame has a unique formula that supports its framework this season. The Fighting Irish are led by three senior captains — midfielder Courtney Barg, forward Melissa Henderson and defender/midfielder Jessica Schuveiller — who not only form the backbone of their starting lineup, but have been best friends since the fifth grade back in suburban Dallas. In fact, the trio played together on age-group teams for the elite Dallas Texans soccer club starting with the U-11s and continuing through the rest of their pre-college days (moving to the newly-formed Sting Dallas club for their final season in 2007-08 before coming to Notre Dame).
Actually, Barg and Schuveiller have known each other even longer, going back nearly 15 years to the second grade before linking up with Henderson three years later.
ND Seniors Among Nation’s Best
The 2011 Notre Dame senior class currently is the third-most successful group in the country on the basis of total victories, with a four-year record to date of 75-12-6 (.839) that includes a national championship (2010), an NCAA runner-up finish (2008) and a trip to the 2009 NCAA Women’s College Cup semifinals.
The .839 winning percentage compiled by the Fighting Irish seniors is fourth-best on the national scene.
We Love The New Digs
Alumni Stadium is quickly earning a reputation as not only one of the nation’s finest college facilities, but also a truly intimidating place for visiting teams. In fact, following Notre Dame’s loss to top-ranked North Carolina in its first match at the new stadium (Sept. 4, 2009), the Fighting Irish have won 30 of their last 32 at home, outscoring their opponents, 82-10 in that span while recording 21 shutouts. Notre Dame also had a 23-match home winning streak before it was snapped on Oct. 31, 2010, with a 2-0 loss to Connecticut in the BIG EAST Championship quarterfinals.
Packing Them In
Not only has Notre Dame experienced great success at Alumni Stadium, but the Fighting Irish also are seeing the rewards at the turnstiles as well. Notre Dame currently ranks sixth in the nation with an average of 1,910 fans per home match this season, which would challenge the current school record for single-season average attendance (1,938 in 2007).
Notre Dame’s rise in attendance this season includes a stadium-record 3,511 fans for its Sept. 2 contest against Tulsa on the opening night of the Notre Dame adidas Invitational. That crowd was not only the second sellout in stadium history (after 3,007 attended the opener vs. North Carolina on Sept. 4, 2009), but also the 10th-largest crowd in the nation this season.
Incidentally, Notre Dame’s match at North Carolina on Aug. 26 attracted the largest crowd of the 2011 season thus far, with 5,236 fans on hand for the Tar Heels’ 2-1 overtime win.
The Fighting Irish also have played in front of three sellout crowds this year (home vs. Tulsa on Sept. 2; at Stanford on Sept. 9; at Cincinnati on Sept. 18).
Our Fearless Leader
Now in his 13th season at Notre Dame, head coach Randy Waldrum ranks third on the NCAA Division I career winning percentage list with a .785 (367-91-26) mark in his 22 years in the women’s game. He also is second among active coaches for career winning percentage, while his 367 career wins rank fifth on the all-time NCAA Division I charts — Waldrum earned his 350th career victory on Oct. 3, 2010, vs. St. John’s at Alumni Stadium.
A two-time National Coach of the Year (2009 by Soccer America, 2010 by NSCAA), Waldrum has led Notre Dame to eight NCAA College Cups, five NCAA finals and two national championships (2004 and 2010). He also is second in NCAA Division I history with eight College Cup appearances and five title-match berths in his storied career.
New Kid On The Block
Notre Dame added another player to its roster on Sept. 13, as junior midfielder Nicole Borner joined the squad after successfully competing in preseason tryouts.
A native of Pendleton, N.Y., and a 2009 graduate of Starpoint High School, Borner spent the 2009-10 academic year at Binghamton University, where she played in 15 matches for the Bearcats, helping them to a 9-7-2 record and berth in the America East Conference championship semifinals. She then transferred to Notre Dame prior to the 2010-11 academic year, but did not play soccer after undergoing a pair of surgeries on her right foot.
The 2-0 Guarantee
Notre Dame is 331-0-1 all-time when claiming a 2-0 lead and has won its last 308 contests when going ahead 2-0 (dating back to a 3-3 draw with Vanderbilt on Sept. 15, 1991, in Cincinnati).
In fact, just two of the past 220 Fighting Irish opponents to face a 2-0 deficit have forced a draw, something achieved by four opponents in Notre Dame history: Duke on Oct. 17, 1993, in Houston (ND won 3-2), Connecticut on Nov. 10, 1996, in the BIG EAST final at old Alumni Field (ND led 2-0, later tied 2-2 and 3-3, ND won 4-3), Duke on Nov. 30, 2007, in the NCAA quarterfinals at old Alumni Field (ND won 3-2), and most recently, Villanova on Oct. 12, 2008 in Villanova, Pa. (ND won 3-2 in OT).
Three … Is The Magic Number
Scoring three goals has meant virtually an automatic win in Notre Dame women’s soccer history, with a 301-3-1 (.989) record in those games, including a 203-1-0 (.995) mark since Oct. 6, 1995.
Golden Domers Golden In OT
Overtime has usually been the right time for Notre Dame, as the Fighting Irish are 20-6-14 (.675) all-time in the Randy Waldrum era (since 1999) when going to an extra period or two. Notre Dame also is unbeaten in 12 of its last 15 overtime contests.
The Fighting Irish have gone to extra time on five occasions this year, tying the school record first set in 2001 and duplicated in 2007. Notre Dame also has tied a school record with three draws, a mark the Fighting Irish first set in 1991.
Two current Notre Dame players have scored “golden goals” in their college careers — senior forward Melissa Henderson (Nov. 9, 2008 vs. UConn in the BIG EAST final at old Alumni Field) and senior defender/midfielder Jessica Schuveiller (Nov. 6, 2009 vs. St. John’s in the BIG EAST semifinals at Storrs, Conn.).
Captains’ Choice
A trio of seniors — midfielder Courtney Barg, forward Melissa Henderson and defender/midfielder Jessica Schuveiller — were selected to serve as Notre Dame’s captains this year through a preseason vote of their teammates.
Schuveiller is making history as the first three-year captain in the 24-year history of Fighting Irish women’s soccer. When she first earned the armband in 2009, Schuveiller was Notre Dame’s first non-senior captain since Amy Warner in 2002.
Barg and Henderson are in their first seasons as team captains.
Next Up: DePaul
Notre Dame wraps up the regular season on Friday, Oct. 21, when it plays host to DePaul at 7:30 p.m. (ET) inside Alumni Stadium. Prior to the match, the Fighting Irish will honor their eight senior players and senior manager Brendan Andrew in a brief ceremony.
DePaul comes into this weekend’s matches with Villanova and Georgetown sporting a 3-11-1 record, including a 1-6-1 mark (four points) in the BIG EAST’s National Division. However, that record is extremely deceiving, as the Blue Demons have lost eight times by a single goal, with three of those defeats coming in overtime.
— ND —