NOTRE DAME, Indiana — The University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team is on its best start to the season since 2015 as they head off for a weekend road trip against a pair of regional foes. The Irish begin the weekend with a Friday night matchup with rival Michigan and finish the weekend with their first ever visit to Rochester, Michigan to take on Oakland Sunday afternoon.
Know the Opponent: Michigan Wolverines
- Notre Dame and Michigan will renew their rivalry Friday night from U-M Soccer Stadium and it will be the 20th meeting all-time between the two programs.
- This will be the first regular season meeting since 2016 and the Irish hold a 14-4-1 all-time record over the Wolverines.
- The two teams faced off in a preseason exhibition in 2018 and played this past spring season, both times at Notre Dame.
- The Wolverines sport a 3-1 record so far in 2019 and are coming off a 9-9-1 record in 2018.
- In their last game, Michigan fell on the road 1-0 in 2OT against Marquette.
Know the Opponent: Oakland Grizzlies
- The Irish will close out the weekend road trip with a Sunday afternoon matchup with the Oakland Grizzlies.
- It will be the sixth meeting all-time between the two schools and the first ever meeting up in Rochester.
- The Irish are 5-0 all-time against Oakland and the last time the two schools met, the Irish won 5-0 on Nov. 15, 2015 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Notre Dame.
- Oakland is 2-0-1 on the year and will face off with Eastern Kentucky on Thursday prior to the matchup with Notre Dame.
Irish Facts and Figures
- Notre Dame heads into Friday’s matchup with a four-game winning streak to begin the season for the first time since 2015.
- With a win against Michigan, the Irish will hold their first five-game winning streak to start the season for the first time since the 2008 campaign.
- The Irish have a trio of players that have tallied a brace so far this season. Eva Hurm and Luisa Delgado scored twice against Northwestern and Autumn Smithers scored both goals against Western Michigan.
- Seven different players have scored so far this season for the Irish after having just eight score during the entire 2018 season.
- The Irish have only allowed one goal through the first four games, the fewest since 2017.
- Notre Dame has a +10 goal differential through the first four game, the highest since 2015 when the Irish had a +12 differential after the opening four games of the year.
Offense Continues to Shine against St. John’s
- After a tough 2-1 road win at Western Michigan, the Irish returned to the friendly confines of Alumni Stadium and the offense picked up where it left off against Northwestern.
- Notre Dame tallied another four-goal performance en route to its third shutout of the season when it defeated St. John’s 4-0.
- Camryn Dyke got the Irish started with her first career goal in the 35th minute. It was the first goal for the Irish in the first half this season after scoring all 7 previous goals in the second half through the first three games.
- The Irish had another big second half with another first career goal coming in the opening minutes of the half.
- Luisa Delgado boxed off a defender and sent a cross towards Jenna Winebrenner at the far post. Winebrenner one-timed the shot into the back of the net for her first career goal.
- Another cross from Delgado set the Irish up for their third goal of the afternoon. After a fantastic through ball from Sammi Fisher, Delgado sent a cross to the top of the box for Brooke VanDyck. VanDyck volleyed the cross past the keeper for her first goal of the season.
- The final tally of the night came from a set piece started by Maddie Mercado. She sent a free kick towards the far post where Kate O’Connor headed it towards goal. It hit the post and was traveling on the goal-line until Olivia Wingate chested the ball in for her first goal of the season.
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