Oct. 26, 2009
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame junior defender Julie Scheidler (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) has been selected as the BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Week, it was announced Monday afternoon by the league office.
This marks the first time in Scheidler’s career that she has earned the award, and she is the second Notre Dame defender this season to collect the honor for the first time. Back on Sept. 28, sophomore center back/tri-captain Jessica Schuveiller (Plano, Texas/Plano West) was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week before going on to secure a place on the Soccer America National Team of the Week one day later.
Last weekend, Scheidler played an important role in a pair of 2-0 wins for Notre Dame over conference foes Villanova and No. 22 (Soccer America) Georgetown at Alumni Stadium. In Friday’s victory over Villanova, the Fighting Irish right back not only helped anchor a defensive unit that held the Wildcats to just two shots on goal through the first 75 minutes, but also assisted on the game-clinching goal by junior forward Erica Iantorno (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale) in the 71st minute.
Two nights later against Georgetown, Scheidler started the sequence that led to the game-winning goal by junior forward Taylor Knaack (Arlington, Texas/Martin) in the 11th minute, registering her second assist of the weekend in the process. Scheidler and the Notre Dame back line then clamped down on the BIG EAST’s highest-scoring offense, limiting the Hoyas to only two shots on goal and handing GU just its second shutout all season.
Scheidler has tied her career high with five points (one goal, three assists) this season, while appearing in all 18 Notre Dame games and making 16 starts. What’s more, she has been an integral part of a Fighting Irish defensive unit that has allowed only one goal in its last seven-plus games (a span of 691:50, dating back to an Oct. 2 overtime win at West Virginia) and has recorded six shutouts in that time.
Unbeaten in its last 12 games, No. 6/7 Notre Dame (14-3-1, 10-0-1 BIG EAST) will kick off postseason action Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET) when it plays host to a BIG EAST Championship quarterfinal game at Alumni Stadium, taking on the winner of Thursday night’s first-round matchup between DePaul and South Florida in Tampa.
Tickets for all remaining Fighting Irish soccer games are available through the Notre Dame Athletics Ticket Office (574-631-7356), by going on-line to www.UND.com/tickets, or by visiting the Alumni Stadium ticket windows on game day.
— ND —