Sept. 22, 2015
DATE: Sept. 22, 2015
TIME: 4 p.m. (ET)
LOCATION: East Lansing, Mich. (DeMartin Soccer Complex — cap. 2,500)
LAST MEETING: T, 1-1 (2OT) (10/29/14 at ND)
BROADCAST: Big Ten Network (Dean Linke and Chris Doran)
LIVE STATS:
TWITTER: @NDMenSoccer
TICKETS: MSUSpartans.com; (517) 355-1610
The University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team completes its brief two-game road trip with a Tuesday evening showdown with Michigan State at the DeMartin Soccer Complex. The 4 p.m. (ET) match between the No. 2 Irish and Spartans will air live on the Big Ten Network.
Scouting Michigan State
Michigan State enters Tuesday’s match against Notre Dame sporting a 3-2-1 record, earning a 0-0 draw with No. 8 Maryland on Friday. The Spartans have outscored opponents by an aggregate 6-2 goal margin, and have not conceded a goal in the second half. Zach Carroll has scored a pair of game-winning goals to lead the Spartan offense.
Head coach Damon Rensing is 72-46-28 (.589) in his seventh season in charge of Michigan State, leading the Spartans to five NCAA Championship appearances during his tenure. Michigan State has been a national quarterfinalist in each of the last two seasons (2013 and 2014).
ND Reserves Playing Key Minutes
While Notre Dame does not place an over reliance on its bench during the course of play, the substitutes that Irish head coach Bobby Clark has regularly called into action this season have been up to the task.
Notre Dame reserves have scored two goals, including one game-winner, and added two assists during the team’s first seven games. Freshman Thomas Ueland has one goal in his seven relief appearances, while sophomore midfielder Blake Townes has chipped in a pair of assists in five matches as a second half sub. Junior forward Mark Gormley made his sixth career match appearance at North Carolina, connecting on his first collegiate goal.
No Sophomore Slump For Gallagher
Following a standout freshman season in which he as named to the 2014 ACC all-freshman team, the bar was certainly set high for Jon Gallagher entering his sophomore campaign. After the first seven Notre Dame games in 2015, the Dundalk, Ireland native has more than answered that challenge.
Gallagher scored his team-high fourth goal during the 13th minute of last Friday night’s game at No. 3 North Carolina, tallying his third goal in four games dating back to a two-score performance on Sept. 6 against UAB. Gallagher needed just seven contests and 12 shots on goal to surpass his freshman total of three goals accrued over 21 appearances.
A total of 12 of Gallagher’s 21 official shots this season have been credited as shots on goal, good for a .571 shots on goal percentage.
Gormley Opens ND Goal Account
After senior defender/tri-captain Max Lachowecki drew a Notre Dame free kick deep in the North Carolina end in the 69th minute of Friday’s game at Fetzer Field, it was time for junior forward Mark Gormley to shine.
Following a pinpoint free kick from senior midfielder/tri-captain Patrick Hodan that was headed back to the center of the 18-yard box by junior defender Brandon Aubrey, Gormley finished a drive with his left foot to open his collegiate goal account.
Gormley became the 212th different goal scorer in Notre Dame men’s soccer history, joining freshman striker Thomas Ueland (Aug. 30 at Indiana) as first-time goal scorers for the Irish in 2015.
Last Two National Champions Clash On Friday
Notre Dame returns home to host perennial ACC contender Virginia on Friday at 7 p.m. (ET) inside Alumni Stadium. The league match will be available on ESPN3. Friday’s contest will be a matchup of the two most recent NCAA champions, with Notre Dame winning its first College Cup in 2013 before Virginia claimed the hardware in 2014.
–ND–
— Tony Jones, Athletics Communications Assistant