Highlights/Bobby Clark Postgame Interview
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – A goal from sophomore left back Max Lachowecki in the 81st minute gave the No. 13 Notre Dame men’s soccer team a 1-0 victory over Oregon State on Friday night at a rainy Alumni Stadium. The match was part of the 11th annual Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament.
The win improved the Fighting Irish to 4-0 on the year. Prior to this season, Notre Dame’s last 4-0 start occurred in 1987 when that Irish squad opened the campaign with nine straight victories.
Notre Dame produced 21 shots in the match compared to seven from Oregon State. Four of the Irish attempts were on goal, while the Beavers (2-1-1) had three shots on frame. The Fighting Irish also held a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks.
Fighting Irish senior midfielder Danny O’Leary put two shots on goal in the opening half. The first came in the eighth minute when he took a shot from eight yards out on the right side, but Oregon State goalkeeper Matt Bersano was there for the save.
Oregon State’s first shot of the match came in the 18th minute when Colin Mitchell put the ball on frame and Notre Dame senior goalkeeper Will Walsh was there for the stop. Walsh had three saves on the night to notch his second clean sheet and third victory of the season. Walsh and the Irish defense shut down the Beaver offense, which entered the match averaging four goals per game this season.
O’Leary’s second shot on goal occurred in the 42nd minute. The sequence began on a Dillon Powers corner kick and the ball was headed down and O’Leary put a foot on it from inside the six-yard box, yet Bersano made one of his three saves on the night.
“I thought we controlled the game, but we didn’t put the ball in the net until late,” said Irish head coach Bobby Clark. “This was another game that we should have put to bed much earlier and then relaxed. But when you’re playing in pressure situations that means you have to focus the whole 90 minutes.”
As the match inched closer to overtime, Irish junior Leon Brown slipped the ball to Lachowecki, who was making a run up the left side of the field, and he deposited it inside the far post from 14 yards away. It was the first career goal for Lachowecki.
“It was a great goal,” added Clark. “Leon Brown took it inside and Max Lachowecki overlapped for his first goal in a Notre Dame shirt. Just a great goal that was well hit.”
No. 4 Akron defeated No. 7 Indiana, 1-0, in the night’s first game of the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament. The tournament will conclude Sunday with Indiana facing Oregon State at 11:30 a.m. (ET) and Notre Dame squaring off against Akron at 2:15 p.m. Both games will be played at Alumni Stadium.
Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament
Alumni Stadium – Notre Dame, Ind.
September 7, 2012
Oregon State (2-1-1) 0 0 – 0
#13 Notre Dame (4-0-0) 0 1 – 1
Scoring: ND: Max Lachowecki (Leon Brown) 80:20
Shots: OSU 3-4 – 7, ND 11-10 – 21
Corner Kicks: OSU 1-3 – 4, ND 2-3 – 5
Goalkeepers: OSU: Matt Bersano – 3 SV, 1 GA, 90:00, L
ND: Will Walsh – 3 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W
Fouls: OSU 17, ND 11
Offsides: OSU 2, ND 0
–ND–