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Match 12 Preview: No. 18 Oklahoma State

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team heads out on the road for the final two games of the regular season. First up for the Irish is a Sunday matinee matchup against the 18th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowgirls. The Irish will play their first game in 22 games and it will be the fifth ranked opponent they face this season.

KNOW THE OPPONENT: OKLAHOMA STATE COWGIRLS

  • The first challenge of the trip will be the 18th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowgirls as the Irish travel to Stillwater this weekend.
  • This will be the third all-time meeting between the two schools as the series is knotted at 1-1.
  • The last time these two teams squared off, Notre Dame came away with a 2-0 win in Stillwater in the NCAA Quarterfinals on Nov. 26, 2010.
  • Elizabeth Tucker netted both goals for the Irish in the second half as they secured their fifth straight trip to the College Cup. 
  • The Irish would go on to win their third national championship in program history that season.
  • Oklahoma State enters the matchup with an 11-3-1 record overall and are coming off a loss to fourth-ranked TCU.
  • Prior to the loss to TCU, Oklahoma State was on an eight-game winning streak.

IRISH DEFENSE SHINES AGAINST MISSOURI

  • After a strong defensive effort in the 2-0 win over Cincinnati to begin the spring season, the Irish continued that strong play against Missouri.
  • It was senior day at Alumni Stadium and a number of seniors made key contributions in the 2-0 win.
  • Senior forward Eva Hurm opened the scoring in the 29th minute with the assist coming from fellow senior Camryn Dyke.
  • It was Hurm’s first goal of the season and 10th of her career to put the Irish in front.
  • In the second half, Hurm set the Irish up for their second goal of the game to double the lead. 
  • She played a great ball into the box where Maddie Mercado finished it off for the goal, her first of the season.
  • Senior Jaina Eckert got her second consecutive start in goal and she picked up another shutout after making three saves on the afternoon.
  • The Irish as a team tallied their sixth shutout of the season as all six of their wins have come via the shutout.

A GIFT LIKE NO OTHER

  • Doug and Lisa Jones of Westlake Village, California have made an incredible gift to the University of Notre Dame to endow the women’s soccer head coach position.
  • This gift will help underwrite the salary of the coach, provide stability and resources for the long term and create funds for use within the athletics department. Nate Norman will become the first Doug and Lisa Jones Family Head Women’s Soccer Coach. Norman, a 2007 Notre Dame graduate and former soccer student-athlete, currently is in his third season as head coach of the Fighting Irish.
  • The Joneses have a strong connection to the Fighting Irish women’s soccer program as their daughter, Ashley Jones Penn, is a 2008 and 2009 Notre Dame graduate and former member of the team. While earning four Monograms with the Fighting Irish, she helped Notre Dame win the 2004 NCAA Championship and advance to the College Cup Final Four in three of her four years. She was a two-time first team Academic All-American as an accounting major.

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