Nov. 11, 2003
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2003 BIG EAST Championship
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 14, Morrone Stadium (Storrs, Conn.)
#7 Providence (6-9-3) vs. #3 Notre Dame (13-3-3), 5 p.m.
#1 St. John’s (14-4-1) vs. #4 Rutgers (10-6-3), 7 p.m.
Finals
Sunday, Nov. 16, Morrone Stadium (Storrs, Conn.)
Semifinal winners, 12 p.m. – LIVE: MSG Network, Fox Sports Net Florida
Surging Irish head to Storrs, Conn., for BIG EAST semifinal match up with Providence:
The University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team (13-3-3), winners of five straight, head to Connecticut this weekend for the BIG EAST Championship semifinals. The Irish will meet seventh-seeded Providence (6-9-3), which upset second-seeded Virginia Tech in Blacksburg 4-2 on penalty kicks Sunday, Nov. 9.
Three of the top four seeds are still alive in the tournament, as #1 St. John’s and #4 Rutgers both advanced to face each other in the second semifinal match this Friday. Both the Red Storm and Scarlet Knights utilized overtime goals for victory in the quarterfinals.
This will be Notre Dame’s third appearance in the BIG EAST Championship semifinals and first since 2001. The Irish also advanced to the semifinals in 1996 on their way to the program’s lone BIG EAST title.
The last time…
Notre Dame and Providence met was Oct. 22 in Providence, a 2-0 victory for the Irish … Greg Martin posted the first goal of the game off an assist from Kevin Goldthwaite, while Devon Prescod added an unassisted insurance goal … Chris Sawyer made three saves for the shut out, while the Notre Dame defense held Providence to just six shots (vs. 15 for the Irish).
Series history:
Notre Dame and Providence will be meeting for the 10th time … the Irish lead the all-time series 7-2 … Providence’s last victory in the series came in 2000, a 3-1 victory at Providence … the Irish have outscored the Friars 9-1 over the last three meetings … Friday will mark the first meeting between the two teams during the BIG EAST Championship.
Notre Dame heads to Storrs, Conn. on a five-match win streak: Notre Dame enters this weekend’s action playing some of their best soccer of the year. The Irish have rattled off five consecutive victories since a 1-0 setback at Connecticut on Oct. 18. The win streak contains victories over #9 Virginia Tech, #25 Villanova and #25 Connecticut.
The five-match run matches last season’s five win streak for the second-best of the Bobby Clark era. Notre Dame won six-straight from 10-11 through 10-24 in 2001. The Irish have not won seven in a row since 1991, while the longest win streak in Notre Dame history lasted a whopping 26 matches over the 1977-78 seasons.
Want to catch the Irish in action?
The BIG EAST Championship semifinals and final will be on several different television networks. The Notre Dame – Providence semifinal match up will be shown on CSTV on Nov. 15 at 2:30 p.m. – followed by the SJU-Rutgers match at 5 p.m.
The final will be broadcast live on the Madison Square Garden network and Fox Sports Net Florida on Nov. 16 at 12 p.m.
Eric Frede (play by play) and Nelson Rodriguez (color) will provide the commentary for the championship final.
The BIG EAST Final will also be shown on a tape delayed basis on the following networks: Fox Sports Net Chicago (11/16, 4 p.m.), Fox Sports Net New England (11/16, 12:30 p.m.), Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh (11/16, 1 p.m.), Comcast Sports Net Philadelphia (11/16, 1 p.m.) and Comcast Sports Net Washington (11/16, 4 p.m.) – all times indicated are EST.
Live statistics for all the BIG EAST Championship semifinal and final action will be available at http://www.uconnhuskies.com/livestats/MSoccer/xlive.htm.
Snapshot of the Irish:
Notre Dame enters this weekend’s action with a 13-3-3 overall record, compiling its most wins since 1996 (14 – the last time Notre Dame won the BIG EAST Championship). The Irish finished the BIG EAST schedule with a 6-3-1 record, suffering setbacks to St. John’s, Rutgers and Connecticut.
The Irish have faced several ranked teams this season, but started off strong losing just one game in their first nine. Rutgers and Connecticut handed Notre Dame two losses over a three-game stretch, but the Irish recovered to post a five-game win streak heading into Friday’s match.
Seniors Justin Detter and Devon Prescod have been the offensive stars for Notre Dame. The two top scorers on the team, Detter is deadly in the air and on the ground with the ball – displaying an incredible first touch. Prescod provides instant offense off the bench, entering the game anywhere from 10-20 minutes into the first half. Both seniors are enjoying career campaigns.
The midfield has seen the most changes as far as line ups, but has posted consistent performances this season. Senior captain Greg Martin has contributed five assists, while classmate Chad Riley (bothered by an injury currently) is second all-time in assists at Notre Dame with 32 (eight this season). Luke Boughen, Filippo Chillemi, Ian Etherington and Greg Dalby also have logged important minutes in the midfield.
The defense has been led by junior Jack Stewart. One of the best central defenders in the nation, Stewart rarely loses a duel in the air and is capable of running down the fastest opposing offensive players. His running mates on the outside, Kevin Goldthwaite (left back) and Kevin Richards (right back) have played almost every minute of each contest this season, moving up to attack and providing great crosses into the defensive zone.
Chris Sawyer has been in goal for all but 10 minutes this season, posting a 13-3-3 record and 11 shut outs. He is 18th in the nation in goals-against average.
Notre Dame’s defense tells the story of the season:
The Notre Dame defensive unit, which has gone through a number of changes over the course of the season (especially over the last two weeks) has persevered to establish itself as one of the best defenses in the nation. The Irish have given up just 14 goals this season, and eight of those scores came in two games (vs. St. John’s, vs. Rutgers). That means that Notre Dame has surrendered one or zero goals in 17 of 19 games this season.
Several players deserve credit for this defensive excellence, which includes 11 shut outs –
Jr. GK Chris Sawyer – Sawyer has a 0.72 goals-against average this season and 11 shut outs. He has made 52 saves in 19 games.
Jr. D Jack Stewart – Stewart has established himself as one of the best central defenders in the nation, though the preseason plans had him in the Irish midfield. An injury to sophomore Dale Rellas (out for the season) pushed Stewart back to the middle of the Notre Dame defense.
Fr. D Greg Dalby – Dalby has played and started all 19 games this season this season as a true freshman. The former captain of the U.S. under-17 national team, Dalby has played in the midfield over the last two weeks, when Chad Riley has been sidelined with an injury.
Jr. D Kevin Goldthwaite – One of the most active players on the field in each game, Goldthwaite is third on the team in assists with six and scored the game-winning goal against #19 Indiana.
Sr. D Kevin Richards – An unsung hero in the backline for the Irish, Richards is one of the most consistent players on the team. He is adept at moving up on the outside and providing dangerous crosses into the opposing defense. He has three assists this season.
Detter steps up to lead the Irish offense:
Senior forward Justin Detter has become one of the most dangerous attack players in the nation this season. The White Lake, Mich., native has put the ball in the net 10 times so far in 2003 and demands the attention of the opposing defense in each and every contest. His 10 goals this season are a career-best for the Irish forward.
A two-time all-BIG EAST selection, Detter has launched a team-high 71 shots this season, including 36 on goal. Dangerous both in the air and on the ground with the ball, Detter has shown the ability to beat constant double teams – and has set his teammates up for numerous scoring chances (he has four assists this season).
Riley moves into second on the all-time assist list:
Senior MF Chad Riley has passed Sami Kahale for second on the all-time assist ranking at Notre Dame. With his assist on Oct. 14 at Cleveland State, Riley now has eight on the season, giving the Houston, Texas, native 32 in his career. Riley has been sidelined with an injury, but is expected back in the line up for the Providence game on Friday.
Notre Dame career assists leaders:
1. Randy Morris (’85-’88), 40
2. Chad Riley (’00- ), 32
3. Sami Kahale (’78-’81), 30
4. Bill Lanza (’92-’95), 25
5. Richard Herdegen (’81-’84), 23
Riley has led Notre Dame in assists for all three previous seasons with the Irish.
Sawyer outstanding in goal:
Junior goalkeeper Chris Sawyer has held Notre Dame’s opposition to one or zero goals in 17 of 19 games this season. Take away the five-goal aberration against Rutgers, and the Highlands Ranch, Colo., native has allowed nine goals over 18 games.
Sawyer’s goals against average stands at 0.72. His 11 shut outs rank first in the BIG EAST Conference. He was named the College Soccer News player of the week on Monday, Nov. 10.
Statistical domination:
While Notre Dame has faced several top teams this season, it has been consistently outperforming its rivals on the statistical end.
As of Nov. 11, Notre Dame has out-shot its opponents 278-171. The Irish have unleashed 150 shots in the second half, compared to just 82 for all opponents.
Continuing a look at the statistics, Notre Dame’s opponents have been forced to make 120 saves, while Irish goalkeeper Chris Sawyer has been asked to make just 52 stops. Notre Dame also leads in corner kicks 116-62.
Challenging schedule continues evolving into one of the toughest slates in the nation:
No one can accuse the Irish team of ducking the competition this season. The BIG EAST Conference is recognized as one of the toughest in the nation, but even with a challenging conference schedule set for the 2003 season, Notre Dame has faced a number of highly-ranked non-conference opponents.
The exhibition season alone saw Notre Dame face Saint Louis (ranked as high as third in the nation this season) and Michigan (currently ranked 23rd). The regular season began with a 0-0 tie with #20 Alabama-Birmingham (currently 24th in the nation) and a 2-1 overtime victory over #11 California (now unranked).
Notre Dame then suffered its first loss of the season to St. John’s, which is currently ranked fourth. During the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament, the Irish defeated Fresno State 2-1, then took on an unranked Akron team. Notre Dame and Akron fought to a 0-0 scoreless tie, but the Zips, by virtue of their win over Indiana that same weekend, jumped to 10th in the Sept. 15 NSCAA poll and first in the Great Lakes Region. Akron is currently ranked 18th.
The Irish also defeated #18 Indiana during the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament. The Hoosiers have reappeared at 11th in the latest NSCAA/adidas top 25.
Notre Dame’s second loss of the season at home to #25 Rutgers marked the fifth ranked team the Irish have faced this season.
Notre Dame defeated #9 Virginia Tech 2-1 in overtime in Blacksburg on Oct. 25 and posted a victory against #25 Villanova and #25 Connecticut over the last two weeks, establishing ND’s record vs. ranked opponents this season to 5-2-1.
Notre Dame vs. ranked opponents this season:
vs. #20 UAB – T 0-0
vs. #11 California – W 2-1
vs. #13 St. John’s – L 0-3
vs. #19 Indiana – W 1-0 (OT)
vs. #25 Rutgers – L 2-5
vs. #9 Virginia Tech – W 2-1 (OT)
vs. #25 Villanova – W 2-0
vs. #25 Connecticut – W 2-0
Bobby Clark’s third Notre Dame team attempting to ‘Make History:’
Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark is in his third season at Notre Dame. He has led the Irish to at least 12 wins each season and Notre Dame is making its second BIG EAST Championship semifinal appearance under Clark. Overall, he is 37-16-6 at Notre Dame (.678) and is poised to take the Irish to the NCAA Championshp tournament for an unprecedented third-straight season.
Winning has been synonymous with Clark’s teams where ever he has coached. His Dartmouth teams (1985-93) posted an 82-42-13 (.646) record over nine years and three Ivy League Championships. At Stanford, Clark put up an 82-42-13 (.646) mark in nine years and finished second in the NCAA Championship in 1998.
Overall, Clark has compiled a 190-79-31 collegiate record (.672) and has landed seven teams in the final national rankings.
The Irish established their motto of ‘Making History’ early this season and that goal has already been achieved. Notre Dame earned its highest-ever preseason ranking this year (third in the Soccer America ranking) and highest-ever in-season ranking in both major polls (fourth in Soccer America, fifth in the NSCAA/adidas ranking currently).
Devon Prescod enjoying a career season:
Senior forward Devon Prescod is making the most of his final season with the Irish. After struggling through a series of leg injuries last season, Prescod is healthy and leading the Irish in scoring this season with 11 goals. His scores against #11 California, West Virginia, Georgetown, Cleveland State, #25 Villanova and #25 Connecticut proved to be the game winners, as well.
Prescod came into the 2003 season with 10 career goals after scoring six as a sophomore in 2001. His 11 goals this season far eclipses his three from a year ago. Named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 1, Prescod is second on the team in points with 22 and second in shots on goal with 21.
Overtime warriors:
Perhaps the Notre Dame players enjoy playing soccer a little too much. The Irish have played extra time in seven of 19 games this season, posting a record of 4-0-3 in those contests. The first weekend of the season, Notre Dame tied UAB 0-0, then defeated California 2-1 in two overtime periods. The Irish eventually defeated Fresno State and Indiana in OT, while tieing Akron and Syracuse.
Notre Dame has matched the team record of seven overtime contests in 1985 (compiling a 1-2-4 record). The Irish have posted several seasons with six overtime contests (1981, ’97, ’98, ’02). Notre Dame is 30-21-16 all-time in overtime (.567).
Home cooking serves the Irish well:
Notre Dame completed a seven-game homestand during the month of September with a 5-1-1 record, finishing up with a four-game win streak over #18 Indiana, West Virginia, Bradley and Georgetown.
The 2003 September marked just the second time in the program’s history the Irish spent the entire month at home. In 1978, the second season of varsity soccer, Notre Dame defeated Florissant Valley, Tri-State, IPFW, St. Joseph’s, Valparaiso, Michigan, Indiana Tech, Ablion and Purdue to start the season 9-0.
This season Notre Dame is 7-2-1 at Alumni Field, suffering losses to St. John’s and Rutgers while tieing Akron.
Notre Dame successful on the road as well:
While Notre Dame embraces its home field advantage, it also takes pride in its record on the road. The Irish posted a 5-1-1 record on the road this season, its only loss to Connecticut on Oct. 18.
Irish home attendance on the rise:
Notre Dame men’s soccer has developed a solid following in the local South Bend market over the past six seasons. In 2003, the Irish are averaging 1,237 fans for each home contest – a mark that would have placed Notre Dame 14th in the final attendance figures for the nation last season.
Here is a look at Notre Dame’s home attendance over the last six seasons:
2003: 1,152 (as of Nov. 11)
2002: 803
2001: 886
2000: 810
1999: 587
1998: 491
Notre Dame’s 1-0 victory over Indiana was attended by 2,131 fans, the largest crowd this season at Alumni Field.
Notre Dame in the NCAA statistical rankings:
Notre Dame’s rankings in the NCAA statistical lists –
Scoring Offense: 78th (1.58)
Team Goals Against Average: 14th (0.69)
Shut out Percentage: seventh (0.58)
Won-Lost-Tied Percentage: 15th (0.763)
Individual –
Chris Sawyer, goals against average, 18th (0.699)
Etherington steps up in the Irish midfield:
Senior midfielder Chad Riley was forced to the sidelines over the last two weeks due to an injury, but freshman Ian Etherington has stepped up to be a important ball distributor in his place. Etherington posted his first two career assists on both goals in Notre Dame’s 2-0 victory over Villanova on Oct. 31 – a victory that assured the Irish home field advantage in Sunday’s game against UConn.
Lost in the aftermath of Notre Dame’s 5-2 defeat at the hands of #25 Rutgers was Etherington’s first goal of his career. Etherington has seen significant minutes this season on the right side of the Irish midfield, appearing in all 18 games and 833 minutes. He made his first start of the season at Cleveland State.
Etherington’s first career goal came at the 66:05 mark of the Rutgers contest, a header off a cross from Chad Riley.
Freshman class in action during the postseason:
Due to injuries, line up changes and overall improvement, Notre Dame featured three freshmen in its line up against Connecticut in the BIG EAST Championship quarterfinals last weekend. At one point, Greg Dalby, Ian Etherington and Nate Norman were all in the midfield together during the second half.
See the following note for the background of the freshman class.
Class of 2007 earns top-five recruiting class status:
University of Notre Dame men’s soccer coach Bobby Clark announced the signing of seven highly-regarded prep standouts to national letters of intent late last season. Three of those players have been members of the U.S. national team program and are current members of the under-18 national squad. Joining the Irish program beginning in the fall of 2003 will be goalkeeper Chris Cahill (Louisville, Ky./St. Francis DeSales) central defender Greg Dalby (Poway, Calif./Poway), midfielder Ian Etherington (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral HS), forward Justin McGeeney (Ames, Iowa/Ames), midfielder Ryan Miller (Barrington, Ill./Barrington), forward Brian Murphy (Granger, Ind./St. Joseph’s) and forward/midfielder Nate Norman (Rochester, Mich./Rochester Adams).
“These seven players comprise a fabulous recruiting class for us,” Clark says. “All the individuals we identified early on in the recruiting process decided to come to Notre Dame. We were looking for players who would come in and give up depth as well as have an impact immediately. We’re very excited to have all of them join our program.
“I think we’ve been very successful with our recruiting efforts the past two seasons. This year’s class adds tremendous depth to our team and continues to move the program in the direction that we want to go.”
The group ended up ranked fifth in the country by Soccer America and third by College Soccer News.com.
Notre Dame leads the nation in student-athlete graduation rate:
The University of Notre Dame compiled the nation’s highest overall graduation rate for Division I-A student-athletes to take top honors in the 2003 USA Today/NCAA Academic Achievement Awards announced today.
Ninety-two percent of the Fighting Irish student-athletes who enrolled in 1996 earned a degree from the University, three percentage points higher than second-place Tulsa University. Duke and Wisconsin finished third at 88 percent, followed by Northwestern, 87; Boston College, 86; Stanford, 84; Western Michigan, 83; Michigan, 82; and Syracuse, Rice and Utah State, 81.
In addition to the overall rate, Academic Achievement Awards are presented to the institutions with the best student-athlete graduation rates in comparison to the overall student body and to those that show the most improvement from the previous year.
Now in their third year, the awards include a $20,000 prize for the top institutions in each category. They are based on federally compiled figures submitted by NCAA member institutions.
The NCAA bases graduation rates on the raw percentage of student-athletes who entered an institution and graduated within six years. Students who leave or transfer, regardless of academic standing, are considered non graduates. Notre Dame’s graduation rate for student-athletes who complete all four years of athletic eligibility is 99 percent.
See Irish men’s soccer action on CSTV’s “Notre Dame Primetime”:
College Sports Television (CSTV) has launched “Notre Dame Primetime” on Sunday evenings. Those with Direct TV can catch the show, hosted by former Irish football player Derrick Mayes. “Notre Dame Primetime” recaps all of Notre Dame’s athletic action over the past week, features interviews with student-athletes and highlights from all of the Irish athletic teams.
“Notre Dame Primetime” is on each Sunday evening at 8:30 p.m. (EDT). Local Irish sports fans can catch a rebroadcast of “Notre Dame Primetime” at 7:00 p.m. Monday evenings on WHME-TV 46 (cable channel 11).
CSTV is currently available nationwide to more than 15 million cable and satellite homes. To find out where CSTV is available in your area, log on to www.CSTV.com, or call your local cable or satellite operator.
Keep up with the Irish via the Notre Dame hotline:
The Notre Dame athletic department hotline has realigned its menu offerings for the 2003 fall sports season.
The hotline provides schedule and results information for varsity sports and serves as a supplement to the live coverage and game recaps already provided on the official athletic website at www.und.com.
Here’s how the hotline is aligned (as of Aug. 28):
*Dial (574) 631-3000
*Select any of the following subgroups:
(1) Upcoming schedule and recent results of ALL varsity sports currently in action (select cells 3-9 for the most updated results for specific sports).
(2) Football schedules for the 2003, ’04, ’05, ’06 and ’07 seasons.
(3) Basketball information (then press 1 for men’s basketball and 2 for women’s basketball)
(4) Soccer information (then press 1 for men’s soccer and 2 for women’s soccer).
(5) Women’s volleyball (press 1) and men’s ice hockey (press 2) information.
(6) Men’s and women’s cross country information.
(7) Men’s and women’s swimming and diving information (then press 1 for men’s swimming and 2 for women’s swimming).
(8) Tennis information (then press 1 for men’s tennis and 2 for women’s tennis) and men’s and women’s fencing information (press 3).
(9) Women’s golf (press 1), men’s golf (press 2) and women’s rowing (press 3) information.
Other national polls:
There are several polls supported by various magazines and websites that rank the Irish. Here is a look at the Soccer Times and College Soccer News polls.
Soccer Times: 1. UCLA, 2. Wake Forest, 3. Maryland, 4. St. John’s, 5. Santa Clara, 6. NOTRE DAME, 7. Saint Louis, 8. North Carolina, 9. Indiana, 10. Florida International, 11. Old Dominion, 12. Washington, 13. Coastal Carolina, 14. Virginia Commonwealth, 15. UCSB, 16. Akron, 17. CS Northridge, 18. Tulsa, 18. Virginia Tech, 20. San Diego, 21. Hartwick College, 22. Oregon State, 23. Brown, 23. Fairleigh Dickinson, 25. SMU.
College Soccer News: 1. UCLA, 2. Wake Forest, 3. St. John’s, 4. Maryland, 5. Florida International, 6. Santa Clara, 7. Saint Louis, 8. NOTRE DAME, 9. Coastal Carolina, 10. Indiana, 11. VCU, 12. North Carolina, 13. Hartwick College, 14. Old Dominion, 15. Oregon State, 16. Washington, 17. Brown, 18. Akron, 19. Fairleigh Dickinson, 20. Tulsa, 21. Virginia Tech, 22. CS Northridge, 23. San Diego, 24. Michigan, 25. Cincinnati, 26. Oakland, 27. Richmond, 28. UCSB, 29. Duquesne, 30. Creighton.
NOTRE DAME PLAYER BIO UPDATES:
2003 Men’s Soccer Bio Updates
0 * Justin Michaud * So. * GK
Has appeared in one game this season, playing 10:48 in relief of starting GK Chris Sawyer at Cleveland State … made one save to combine with Sawyer for the shutout in Notre Dame’s 6-0 victory.
00 * Chris Cahill * Fr. * GK
Rookie keeper has not seen action this season.
1 *Chris Sawyer *Jr. *GK
Notre Dame starting GK … has posted 11 shut outs this season (leads the BIG EAST Conference) … has held opponents to one or zero goals in 17 of 19 matches this season … has played all but 10 minutes of the season, starting each match … eight of the 14 goals allowed came in two games (vs. St. Johns, vs. Rutgers) … candidate for all-BIG EAST honors … key stats: 19 GP, 14 GA, 52 saves, 0.72 goals-against average, 11 SHO.
2 * Ryan Miller * Fr. * MF
Was going to be a factor in the Irish midfield, but was sidelined by a knee injury in the preseason.
3 *Kevin Goldthwaite * Jr. *D
One of Notre Dame’s four starting defenders … adept at moving up and attacking from his defensive position … one of the Irish options for free kicks in the team’s set pieces … second on the team in assists with six … scored the game-winning goal in overtime in Notre Dame’s 1-0 victory over #19 Indiana … named BIG EAST defensive player of the week on Sept. 22 … named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week on Sept. 22 … candidate for all-BIG EAST honors … key stats: 19 GP, 1 G, 6 A, 8 pts.
4 *Greg Martin * Sr. *MF
Serving his third consecutive year as the Irish team captain (the first three-time captain in men’s soccer history) … third on the team in scoring with 15 points (five goals, five assists) … posted the game-winning goal at Michigan State, at Providence and vs. Bradley … has set a career season-high with 15 points this season … also scored three game-winning goals last season … vocal team leader both on and off the field … key stats: 19 GP, 5 G, 5 A, 15 pts., 3 GW goals.
5 * Ian Etherington *Fr. *MF
Rookie has seen significant action this season … a dangerous attacking player … posted first two career assists vs. #25 Villanova on Oct. 31 … scored first career goal vs. #25 Rutgers … assumed a larger role and played well, when senior Chad Riley was sidelined with an injury over the last two weeks … key stats: 19 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 4 pts.
6 *Greg Dalby * Fr. * D/MF
Stepped into the Irish starting line up from day one with the team … former captain of the under-17 U.S. national team … completed his high school studies one year early … Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2002 … one of the best technical players on the team … has played most of the season as a central defender, but moved up to midfield when senior Chad Riley was sidelined with an injury.
7 * Justin Detter *Sr. *F
One of the best attacking players in the country … deadly in the air and on the ground with the ball … demands constant double teams from Irish opponents … has posted 10 goals and four assists this season … has moved into the top 25 all-time in total points at Notre Dame … posted three game-winning goals this season (vs. Fresno State, at Pittsburgh, at #9 Virginia Tech) … scored over two points in three games this season (1 G, 1 A vs. Fresno State, 2 G, 1 A at Cleveland State, 2 G at #9 Virginia Tech) … has scored a career single-season best 10 goals and 24 points this season … candidate for all-BIG EAST honors … key stats: 19 GP, 10 G, 4 A, 24 pts., 4 GW, 71 shots, 36 shots on goal.
8 *Luke Boughen *Jr. * MF
Has appeared in all 19 games with 14 starts in the midfield … an active player in the central midfield … has 17 shots this season, including six on goal.
9 *Filippo Chillemi *Sr. *MF
Appeared in 17 games this season and started 14 consecutive contests until a minor foot injury kept him out of the Michigan State and Connecticut games … had his only assist of the season at Cleveland State.
10 * Devon Prescod *Sr. *F
Has enjoyed a career year in his final season with the Irish … leads the team with 11 goals (a single-season career best) … has played in all 19 games this season … typically enters the game sometime in the first half, giving the team an immediate spark off the bench … posted his first carer hat trick at Cleveland State … team-leader in game winning goals with six (vs. California, vs. West Virginia, vs. Georgetown, at Cleveland State, vs. #25 Villanova, vs #25 Connecticut) … BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 1) … candidate for all-BIG EAST honors … key stats: 19 GP, 11 G, 22 pts., 6 GW, 37 shots, 21 shots on goal.
11 *Tony Megna * So. * F
Has appeared in all 19 games, making 16 starts … starts the game to put pressure on the opposing defense … has taken nine shots this season, five of those on goal … fast player capable of making dangerous runs through the defense.
12 *Brian Murphy *Fr. *F
Rookie has worked hard on his training this season … figures prominently in Notre Dame’s future plans at forward.
13 * Jack Stewart *Jr. *D
Possibly the best all-around player on the Irish roster … dominating in the air and on the ground with the ball … might be playing out of position, as he moved back to defender when starter Dale Rellas was lost for the year due to injury … has embraced his defensive role, becoming one of the best defenders in the nation … demands opposing defensive attention when he moves up to attack … has started all 19 games this season … scored first goal of the season at Syracuse.
14 * John Stephens * So. *MF
Has appeared in 12 games this season, making three starts (vs. St. John’s, at Michigan State, vs. #25 Connecticut) … stepped up at MSU and against UConn, with the loss of starters Filippo Chillemi and Chad Riley to injury to see significant minutes … has taken three shots, two on goal.
15 * Jon Mark Thompson *So. *MF
Made first appearance of the season against Michigan State on Nov. 2.
16 * Ben Crouse * So. * D
Second-year player has worked on training this season.
17 * Christopher High * Jr. *D
Has played a key role in Notre Dame’s late season surge … an injury in the Irish midfield forced an Irish line up change, putting High in the starting line up … helped Notre Dame post four shutouts in its last five games … has appeared in eight games, making five starts.
18 * Justin McGeeney * Fr. *F
Has appeared in seven games this season, making starts against #11 California, Fresno State and Akron.
19 * Nick Tarnay * So. * D
Made his first career appearance at Cleveland State.
20 *Nate Norman * Fr. *MF
Has played a key role in the Irish midfield off the bench … has appeared in 16 matches this season … made a memorable run through the Indiana defense in overtime, drawing a foul at the top of the box which led to Notre Dame’s winning goal in the game off a free kick … capable of making quick runs through the opposing defense.
21 * Chad Riley * Sr. * MF
Push for career assist lead derailed by an injury that kept him sidelined the last two games … returned for the first half of the Connecticut BIG EAST quarterfinal match, expected to play this weekend … leads the team in assists with eight, making it the fourth-straight season leading the Irish in assists … has 32 career assists … fourth on the team in points with 10 … an excellent technical player, displaying tremendous ball control … key stats: 17 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 10 pts.
22 * Dale Rellas * So. * D
Injured in the first game of the season … was set bo be one of Notre Dame’s starting defenders.
24 * Kevin Richards *Sr. * D
Has started all 19 contests and played almost every minute of each game this season … a quick defender who is rarely beaten … on those rare occasions, displays tremendous catch up speed … a dangerous attacking defender as well, capable of dotting the opposing defenses with crosses … has three assists this season.
25 * Roger Klauer * Sr. * F
Walk-on member of the Irish squad from local Marian High School has appeared in three games this season.