SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Irish begin their quest for a second NCAA National Championship with a second round matchup against Villanova at 5 p.m. ET at Alumni Stadium. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket window for $5 and students will get in free with their student ID. The match will be broadcast on ACCNX.
#4 NOTRE DAME vs. VILLANOVA
Location: South Bend, Indiana | Alumni Stadium
TV: ACCNX
Live Stats: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @NDMenSoccer
Game Notes: vs. Villanova
THE IRISH IN THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
• Notre Dame is playing in its 23rd NCAA Championship in 2021 and have played in the tourney in 19 of the last 21 seasons.
• The Irish have an overall record of 19-20-3 in the NCAA Championships.
• The Irish have advanced to the round of 16 on 10 occasions and have made four quarterfinals.
• Notre Dame won the College Cup in 2013, defeating Maryland by a score of 2-1 to capture the title. It was the program’s only trip to the College Cup.
• The Irish played against 2019 NCAA Championship participants in 12 of 18 matches in the regular season and ACC Championship.
• Notre Dame is 13-8-3 when playing at home in NCAA Tournament play in proram history and has advanced to the next round 15 times.
• The Irish are 11-8-2 in their opening NCAA Tournament matches in program history and have advanced to the next round 13 times.
• Notre Dame’s No. 4 national seed is the highest the program has earned since being the top-seed during the 2014 season.
THE VILLANOVA SERIES
• The Irish and Wildcats will meet on the pitch for the 14th time on Sunday evening.
• The Irish lead the series with a mark of 10-3-0.
• Notre Dame is 5-1-0 against Villanova when playing in South Bend.
• The Wildcats won the most recent matchup, defeating the Irish 1-0 during the 2011 season in South Bend.
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP REWIND
• The Irish captured its first ACC Championship title in program history with a 2-0 win over Duke in Cary, North Carolina.
• Dawson McCartney scored a brace in the title game and totaled three goals over the four tournament matches to earn ACC Championship MVP honors.
• Jack Lynn, Bryan Dowd and Philip Quinton joined McCartney on the ACC All-Tournament Team.
• The Irish didn’t allow a goal over the four games, becoming the first team to accomplish the feat when playing in four games and the sixth to ever finish the ACC Championships with no goals allowed.
• Notre Dame advanced past NC State (1-0), Louisville (0-0, 3-0 penalties), and Pitt (2-0) to get to the title game.
• The Irish snapped Pitt’s 19-match home winning streak with the 2-0 win in the semifinal round.
KEEP IT CLEAN
• The Notre Dame defense has come into form in the second half of the season, posting eight clean sheets in its last 10 matches.
• The Irish have totaled 11 shutouts on the season, with Bryan Dowd in goal for eight and Thomas Deslonchamps recording three.
• Notre Dame has seven clean sheets against ACC opponents, the most by any team in the conference this season (Pitt x2, Duke, Clemson, Louisville, NC State x2)
• Opponents have scored multiple goals in just four of 20 matches this season.
• Despite playing some of the top teams in the country, the Irish have allowed just five goals in the last 12 matches.
FINISHING STRONG
• The Irish have made it a habit of dominating the second half of matches, outscoring the opposition 28-7 in the final 45 minutes of regulation.
• Notre Dame’s defense hasn’t allowed a goal in the second half in the last 10 matches, outscoring the opposition 15-0 in the second half during that stretch.
LYNN LEADS THE LINE
• Lynn was Notre Dame’s representative on the ACC Preseason Watch List and was recently ranked No. 33 in TopDrawerSoccer’s midseason top 100 players rankings.
• Lynn paces all active Irish players in career goals with 29.
• The senior leads the team in goals (8) and points (20) on the year.
• The forward has eight goals and four assists on the season.
• Lynn was named All-ACC First Team for the second straight year by the league coaches.
• The forward enjoyed a breakout 2019 campaign, scoring a career-high 10 goals to lead the Irish attack.
• Lynn has led the Irish in goals and points in each of the last two seasons.
BALANCED ATTACK
• Nineteen different Irish players have registered at least one point this season, as the team has totaled 129 on the season.
• Fourteen players have scored a goal through 20 matches, with 10 scoring multiple goals.
• The Irish have racked up 39 assists, which ranks 19th in the country.
• Dawson McCartney leads the Irish with five assists while Paddy Burns, Jack Lynn and Daniel Russo are tied for second with four each. Matthew Roou, Ethan O’Brien and Matthew McLaughlin each have three.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
• The Irish have received significant contributions from the 2021 freshman class.
• Thirteen of Notre Dame’s 45 goals have been scored by freshmen.
• Matthew Roou ranks third on the team in goals scored with six while Eno Nto is tied for third on the squad with five goals to his name.
• Michael Rossi scored two goals in his debut season.
• Josh Ramsey has played in all 20 games, including 19 starts for Notre Dame this season at the center back position.
• Nto and Roou both scored goals in their first career starts, coming in the 2-0 win over NIU.
• Kyle Genenbacher has also logged minutes in 19 matches this season.