May 5, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team travels to a familiar location to meet a familiar foe in the first round of the NCAA Championship, as the Irish play Stanford for the second time this season Friday at Northwestern’s Lakeside Field in Evanston, Ill., with the winner meeting the No. 2 seed Wildcats (17-2) Sunday. The Irish and Cardinal square off at 8 p.m. ET with Sunday’s second round slated for 2 p.m. ET.
The Irish (12-4) defeated Stanford (13-5), 12-10, to open the season Feb. 16. The Cardinal won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) title 7-6 over Denver Saturday. The winner plays the Wildcats, who defeated Florida, 8-3, Sunday to claim the American Lacrosse Conference (ALC) title. The Irish played Northwestern April 24 and lost in a close contest 10-8 at Arlotta Stadium
Notre Dame is making its eighth NCAA appearance in the program’s history and has made the trip to Evanston five times. Notre Dame also played at Northwestern in the first round of the 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2012 NCAA Championships.
Last year the Irish fell to the Wildcats, 12-7, in the first round in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated. Notre Dame has lost to the eventual national champion three times in NCAA Championship action.
All-time, the Irish are 4-7 with three quarterfinal appearances (last 2009) and one Final Four showing in 2006.
Five BIG EAST teams earned spots in the NCAA field, two more than the high set in 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012.
The 2013 NCAA Championship is the first with 26 teams as 13 conference champions received automatic berths and 13 others receive at-large spots.
All first and second round action will take place this weekend with the quarterfinals set for May 18 or May 19. The 2013 NCAA Final Four will take place Friday, May 24 and Sunday, May 26 at Villanova Stadium in Philadelphia, Pa.
Continue to check UND.com, Facebook.com/NDWLAX and @NDWomensLax on Twitter for complete information on this weekend’s NCAA first and second rounds.
Notre Dame NCAA History
2002 – Quarterfinals
#7 Notre Dame 11, #2 Ohio State 7
#1 Princeton 11, #7 Notre Dame 5
2004 – First Round
#8 Northwestern 10, #9 Notre Dame 8
2006 – Semifinals
#7 Notre Dame 16, #10 Cornell 8
#7 Notre Dame 12, Georgetown 9
#8 Dartmouth 14, #7 Notre Dame 8
2008 – First Round
#1 Northwestern 15, #10 Notre Dame 7
2009 – Quarterfinals
#6 Notre Dame 19, #12 Vanderbilt 13
#3 North Carolina 16, #6 Notre Dame 10
2010 – First Round
#2 Northwestern 19, #14 Notre Dame 7
2012 – First Round
#2 Northwestern 12, #8 Notre Dame 7
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