Sept. 13, 2015
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The No. 13/4 University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team will wrap up its non-conference schedule with its toughest opponent so far when the Irish welcome #RV Michigan to Alumni Stadium this afternoon.
WHAT: Match 8
WHO: No. 13/4 Notre Dame (6-0-1) vs. Michigan (5-2-0)
WHERE: Alumni Stadium – Notre Dame, Indiana
WHEN: 5:00 p.m. (ET) – September 13, 2015
LIVE STREAM: ESPN3
STATS:
TWITTER: @NDSoccer
GAME NOTES
Here is what you need to know as the Fighting Irish and Wolverines face off today:
Scouting Michigan: The Wolverines handled Central Michigan in a 3-1 win on Thursday to move to 5-2-0 on the season with losses to Marquette and Washington the only blemishes to the record. Against shared opponent Portland, which Notre Dame defeated 2-0 on August 30, Michigan recorded a 5-0 win in Seattle at the Husky Invite. The Wolverines have outscored their opponents 22-6 this season, while outshooting them 153-43. Sophomore goalkeeper Megan Hinz has recorded 12 saves and a 0.74 goals against average to lead Michigan defensively. Sophomore forward Taylor Timko has recorded six goals on the season to lead the Michigan attack, while senior attacker Lulu Haider has tallied four goals. Junior forward Nicky Waldeck has peppered the net with 32 shots to take the team lead in that category.
The Last Time They Met: Though the Irish own a 13-3-1 against the Wolverines, they will look to avenge their last meeting in which they met in the third round of the 2013 NCAA Championship. The No. 23 Irish squared off with the No. 11 Wolverines at U-M Soccer Stadium in Ann Arbor, playing a fairly even game before a successful Michigan penalty kick in the 55th minute provided the final margin in a 1-0 Michigan victory. The Irish played the final 23 minutes of that contest with just 10 players after Sammy Scofield was issued a red card, and the Irish could not mount a comeback despite battling to the end.
Against Indiana: Notre Dame defeated Indiana on Friday in a 2-0 decision at Alumni Stadium, but saw marked improvement in the second half as the Irish improved their ball movement after intermission and the Hoosiers were rarely able to advance the ball into their offensive half. Freshman Natalie Jacobs netted the first Irish goal on a tight finish to give her team the lead in the first half, while junior Kaleigh Olmsted put the match away in the second half after finishing off Sabrina Flores’ cross in front of the net.
Stacking Up: The Irish sit near the top of nearly every statistical category in the Atlantic Coast Conference after a fast start to the season. Notre Dame is one of five unbeaten ACC squads, along with Clemson, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Virginia. Clemson remains the only ACC team without a loss or draw.
Notre Dame ranks second in the conference in corner kicks (55), shots (162) and goals against average (0.42), while they rate third in goals (19), points (53) and goals per game (2.71).
Individually, Anna Maria Gilbertson lead the league in shots (44) and shots per game (6.29), while tying for fifth in goals (4). She is also tied for second in the league in game-winning goals with two on the season. Natalie Jacobs is tied for second in the league in assists (4) and comes in fourth in shots (29) and third in shots per game (4.14).
The (Almost) 2-0 Guarantee: Notre Dame is a combined 362-1-1 (.996) all-time when claiming a 2-0 lead, and has won 335 of its last 336 contests when going ahead 2-0 (since a 3-3 draw with Vanderbilt on Sept. 15, 1991, in Cincinnati). The only loss in that span was a 3-2 defeat in double overtime against North Carolina (9/20/14). The Irish have won five such contests this season.
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Season and single game tickets for Notre Dame women’s soccer are on sale now. Visit UND.com/tickets or call the Murnane Family Ticket Office at 574-631-7356.
For the latest Fighting Irish women’s soccer coverage, be sure log on to UND.com, follow @NDSoccer on Twitter and like Notre Dame Women’s Soccer on Facebook.
– Joanne Norell, Athletics Communications Assistant
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