Sept. 1, 2002
Notre Dame, Ind. – For the second straight game, the Notre Dame women’s displayed a balanced scoring attack as the seventh-ranked Irish defeated BIG EAST foe Virginia Tech in the home opener at Alumni Field on Sunday afternoon. Juniors Randi Scheller (Kutztown, Pa.) and Amanda Guertin (Grapevine, Texas) led the Irish as both had a goal and an assist in the contest.
The win marked the second straight shutout head coach Randy Waldrum’s squad which followed Friday’s 3-0 victory at Providence in the season opener. Notre Dame exploded for four second-half goals against the Hokies displaying a potent offensive attack in the final 45-minute stanza.
Guertin, who was held scoreless against the Friars for the first time in 10 games, gave the Irish a 1-0 lead 20:13 into the contest when she launched a ball into the left side of the net past Hokie goalkeeper Natash Dirda off an assist from Scheller.
Freshman Miranda Ford (Portola Valley, Calif.) gave the Irish a 2-0 advantage just 1:23 into the second half when her shot from outside the right corner of the box went over the head of Dirda. Notre Dame got its third goal less than 10 minutes later when sophomore Mary Boland (Hudson, Ohio) scored her second goal of the season off an assist from Guertin.
Scheller gave the Irish a 4-0 on her second score in 2002 when she picked up a loose ball and knocked it into the right corner of the net. Warner put the finishing touches on the scoreboard for Notre Dame with her second goal of the year as she dribbled around a couple of Hokies defenders and lofted a shot past Dirda.
Junior Lauren Kent (Laguna Nigel, Calif.) got the start in goal (the first of her career) and made a personal-best six saves in 67:13 of action. Freshman Erika Bohn (Brookfield, Conn.), the starter in Friday’s win agianst the Friars, came off the bench and played 22:47.
Waldrum’s squad returns to action on Friday (Sept. 6) and Sunday (Sept. 8) when the Irish play host to the Notre Dame Classic presented by St. Andrew’s. Notre Dame will face defending national champion and top-ranked Santa Clara on the first day and then faces fourth-ranked Portland in the second game. The fourth team particpating in the tournament will be 14th-ranked Clemson.