Oct. 12, 2014
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team lit up the goal column on Sunday, as five different Fighting Irish players found the back of the net in a 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference victory over Miami (Fla.) at Alumni Stadium. The five goals scored by the Notre Dame offense were the most for the program in a single match since the Fighting Irish blanked Maryland 5-0 on Sept. 26, 2013 at Alumni Stadium.
No. 14/11 Notre Dame (9-4-1, 4-2 ACC) improved to 7-1 all-time against the Hurricanes (2-11-1, 0-5-1 ACC), including 6-0 in matches contested on the Notre Dame campus. The Fighting Irish avenged a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Miami last October in Coral Gables, Florida, the only win for the Hurricanes during the series between the teams.
Notre Dame held a commanding 31-4 shot advantage over the Hurricanes on Sunday, including a remarkable 18-2 count in shots on goal, while attempting seven corner kicks to just one for Miami.
“At the end of the day, (the team) builds confidence from playing well and putting the ball in the back of the net,” Notre Dame head coach Theresa Romagnolo, who earned her first career ACC home victory with the triumph, said. “I thought we had two good performances this week against Pitt and today against Miami at home. Just being able to put some goals in the back of the net is great for everybody’s confidence, and the belief that they’re doing the right thing.”
Freshman forward Karin Muya (London, England/Burntwood School) was an offensive standout for Notre Dame on Sunday in her fifth collegiate start, connecting on her second career goal just 45 seconds into the contest. It was the third-fastest Fighting Irish goal to open a match since the 1999 season. Muya slid at the feet of Miami goalkeeper Emily Lillard as she attempted to clear the Hurricane zone, deflecting the ball into the right corner of the net for the quick 1-0 Notre Dame lead.
Muya would later add an assist on a Fighting Irish insurance goal in the second half, capping her second career one goal-one assist performance. Muya previously picked up three points in her Notre Dame debut at No. 16/21 Santa Clara on Sept. 5.
“Karin brings a great spark,” Romagnolo said. “She’s a great 1V1 player, she sees the field, and she can play other people into goal. It’s nice to be getting her healthy and fit again.
“I think the hardest thing was getting her on the field, getting her eligible and getting her healthy,” Romagnolo added. “We’re just trying to get Karin going, and it’s exciting to see what she can bring. We’re still learning what Karin Muya can bring to the table.”
Notre Dame closed the first half with a 19-2 shot advantage, including a 13-1 margin in shots on goal, but were unable to add another goal before taking a 1-0 lead into halftime. The second frame was where the Fighting Irish really turned on the pressure.
“I wouldn’t say there were a lot of adjustments (today),” Romagnolo said. “We had a lot of opportunities against Pitt, it was just bringing that extra bit of focus into the box and smacking the ball into the back of the net. The mentality to go after the ball, and not hope that it’s going to go in.”
Senior forward Lauren Bohaboy (Mission Viejo, California/Santa Margarita) made a nice run into the box during the 60th minute before being hauled down by a Miami defender, giving Notre Dame its fifth penalty kick opportunity of 2014. Sophomore midfielder Morgan Andrews (Milford, New Hampshire/Milford) again showed her acumen from the penalty spot, drilling her third PK goal of the year and team leading sixth goal overall to vault Notre Dame ahead 2-0 at 59:47.
Just under two minutes later, Muya again showed flashy ball control in cruising into the Miami zone up the right wing, sending a perfect through ball up the seam to a gliding Karin Simonian (Westbury, New York/W.T. Clarke). The senior forward connected from just inside the 18-yard box, sending her second goal of the season into the right corner of the net (61:44) to up the Fighting Irish cushion to 3-0.
Not even two minutes after entering for her twin sister Sabrina Flores (Livingston, New Jersey/Livingston) on the Notre Dame defense to log her first career Fighting Irish appearance, freshman Monica Flores (Livingston, New Jersey/Livingston) made a near immediate impact. Flores worked the ball up the left side of the Notre Dame attack before dropping a cross on a dime in front to Bohaboy, who hit a stationary bicycle-volley over her head and into the left corner of the net at 81:11 for the fourth Notre Dame goal (4-0) of the afternoon.
The Fighting Irish completed the scoring rout in the 89th minute after solid defensive pressure by senior Taylor Schneider (Southlake, Texas/Carroll Senior) won possession for Notre Dame deep in the Miami defensive third. Schneider sent a nice feed from the right side out in front to junior forward Anna Maria Gilbertson (Davis, California/Davis), who expertly walled off her defender to make the turn to her right. Gilbertson buried a left-footed rocket past a sprawling Lillard into the right corner of the netting for the fifth and final Notre Dame goal of the match (88:11).
“We have so many great forwards on this team that I think on any given day, anyone can step up,” Romagnolo said. “Coming off this weekend I thought Lauren Bohaboy had a great weekend for us, Karin Simonian played very well, and you saw today Karin Muya really stepped up and started to get offensive opportunities. Then you had players off the bench like Anna Maria Gilbertson putting the ball in the back of the net. We’ve been scoring by committee this year, and we have a lot of people who can put the ball in the back of the net, which is exciting.”
Sophomore goalkeeper Kaela Little (Tulsa, Oklahoma/Bishop Kelley) made two saves during the full 90 minutes in net to post her eighth shutout of the season, and fourth during ACC play. Lillard turned aside 13 shots in the Miami net, remaining in the match after being injured in a hard collision in the box during a Notre Dame corner kick attempt in the 70th minute.
Andrews led all players by tying a career-high with eight total shots, with five shots officially finding goal. Gilbertson also tied a career-best with six shots (three shots on goal), while Simonian added four shots and Bohaboy three shots, all of which were on goal.
Notre Dame next travels to Syracuse on Oct. 18 at 5 p.m. (ET) for an ACC contest at the SU Soccer Stadium. The Fighting Irish are 5-0-1 in true road games this season, including a perfect 3-0 in ACC road matches.
For more information on the Fighting Irish women’s soccer program, follow Notre Dame on Twitter (@NDsoccernews or @NDSoccer), like the Fighting Irish on Facebook (facebook.com/NDWomenSoccer) or sign up for the Irish ALERT text-messaging system through the “Fan Center” pulldown menu on the main page at UND.com.
–ND–
#14/11 Notre Dame 5, Miami (Fla.) 0
Oct. 12, 2014
Notre Dame, Ind. (Alumni Stadium)
Miami 0 0 – 0
Notre Dame 1 4 – 5
ND 1. Karin Muya 2 (-) 0:45. ND 2. Morgan Andrews 6 (PK) 59:47. ND 3. Karin Simonian 2 (Muya) 61:44. ND 4. Lauren Bohaboy 5 (Monica Flores) 81:11. ND 5. Anna Maria Gilbertson 3 (Taylor Schneider) 88:11.
Total Shots: UM 4 (2-2), ND 31 (19-12)
Shots on Goal: UM 2 (1-1), ND 18 (13-5)
Saves: UM 13 (Emily Lillard 13 in 90:00), ND 2 (Kaela Little 2 in 90:00)
Corner Kicks: UM 1 (0-1), ND 7 (3-4)
Fouls: UM 17 (7-10), ND 10 (4-6)
Offsides: UM 1, ND 0
Records: UM 2-11-1, 0-5-1 ACC; ND 9-4-1, 4-2 ACC
Next for ND: At Syracuse, 5 p.m. (ET) Oct. 18 at SU Soccer Stadium
— Tony Jones, Media Relations Assistant