Oct. 9, 2014
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A goal at the end of the first half from senior forward Lauren Bohaboy (Mission Viejo, California/Santa Margarita) and a deep scoring strike late in the contest from sophomore midfielder Morgan Andrews (Milford, New Hampshire/Milford) punctuated a strong offensive effort for the University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team on Thursday night. The Fighting Irish controlled the tempo throughout a 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference win over Pittsburgh at Ambrose Urbanic Field in the team’s first trip to Pittsburgh since 2009.
No. 14/11 Notre Dame (8-4-1, 3-2 ACC) improved to 12-0-1 all-time against the Panthers (6-7, 2-3 ACC), including 5-0-1 in matches contested in Pittsburgh. The 2014 Notre Dame team remains unbeaten in true road matches, extending the squad’s mark away from home to 5-0-1 this season.
The Fighting Irish also established a season-high in shots (32), attempting 15 in the first half and 17 in the second frame.
“Number one, I loved the attitude that we played with tonight,” Notre Dame head coach Theresa Romagnolo said. “We came out looking to assert our will on the game, and I’d say for 90 minutes we controlled the possession and created a lot of opportunities for ourselves. We had some of the best production that I’ve seen all year.”
After pouring the pressure on throughout the first half, Notre dame notched the opening goal of the match in the 42nd minute. Nifty touch passes from junior forward Anna Maria Gilbertson (Davis, California/Davis) and Andrews found the feet of Bohaboy near the top right of the 18-yard box. Bohaboy made the most of opportunity, blasting a right-footed strike from 15 yards out into the left corner of the net for her fourth goal of the year to give the Fighting Irish a 1-0 lead at 41:55.
“We just had to keep on our game and stay focused,” Bohaboy said. “(The goals) were going to come. The pass was just right on the 18 and I saw an opening, so I shot it.”
Notre Dame previously had a great chance in the 19th minute, as Bohaboy made a nice cut on the right side of the box before rocketing a left-footed strike just inside the 18-yard mark. The ball caromed off the crossbar to senior forward Karin Simonian (Westbury, New York/W.T. Clarke), whose shot was blocked out of play.
Redemption, as it turned out, proved sweet for Bohaboy by finally getting the elusive goal later in the opening half.
“It’s just getting more comfortable on the field, and it feels good to be involved obviously,” Bohaboy said. “I was talking more on the field, finding the ball more, and that always helps create chances.”
Notre Dame added its insurance goal late in the second half after a strong Bohaboy defensive step while pressuring the ball in the Pittsburgh zone forced a turnover. Andrews sent a no doubt shot screaming into the right corner of the net at 81:51 from 25 yards out to put the exclamation point on the victory.
“It felt so good. It was one of those kind of hits that you’re training all your life for that if you hit it off the outside of your foot it could possibly skyrocket over the net into some other town,” Andrews said with a smile. “But I hit it just right, and it felt like when you hit one of those balls and know that it’s going in. It bent off my foot and into the side netting, and it felt so great.”
Pittsburgh connected for the first official shot of the match in the seventh minute, as Roosa Arvas served a long attempt in from well outside the 18-yard box. Notre Dame sophomore goalkeeper Kaela Little (Tulsa, Oklahoma/Bishop Kelley) field the ball on the hop off the turn for an easy save.
Little made four saves during the full 90 minutes in net to post her seventh shutout of the season. She also extended her shutout streak in road contests to nearly 538 minutes dating back to the regular season opener at Illinois on Aug. 22.
Strong play from Notre Dame’s back line, a common theme during Little’s seven clean sheets this season, have helped limit an opponents’ chances, with Pittsburgh never managing a true scoring threat on Thursday, either.
“I thought the back four and the midfield did a great job of winning 50-50s and then winning the second ball, so we were able to come away with possession,” Romagnolo said. “The back four’s composure on the ball to play out of the back, the midfield showing up to build up the field, was very good.”
Notre Dame countered with its first shots of the match later on in the half. Sophomore forward Kaleigh Olmsted (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands) earned a free kick in the box after being obstructed on a run toward the six in the 17th minute. Andrews sailed the subsequent free kick over the crossbar to stall the offensive momentum.
Andrews looked to get Notre Dame on the board in the 24th minute on a great looping free kick service from junior defender Brittany Von Rueden (Mequon, Wisconsin/Divine Savior Holy Angels) from the left flank. Andrews skied for the ball and squarely headed it toward frame, richocetting the attempt off the bar to deny the Fighting Irish once more.
“It was just a matter of wanting to put the ball in the net, wanting to win this for the team,” Andrews said. “After last weekend we were just ready to get on a winning roll, and the team deserves it, it deserved this win tonight. It was exciting to finally put another goal in the net, and for Lo, too, it’s a great feeling.”
“It’s hard to score goals, and we keep talking this year about waiting for the floodgates to open,” Romagnolo said. “I think today, again, we had a lot of opportunities, and what’s exciting is we’re getting those opportunities.”
Notre Dame returns home to host Miami on Sunday at noon (ET) at Alumni Stadium, with the match being streamed live on WatchND. The Fighting Irish will look to extend their series lead against the Hurricanes to 7-1 all-time after dropping an ACC showdown last season in Coral Gables.
“We’re ready,” Andrews said. “The ACC is the best league in the nation, and we feel like we’re taking it on strong. We’re ready.”
To purchase a season pass or single-match tickets for the 2014 Notre Dame women’s soccer season, call the Murnane Family Athletics Ticket Office at (574) 631-7356, visit the official Notre Dame athletics ticketing web site, UND.com/tickets or stop by the Murnane Family Athletics Ticket Office windows during normal business hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday). Tickets also can be purchased at Alumni Stadium on match days.
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 2, Pittsburgh 0
Oct. 9, 2014
Pittsburgh, Pa. (Ambrose Urbanic Field)
Notre Dame 1 1 – 2
Pittsburgh 0 0 – 0
Total Shots: ND 32 (15-17), PITT 7 (3-4)
Shots on Goal: ND 10 (5-5), PITT 4 (2-2)
Saves: ND 4 (Kaela Little 4 in 90:00), PITT 10 (Taylor Francis 10 in 90:00)
Corner Kicks: ND 7 (3-4), PITT 0 (0-0)
Fouls: ND 8 (5-3), PITT 5 (3-2)
Offsides: ND 0, PITT 2
Records: ND 8-4-1, 3-2 ACC; PITT 6-7, 2-3 ACC
Next for ND: Vs. Miami, noon (ET) Oct. 12 at Alumni Stadium
— Tony Jones, Media Relations Assistant