Nov. 3, 2002
Notre Dame, Ind. – Greg Martin’s (Plano, Texas) goal with under 12 minutes to play in the second half lifted the 16th-ranked Notre Dame men’s soccer team to a 1-0 non-conference victory over Loyola (Chicago) in the regular season finale. Coach Bobby Clark’s squad won for the seventh time in eight games as the Irish improved their overall record to 11-4-3 with the win.
Notre Dame thoroughly dominated the contest, outshooting the Ramblers 19-3 in the game, but could not find the inside of the goal until Martin’s score. The Irish nearly scored a goal in the first half on a shot by Rafael Garcia (Palmdale, Calif.) 10 minutes into the contest, but Loyola’s Brian Sisson saved the shot from going in when he kicked it out of the goal area.
Martin scored his sixth goal of the season when he chipped in a shot from 10 yards out into the left corner of the net past Rambler goalkeeper Greg Stellatos off of a feed from teammate Kevin Goldthwaite (Sacramento, Calif.). The score improved Martin’s team-leading game-winning goal total to three in 2002. Goldthwaite assist was his seventh on the season, second best behind Riley.
The one-goal outcome marked the eighth time this season Notre Dame’s final score has been decided by a goal as the Irish are 5-3 in those contests.
Loyola lost for the 15th straight time as the Ramblers closed out their regular season wtih a 3-15 mark.
Notre Dame must now await word on its BIG EAST Championship fate. A match against Boston College and Rutgers on Monday in Piscataway, N.J. will determine whether or not the Irish finish in one of the top four spots in the league’s final regular-season standings. A win or a tie by the Eagles will assure the Irish of earning one of the host spots for the BIG EAST quarterfinal round. Notre Dame could either play Rutgers or Georgetown in quarterfinal action. The Hoyas also play at West Virginia o nMonday.
SCORING: ND: Greg Martin (Kevin Goldthwaite), 78:32
GAME STATISTICS: Shots: Notre Dame 19, Loyola 3; Saves: ND 0 (Chris Sawyer – 0), Loyola 4 (Gerg Stellatos – 3); Fouls: Notre Dame 5, Loyola 16; Corner Kicks: Notre Dame 9, Loyola 0