Oct. 20, 2015
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – A total of 39 shots, the most for the program in over 20 seasons, gave complete control of the match to the University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team. A stellar Northwestern defensive effort kept the Wildcats in range, as both teams battled to a 1-1 draw Tuesday night at Toyota Park.
No. 8/4 Notre Dame (8-2-5) earned its eighth straight result in its fifth consecutive overtime match. The Irish finished the contest with a dominant 39-7 shot advantage, its most shots since notching 36 in a 7-1 win over Pittsburgh on Oct. 3, 2012, for the highest total since 1995. Notre Dame’s fifth straight overtime match equaled a program record set in 1998.
Notre Dame picked up the first scoring chance of the match in the fifth minute. Jeffrey Farina continued a Michael Shipp run down the right flank and sent a tempting cross in front to a cutting Oliver Harris. Harris connected on the one-time opportunity and sent it just wide of the right post.
A scrum in front in the sixth minute, and the ball squirted back in front to tri-captain Patrick Hodan. An errant Northwestern (5-6-2) clearance rang off the post back out in front to Jeff Gallagher, who had his try snagged by Northwestern goalkeeper Zak Allen.
Gallagher would not be denied in the eighth minute. After Evan Panken played him on, a crafty through ball from tri-captain Max Lachowecki up the left side found Gallagher cutting toward the net. A finish from eight yards out into the left corner of the mesh gave the sophomore forward his team-high eighth goal of the year and Notre Dame a 1-0 lead at 7:26.
Farina nearly converted his own opportunity on a 50-50 ball in the 11th minute. A high clearance attempt in front tracked right to Farina, who blasted a header from straight on frame that was punched over the crossbar by Allen. Northwestern cleared the ensuing Notre Dame corner to keep the Irish attack at bay.
Lachowecki exhibited some nifty dribbling up the left flank in the 27th minute. Lachowecki turned his defender inside-out on the edge of the 18-yard box and ripped a left-footed shot toward the right post, but the ball just missed the iron and rolled out of bounds.
A looping cross from Hodan at the right side in the 29th minute found its way to an unmarked Gallagher shaded right of the box. Gallagher’s attempted conversion was blocked out of the area by the Wildcat defense.
Northwestern managed to notch its first shot of the night in the 35th minute. Mike Roberge found possession all alone at the top of the 18, but his right-footed shot drifted wide of the right post and Notre Dame goalkeeper Chris Hubbard.
A Northwestern foul and yellow card 22 yards from the goal in the 38th minute put Notre Dame in prime real estate for a second goal. Hodan ripped a left-footed smash that bent off the right post and out of the frame to stymie the Irish chance.
Lachowecki worked up the right wing on the offensive end to give himself another great look in the 44th minute. A powerful try toward the near post was again punched over the bar by Allen for a crucial Northwestern save.
Hodan had the first great chance for either side in the second half, gathering a feed from fellow tri-captain Connor Klekota in the 52nd minute. A rocket left from Hodan was knocked to the side by Allen and onto the foot of Panken, who ultimately did not get full power on his rebound attempt and Allen was able to gather the shot in.
Against the run of play, Northwestern found the equalizer in the 58th minute. Joey Calistri snuck through the Notre Dame right side into the corner of the 18-yard box, and on a potential foul scenario snuck a centering pass out front to Elo Ozumba. Ozumba finished his third goal of the year with a flick over Hubbard inside the left post at 57:54 to tie the contest at 1-1.
Hodan found space all alone in the Northwestern third in the 63rd minute. A stiff shot attempt right at frame was corralled by Allen for yet another save.
Lachowecki raced up the left flank in the 71st minute and decided to make his own move at the net on the offensive end. Lachowecki hurdled a Northwestern defender and sent a tempting volley toward the right post, but the ball continued to bend out of bounds.
An errant Northwestern clearance in the 77th minute found its way right to a pushing Lachowecki up the left side at the top of the 18. The Notre Dame left back tried to thread a rolling shot past Allen but the Wildcat goalkeeper made his latest diving save.
Klekota threaded a perfect through ball to Panken after a Notre Dame 81st minute corner. Panken left a stellar drop pass to a cutting Gallagher up the right wing, but Allen was on the scene for a tremendous save.
Shipp served a precise cross from the middle of the field toward Lachowecki cutting for the left post in the 92nd minute to open the first overtime, but his connecting header went wide of frame.
Gallagher made an incredible solo run down the left wing in the 95th minute. A well-executed dummy run from Farina left the ball on Hodan’s dominant foot 18 yards away. A rifle shot caromed off the left post to once more to turn the explosive Notre Dame offense away.
Panken tried to bend a cross from the left flank out in front to a cutting Gallagher in the 103rd minute, and the service continued bending and nearly caught the far post before heading out of play.
Notre Dame resumes Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play with a Friday match at Wake Forest. The 7 p.m. (ET) contest at Spry Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will be carried live on the Regional Sports Network and ESPN3.
Oct. 20, 2015
No. 8/4 Notre Dame 1, Northwestern 1
(2OT)
Toyota Park (Bridgeview, Ill.)
No. 8/4 Notre Dame 1 0 0 0 — 1
Northwestern 0 1 0 0 — 1
ND 1. Jon Gallagher (8) (Max Lachowecki, Evan Panken), 7:26; NU 1. Elo Ozumba (3) (Joey Calistri), 57:54.
Shots: NU 7 (3-3-1-0), ND 39 (15-17-5-2)
Shots on goal: NU 2 (1-1-0-0), ND 13 (6-7-0-0)
Saves: NU 12 (Zak Allen 12 in 110:00), ND 1 (Chris Hubbard 1 in 110:00)
Corner Kicks: NU 1 (1-0-0-0), ND 7 (3-4-0-0)
Fouls: NU 5, ND 11
Offsides: NU 0, ND 0
Yellow Cards: Getenet Tuji (NU), 37:54; John Moderwell (NU), 86:48
Attendance: 374
–ND–
— Tony Jones, Athletics Communications Assistant