PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse program continued its winning ways with a 17-6 victory over Pitt Friday night to improve to 10-4 on the season and now sit 5-3 in ACC action.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish opened strong with a goal from Jackie Wolak two and a half minutes into play. Five individuals would score in the first 15 minutes, including Madison Ahern recording her eighth hat trick of the season, to lift the Irish to the 8-0 lead after one quarter.
Kasey Choma net her second of the day less than a minute into the second quarter before Wolak capitalized for the third time to boast her eighth hat trick and tie Ahern for second-most on the team. Choma joined Wolak and Ahern moments later with her third goal of the game to give the Irish the 11-0 lead partway through the second quarter.
With her fourth save of the contest just six minutes into the second frame, Lilly Callahan registered her 100th save of the season.
Pitt answered with two goals late in the second quarter as the Irish carried the 12-2 lead into the halftime break.
The Irish snapped their scoreless drought with four minutes left in the third quarter as Choma fired her fourth shot into the net, and picked up her sixth point of the game.
With two goals to close out the third quarter, Ahern recorded her third sock trick of the season, having previously scored six goals against Liberty and Duke in 2023.
The Irish secured the win with two more goals in the fourth quarter as MK Doherty and Jane McAvoy both added their names to the box score Friday against the Panthers.
With seven saves, Callahan now boasts double-digit wins for the first time in her collegiate career.
STAT OF THE GAME
By the time the horn sounded to signal the end of the first half, three Irish women had recorded hat tricks against the Panthers. Ahern scored three early goals in the first quarter before Wolak and Choma matched their classmate’s three-goal outing and gave the Irish the 12-2 lead through 30 minutes of play.
Ahern, who led the team with six goals and an assist Friday, recorded her seventh career sock trick en route to the team’s 17-6 win over the Panthers.
ND NOTES
- Six individuals tallied goals in the win, including four of whom found the back of the net multiple times against the Panthers.
- Ahern led the Irish with six goals in the contest while Choma (4-2-6), Doherty (2-0-2) and Wolak (3-2-5) all registered multiple goals. Jane McAvoy had multiple points, adding a goal and two assists to her resume for three points.
- Callahan’s fourth save of the game was her 100th of the season. She now boasts 103 stops and is 10-4 on the year, having earned every decision for the Irish in 2023.
- With two draw controls Friday night, Kelly Denes holds 85 on the year and is 11 shy of 200 career draw wins.
- With 17 goals in the win, the Irish have scored double-digit goals in all but one outing this season and have a combined 43 goals in their last two games.
- The scoring trio of Ahern, Choma and Wolak eclipsed 190 points on the year as the three senior attackers combined for 13 goals and five assists in the win at Pitt. This season they boast 191 points of the team’s 323 total points, or approximately 60 percent of the scoring.
UP NEXT
The Irish close out their regular season road slate with nonconference opponent Robert Morris Sunday afternoon before returning home for their ACC finale next Thursday against Louisville.
Prior to first draw Thursday at Arlotta Stadium, the Irish will honor its senior class for their contributions to the team over their careers.