#9/7 Irish Scrap To Hard-Fought 1-0 Home Win Over #20 Clemson

No. 9/7 Notre Dame (11-4-1, 6-2 ACC) won its fourth straight conference match, limiting Clemson (11-3-2, 4-3-1 ACC) to a handful of sustained possessions in its defensive third throughout the contest. The Fighting Irish held a 12-7 shot advantage over the Tigers in the match, including a slim 5-3 cushion in shots on goal, and attempted three corner kicks to the one of Clemson. Clemson received a pair of yellow cards during a chippy second half, while Notre Dame was issued one caution on the night.

Freshman defender Sabrina Flores (Livingston, New Jersey/Livingston) pushed the ball down the left wing deep into the Clemson zone in the 27th minute, turning toward goal at the end line while trying to work the ball out in front. A sharp pass attempt was knocked down by a Clemson defender right onto the foot of Bohaboy, who shoveled the loose ball into the short side of the net for the night’s only goal at 26:06. It was Bohaboy’s third goal in her last four matches overall.

“I thought it was a fantastic goal,” Notre Dame head coach Theresa Romagnolo said. “It started with Sabrina attacking the space, not just settling for a cross but trying to get in behind and picking somebody to get the ball back to. Right now Lo is finding herself in the right place at the right time, and she’s working to get herself there. It was a well deserved goal.”

Clemson managed only one additional shot the remainder of the half to enter the break trailing Notre Dame 9-2 in the match’s shot count. The Tigers came out firing, however, to start the second frame, as Catrina Atanda blasted an attempt wide in the 48th minute before Notre Dame sophomore goalkeeper Kaela Little (Tulsa, Oklahoma/Bishop Kelley) made her first save of the night on an Atanda shot on goal in the 51st minute. Clemson defender Emily Byorth later struck a try long and wide to the left in the 59th minute to end the 10-minute surge from the Tiger attack.

A foul in Clemson territory set sophomore midfielder Morgan Andrews (Milford, New Hampshire/Milford) up with a free kick from the left of the net nearly 35 yards out in the 64th minute, but the Notre Dame try carried right into the arms of Clemson goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.

Clemson would not threaten again until the 72nd minute, when forward Shannon Horgan found space behind the Fighting Irish defense but was forced to launch a 20-yard attempt toward goal. Little easily cleaned up the save to halt the Tiger threat.

Andrews sent one additional shot in toward Sheridan in the 81st minute for Notre Dame’s final shot on goal of the match. The Clemson goalkeeper was up to the task and made a crucial save.

The physicality of the match took a turn in the 82nd minute, as a hard tackle from behind by Clemson’s Abby Jones on junior defender Brittany Von Rueden (Mequon, Wisconsin/Divine Savior Holy Angels) brought with it a yellow card from the head referee. Von Rueden took exception to the execution of the tackle and also received a yellow card at 81:33, the third yellow issued during the match after Clemson’s Paige Reckert was previously booked in the 71st minute.

“I think (a physical game) is good experience for us, because we’re going to see teams that play that way,” Romagnolo said. “Clemson is a good team, and this was a big game. We just have to deal with the emotions of the game and maintain our composure, which I thought we did a pretty good job of.”

Clemson would manage one final shot on goal in the 90th minute, as Jones sent in a lob from outside the 18-yard box that Little routinely handled to secure her 10th shutout of the season, and sixth during ACC competition. The Notre Dame netminder has not surrendered a goal in her last 360 minutes during the run of play.

“I credit it to the whole team,” Romagnolo said. “It starts with our forwards pressuring and making it predictable, the midfielders doing a great job of making plays, and the back four is just solid. They are doing a great job of shutting down their players. Kaela is able to deal with shots, and Kaela can always make a big save when you need her to.”

Andrews led all players with five shots during the contest, including three on goal, while junior midfielder Glory Williams (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands) and sophomore forward Kaleigh Olmsted (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands) added two shot attempts each. Bohaboy’s game-winning goal came on her only shot of the match.Little made three saves during the full 90 minutes to post her fourth straight clean sheet. Clemson counterpart Sheridan made four stops in defeat.

Notre Dame closes the 2014 regular season home slate on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), welcoming Louisville for Senior Day at Alumni Stadium. The match will air live on ESPN3. Notre Dame will recognize its six seniors, Lauren Bohaboy, Jennifer Jasper, Taylor Schneider, Sammy Scofield, Karin Simonian and Sarah Voigt, prior to the start of the match.

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.

Clemson 0 0 – 0
Notre Dame 1 0 – 1

ND 1. Lauren Bohaboy 6 (-) 26:06.

Total Shots: CU 7 (2-5), ND 12 (9-3)
Shots on Goal: CU 3 (0-3), ND 5 (3-2)
Saves: CU 4 (Kailen Sheridan 4 in 90:00), ND 3 (Kaela Little 3 in 90:00)
Corner Kicks: CU 1 (0-1), ND 3 (2-1)
Fouls: CU 20 (4-16), ND 13 (4-9)
Yellow Cards: Paige Reckert (CU, 70:18); Abby Jones (CU, 81:33); Brittany Von Rueden (ND, 81:33)
Offsides: CU 0, ND 3
Records: CU 11-3-2, 4-3-1 ACC; ND 11-4-1, 6-2 ACC
Next for ND: Vs. Louisville, 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday at Alumni Stadium