Oct. 17, 2014
DURHAM, N.C. – Three second-half goals propelled the ninth-ranked University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team to a 4-1 victory over Duke in Atlantic Coast Conference action on Friday evening at Koskinen Stadium.
Notre Dame junior midfielder Evan Panken opened the scoring in the first half, while his classmate Patrick Hodan tallied two goals just over two minutes apart in the second half. Freshman Jon Gallagher salted the game away with the first goal of his Irish career.
The win was Notre Dame’s third in a row and it moved the Fighting Irish (8-3-2, 4-1-1) to the top of the ACC standings. Notre Dame entered the day in a first-place tie with Virginia in the Coastal Division, but the Cavaliers fell to Clemson, 2-1, earlier in the evening.
Duke (5-7-1, 2-4-0) had the better of the possession early on in Friday’s affair, but nothing too dangerous until Brody Huitema placed a shot just over the crossbar from 17 yards away in the 24th minute. The Fighting Irish registered their first shot of the match in the 35th minute when Connor Klekota sent his attempt high of the frame.
Notre Dame went on top in the 37th minute when Panken deposited his second goal of the season. Right back Luke Mishu started the sequence as he played the ball ahead to Leon Brown, who crossed it over to Panken and he scored from seven yards out.
The Fighting Irish led 1-0 at halftime.
“It was kind of a funny game because I felt it was much closer than some of the 1-0 games we’ve lost this season,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “Early in the first half we had trouble getting the ball past midfield. Jeffrey (Farina) and Patrick (Hodan) came on and they were very good. They did a good job of holding the ball and bringing others into it.”
Hodan pushed the Irish advantage to two in the 60th minute. The junior midfielder used nifty footwork as he possessed the ball deep in the penalty box and maneuvered past a diving Joe Ohaus and scored. Freshman Jeffrey Farina picked up the assist on the tally.
“We came out in the second half a lot more aggressive and got after them,” Hodan said. “We were more composed on the ball and it was night and day from the first half. My first goal came off of good pressure in our attacking third. Jeffrey Farina played a great thru ball and I was able to finish.”
Hodan put Notre Dame up 3-0 in the 62nd minute when he rocketed a shot into the left side of the netting from 17 yards out. The midfielder has scored five goals in the last four games and he leads the Irish with six goals this season. Tonight was the third two-goal effort of his career.
Duke sliced its deficit to two in the 78th minute as Huitema scored from six yards out off a pass from Seo-in Kim. However, Notre Dame regained its three-goal cushion 32 seconds later when Gallagher received a pass from Farina, worked his way through the Duke defense inside the penalty box and scored.
“Leon Brown had a great game and then Jon (Gallagher) came on for him and he’s so quick and he works so well with Jeffrey (Farina),” Clark said. “Nick Besler and Connor Klekota also were tremendous in the second half.”
The four-goal output matched Notre Dame’s largest of the season. The Irish also scored four times in a 4-1 win over Dartmouth on Sept. 6.
Notre Dame held a 10-9 advantage in shots, while the Blue Devils attempted one more corner kick (4-3). Patrick Wall made one save for the Fighting Irish, while his counterpart Ohaus also had one stop.
The Fighting Irish return to the pitch Wednesday at No. 3 Indiana. The non-conference match is slated for 7 p.m. (ET) at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.
Oct. 17, 2014
Koskinen Stadium – Durham, N.C.
#9 Notre Dame (8-3-2, 4-1-1) 1 3 – 4
Duke (5-7-1, 2-4-0) 0 1 – 1
Scoring: ND: Evan Panken (Leon Brown) 36:59; ND: Patrick Hodan (Jeffrey Farina) 59:14; ND: Patrick Hodan (unassisted) 61:28; DU: Brody Huitema (Seo-in Kim) 77:20; ND: Jon Gallagher (Jeffrey Farina) 77:52
— Sean Carroll, Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director
–ND–