Sept. 28, 2001
Indianola, Pa. – Freshman Candace Chapman scored her first two goals of the season-one while playing defense and the other at forward-as the fourth-ranked Notre Dame women’s soccer team enjoyed its most productive game of the season in a 4-0 victory over the University of Pittsburgh, in BIG EAST Conference Mid-Atlantic Division action Friday night at Founders Field.
Chapman opened the scoring just 3:30 into the game and Notre Dame (7-0-1, 3-0 BIG EAST)-playing its first road game of te season-stretched to a 3-0 cushion after 20 minutes of play, thanks to goals from sophomore forwards Amanda Guertin and Melissa Tancredi. Chapman capped the scoring late in the second half, with assists from senior captains Lindsey Jones and Mia Sarkesian.
Pittsburgh (3-3-1, 1-1-0) managed just one shot in the first half, with Notre Dame compiling a 16-4 overall edge in shots.
Chapman scored from her right back spot in the early moments, after taking a short pass from sophomore midfielder Randi Scheller on the right side. Chapman then found some space among Pittsburgh’s tightly-packed defensive third and surprised Panthers ‘keeper Rachel Brown with a high shot from 25 yards (3:30).
A long free kick from fifth-year defender Monica Gonzalez set up the second score, with Guertin slipping an eight-yard shot inside the left post for her third goal of the season (11:26).
Strong execution on another set play produced the third Irish goal, with Gonzalez again providing the long service (from the left flank). Freshman midfidler Mary Boland then sent the ball across the goalmouth, right to left, and Tancredi knocked home her second goal of the season for the 3-0 lead (20:02).
The Irish juggled their lineup in the second half, with Chapman scoring her second goal during a stint at forward. Sarkesian set the play in motion with a lead pass from the center of the field. Jones ran onto the open space and served the ball near the right endline, with Chapman settling the pass before blasting a low shot into the left side of the goal (76:00).
Notre Dame continued its recent domination of BIG EAST play, as the Irish are 73-3-2 vs. BIG EAST teams since joining the conference in 1995.
The Irish are 28-0-2 in their last 30 regular-season games, just two games shy of the Notre Dame record for longest unbeaten streak in regular-season play (30-0-2, from 1993-95).
Notre Dame returns to Alumni Field on Sunday, for a 1:00 p.m. matchup with 19th-ranked West Virginia.
NOTES:The Irish are 14-2-2 in their last 18 games away from home, with both losses coming to North Carolina in the NCAA College Cup … Boland made her second start of the season, in place of injured junior midfielder Ashley Dryer … freshman D Gudrun Gunnarsdottir currently is playing in Spain with her native Iceandic national team and is set to rejoin the Irish for next week’s games at Rutgers and Seton Hall …the Irish have allowed just one first-half goal this season (six total) … Randy Waldrum’s first three ND teams have combined for a record of 51-5-3.
#4 NOTRE DAME (7-0-1, 3-0-0 BIG EAST) 3 1 – 4
PITTSBURGH (3-3-1, 1-1-0 BIG EAST) 0 0 – 0
ND 1. Candace Chapman 1 (Randi Scheller) 3:30, ND 2. Amanda Guertin 3 (-) 11:26, ND 3. Melissa Tancredi 2 (Mary Boland, Monica Gonzalez) 20:02, ND 4. Candace Chapman 2 (Lindsey Jones, Mia Sarkesian) 76:00.
Shots: ND 11-5-16, PITT 1-3-4.
Saves: ND (Liz Wagner 0, Lauren Kent 2) 2, PITT (Rachel Brown) 3.
Corner Kicks: ND 3, PITT 1.
Fouls: ND 19, PITT 18.
Offsides: ND 1, PITT 3.