SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse program opens its season this weekend with a pair of games against Mid-American Conference opponents. The season gets underway on Friday, February 9 at 7:30pm against the Eagles of Eastern Michigan before the opening weekend concludes Sunday at noon against the Central Michigan Chippewas.
During both weekend games, the Irish will dedicate their play to the HEADStrong Foundation as part of their annual Hair Havoc Games.
GAME DETAILS
Location: South Bend, Ind. | Loftus Sports Center
Schedule: February 9 vs. EMU — 7:30 p.m. | February 11 vs. CMU — 12:00 p.m.
TV: ACCNX
Live Stats: UND.com
Twitter Updates: @NDWomensLax
For a more in-depth look at the matchup – Game Notes: Notre Dame
FOR STARTERS
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The Irish finished the 2023 campaign with a 15-6 record and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight.
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They were the only non-seeded team to advance out of the NCAA Tournament regionals a season ago, besting Mercer 21-6 before defeating the host Florida Gators in a thrilling 16-15 showdown to keep their season alive.
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The 2023 season ultimately came to a close in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, with the Irish falling to ACC foe Boston College in mid-May.
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To advance to the Elite Eight, the team’s leading goal scorer a season ago, Kasey Choma, scored the go-ahead goal against Florida with 10.1 seconds to play in regulation. The play of the game came off the stick of alumni Jane McAvoy who found a double-teamed Choma in front of the cage for the last second tally to clinch a berth in the quarterfinal round for the second time in three years.
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The team’s leading scorer in 2023, Jackie Wolak, surpassed 100 points on the season with her third goal of the game (against Florida) to become just the third woman in program history to hit the ellusive century mark.
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In round one of the 2023 postseason NCAA Tournament, Notre Dame rolled out a convincing 21-6 victory over Mercer to advance to the Second Round where they will face Florida. The 21 goals was a program best in the NCAA Tournament, along with their 31 points setting a new record as well.
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Kasey Choma recorded 10 points in the win, leading the team and becoming the only Irish woman to hit double-digit scoring in a single game last season.
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Prior to the NCAA Tournament, the Irish advanced to the ACC Championship semifinals for the third consecutive year, defeating fourth-seeded Virginia in the quarterfinal round, 15-13, to move on. In the semifinals, the Irish faced longtime rival Boston College where their tournament run ultimately came up just short of the championship game.
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Over the two-game stretch in Charlotte, six individuals found the back of the net, including Choma who led the team with six goals and seven points.
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Lilly Callahan made eight saves in goal for the Irish in the win, including three in the final 60 seconds to maintain the team’s two-goal lead against the Cavaliers. The then-junior goalkeeper followed it up with 10 saves against the Eagles as she held them to one of their lowest goal totals of the season. For their strong defensive efforts in the ACC Tournament, Keelin Schalgeter and Lilly Callahan were named to the ACC All-Tournament team.
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A program-best seven individuals were named to All-ACC teams ahead of the first round of the 2023 conference tournament. The offensive trio of Madison Ahern, Kasey Choma and Jackie Wolak were all named First Team All-ACC while the defensive corp of Lilly Callahan, Kelly Denes and Hannah Dorney were awarded Second Team honors. Abigail Lyons was recognized as a part of the All-Freshman team.
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In their regular season finale, the Irish defeated the Louisville Cardinals, 15-9, inside Arlotta Stadium. Eight women highlighted the box score Thursday night, including Wolak with a team-best seven points off three goals and four assists.
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Kelly Denes surpassed 200 career draw controls against the Cardinals last season before setting a new single-season best of 103 draws, eclipsing her previous best of 100 in 2022. Her 10 draw controls against the Cardinals led the team while her role in the circle led the team to a 24-4 advantage Thursday.
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With her second goal of the day against RMU a season ago, Kasey Choma recorded her 200th career point. She went on to post four goals in the contest. Earning the assist on Choma’s 200th point mark, Jackie Wolak tied her classmate with her 200th point for the Irish as well.
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Live stats will be available for the contest as well as a the game being aired on the ACCNX.
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Choma posted a team-high 15 hat tricks last season. Ahern was close behind with 13 while also registering her second sock trick of the year with six goals at Pitt.
IN THE POLLS
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Notre Dame was ranked No. 7 in the first ILWomen/IWLCA poll of the season.
- The ACC coaches tabbed the Irish to finish fourth in the preseason rankings.
BALANCED ATTACK
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The Irish return an NCAA best 91-percent of their scoring from a season ago including their six top scorers in Jackie Wolak (105 pts.), Kasey Choma (88 pts.), Madison Ahern (84 pts.), MK Doherty (38 pts.), Kristen Shanahan (29 pts.) and Kelly Denes (25 pts.).
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In addition to being one of the team’s top contributors offensively, Kelly Denes led the team at the draw circle, boasting 135 draw controls while MK Doherty’s 111 controls gave the Irish their first season in program history with two individuals eclipsing triple digits.
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Choma, Ahern, and Wolak lead the Irish in points combining for 277 points following a 17-point combined performance from the trio against Florida in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In the opening two rounds of NCAA Tournament play, the senior trio posted a combined 37 of the team’s 51 points to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
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With 105 points in 2023, Wolak ranked fourth nationally and second in the ACC. With her performance against Florida to reach the 100+ point mark, she became just the third woman in program history to hit 100 points in a single season.
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Denes ranked third in the ACC for draw controls per game tallying 6.45 and was 17th in the country last season.
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Seventeen different players scored at least one goal last season with 16 having found the back of the net multiple times.
LEADERSHIP GROUP
- The team named a trio of captains, as voted on by their peers, ahead of the 2024 season. This year’s captains will be Madison Ahern, Kasey Choma and Aine Maseker.
HAIR HAVOC GAME
- Serving as an ambassador for the HEADStrong Foundation in 2024, Julia Carr shared what Hair Havoc means to her ahead of the weekend games.
- “The Headstrong Foundation was started from the hospital bed of Hofstra lacrosse player, Nick Colleluori, as he battled cancer in the middle of his college career. He had a vision to help people like himself by establishing The Headstrong Foundation. When he unfortunately lost his battle, he entrusted his mother with the responsibility of carrying out his dream. Their trademark is hosting cancer patients and their families in “Nick’s Houses” where they have a supportive home away from home if traveling for treatment. The Headstrong Foundation has a “Game Hair Havoc” campaign where women’s lacrosse players style their hair in solidarity with those who have lost theirs due to treatment. We also collect donations that are used for “comfort kits” for the patients in Nick’s Houses. We would love to surpass our team goal and continue to make a difference in the lives of those with cancer!” – Carr