Nov. 18, 2017
By Megan Golden
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — For the 11th time in the past 14 seasons, the University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team is dancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. The Irish (10-6-5) are scheduled to face unseeded Baylor (14-5-3) at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday at Ellis Field.
Coming off the program’s fourth-ever draw in NCAA play, the Irish will try to knock off the Bears and advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2012. Notre Dame will be up against a Baylor team that won the Big 12 Championship and is ranked No. 23 in the country by the United Soccer Coaches.
WHAT: Notre Dame vs. Baylor
WHEN: 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017
WHERE: Ellis Field (College Station)
LIVE STATS: Click here.
LIVE STREAM: ESPN3
Series History
The Irish are in control of the all-time record against the Bears, holding a 2-0 lead, with both victories coming at home. Most recently, the Irish defeated the Bears 1-0 on Sept. 12, 2014.
NCAA Championship History
Notre Dame advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2014 and the fourth time in the last six years. The Irish last made it to the quarterfinals in 2012.
The Irish have appeared in 25 straight NCAA championships, advanced to 12 College Cups and won three national titles. Notre Dame is 68-20-3 in 25 trips to the NCAA Championship.
Last Time Out
The Irish played No. 2-seeded Texas A&M to a 2-2 draw and advanced on penalty kicks, 4-1. Notre Dame’s Eva Hurm scored in the first period to knot the game at 1-1, and Natalie Jacobs gave the Irish a 2-1 lead in the second half. Jacobs, Taylor Klawunder, Jennifer Westendorf and Ginny McGowan each made their penalty kicks to help the Irish advance.
Notre Dame ended the second overtime period with just the third draw in 91 NCAA contests in program history. The Irish advanced on penalty kicks (4-3) in 2004, when Notre Dame won the NCAA Championship against No. 11 UCLA in Cary, North Carolina. Notre Dame also advanced on penalty kicks, 4-3, against No. 4 Nebraska in the quarterfinals in Lincoln in 1999.
Match Notes
- Five Atlantic Coast Conference teams advanced to the Sweet 16.
- Notre Dame is 3-1 in games following a draw.
- Nine different Irish players have tallied at least one point in Notre Dame’s 2017 NCAA Championship games, the most since 11 players did so in 2008.
- The Irish own a record of 2-2-2 against Sweet 16 teams.
- Notre Dame’s 44 goals are 18 more than it recorded in 2016 (26). The team’s 44 goals are its most since 2013 (45).
For behind-the-scenes coverage of the Irish women’s soccer program, follow @NDSoccer on Twitter and @NDWSoccer on Instagram. For tickets to a Notre Dame women’s soccer match, click here.
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Megan Golden, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since August of 2016. In her role, she coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame women’s soccer and cross country/track and field programs. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Golden is a 2014 graduate of Saint Mary’s College and former Irish women’s basketball manager. Prior to arriving at Notre Dame, she worked in public relations with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.