HOMEWOOD, Ala. – Notre Dame women’s soccer competed in its first road contest of the 2024 season and earned victory No. 1 as well, defeating the Samford Bulldogs, 6-0. It was just 1-0 at the half, then the Irish poured it on with five goals in the second. It marked the first time Notre Dame scored 5 goals in a half since defeating Detroit Mercy 8-0 on Sept. 9, 2021.
Freshman Izzy Engle stole the spotlight in the victory, recording a second-half hat-trick. In fact, she scored all three goals in a 10-minute and 30-second span.
The win was powered by a hat trick from freshman @izzy_engle.
3rd quickest in program history to record a hat trick behind Kerri Hanks (2005) and Rosella Guerrero (1992).#GoIrish ☘️ pic.twitter.com/gpxYt7zvJF
— Notre Dame Women's Soccer (@NDSoccer) August 19, 2024
Engle’s hat trick tonight is the third quickest in program history as Kerri Hanks (2005) and Rosella Guerrero (1992) each had one in their season openers. Engle tied Hanks for earliest for a true road game (Hanks had back-to-back hat tricks to start her career – neutral site then road).
Engle also joined elite company with Irish great Melissa Henderson, who was the last freshman to record a hat trick (Henderson – at Cincinnati on Sept. 28, 2008 in a 6-0 win).
Sophomore Atlee Olofson started in net to help secure the first victory of the year. She only needed to make two saves but the first in particular was a tremendous one, stopping a point-blank shot in the eighth minute.
Lastly, get this – out of the 17 points recorded in tonight’s 6-0 win, 15 were registered by freshmen or sophomores.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Notre Dame’s top-returning points-getter Ellie Ospeck netted the first goal in the 20th minute. Freshman Lily Joseph collected her first career assist by dumping a ball into the box for Ospeck, who then touched it past the keeper and a defender and buried it. The Irish ultimately carried a 1-0 lead into halftime.
The second goal came in the 55th minute off a corner kick and it was a freshman-to-freshman connection. After playing it short to Grace Restovich, the St. Louis native crossed it to the back post and found defender Abby Mills for her first goal in an ND uniform. For Restovich, it was her second assist in as many games.
Next, was the flurry of four goals that came in a 10.5 minute span – three of which came from Engle.
Engle’s first goal was an absolute golazo and #SCTop 10 worthy. From distance, Engle bent a shot into the upper-90 right-hand side.
Engle’s second goal was yet another freshman-to-freshman connection as Annabelle Chukwu toe-poked a ball forward past the Samford defense to a sprinting Engle who tucked it away.
The third goal was scored similarly. Sophomore Charlie Codd found Engle who found a hole in the Bulldog defensive line. The result was a one-touch into the corner for the hat trick.
Sprinkled into the Engle hat trick was a Restovich goal in the 82nd minute. Sophomore Morgan Roy hit a cross from the right side of the box and Restovich headed it in from just inside the six-yard box. Restovich earned three points on the night and quickly has four on the season.
– ND –