EVANSTON, Ill. — Maddie Howe and Samantha Lynch each netted hat tricks and Bridget Deehan made a career-high 11 saves but the Irish fell to Northwestern, 13-10, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament this afternoon at Martin Stadium.
Andie Aldave, Savannah Buchanan, Madison Mote and Nikki Ortega also scored for the Irish.
Aldave recorded eight draw controls, bringing her season total to a program-record 152.
Samantha Giacolone also made four stops in goal for the Irish, bringing her career total to a program-best 605.
How It Happened
Northwestern jumped out to an 8-0 lead before Samantha Lynch got the Irish on the board with 9:07 to go in the first half.
Buchanan converted in the final minute of the frame to make it an 8-2 contest at the break.
After Northwestern took a 9-2 lead, the resilient Irish rattled off four straight goals to get within three with 22 minutes remaining. The four markers came from four different players, including Howe, Lynch, Ortega and Aldave. Deehan, who made eight saves in the second half, allowed the Irish to get within striking distance with several point-blank stops.
However, the Wildcats responded with three consecutive goals to make it an 12-6 contest with 11:25 to play.
Howe and Mote each netted goals to get the Irish back within four with 8:13 left.
Notre Dame, which refused to go away, once more made it a three-goal contest when Howe completed the hat trick with 4:51 remaining.
The Wildcats extended the lead back to four before Lynch’s third goal made it a 13-10 score with 2:20 left, but the Irish were unable to inch closer as Northwestern held on for the win.
Head coach Christine Halfpenny’s thoughts:
“The fight, will and determination we saw from this team today was remarkable. I could not be more proud of the strides that this team made this season and it’s exciting to know that it’s going to carry forward. This season is about so much more than today’s outcome. It was about doing things the right way, taking care of each other and finding the courage to lead one another so we can attack our goals. That’s definitely a legacy our seniors have left behind. Our seniors put so much of their hearts into leading this team. No matter what the scoreboard says, this group fights until the bitter end. I love this team, and I’m so optimistic about what this season has done for the program as a whole and where we are going to go from here.”
Notable Numbers
Andie Aldave finishes the season with an Irish record with 152 draw controls.
Samantha Giacolone closes her Notre Dame career with a program-best 605 saves.
The 11 saves Bridget Deehan made were a career-high.
The Irish have made the NCAA Tournament on 13 occasions, including berths in seven of the last eight seasons under head coach Christine Halfpenny.
The 14 victories the Irish earned this season tie the 2016 Irish squad for the third-most wins in a single season in program history.