March 21, 2018
By: Robby Hamman
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – No. 4 Notre Dame (4-1, 1-0 ACC) suffered its first home defeat of the season on Wednesday afternoon, dropping a 13-12 decision to Michigan (6-2).
Junior attackman Ryder Garnsey led the Irish offense, scoring a season-high five goals. Sophomore Bryan Costabile added three scores, while Mikey Wynne, Pierre Byrne, Brian Willetts and John Sexton each scored once.
How It Happened
Notre Dame found itself in an unfamiliar position against the Wolverines, trailing after the first quarter. The previous two outings the Irish got off to fast starts but on Wednesday the visitors led 3-2 through the first 15 minutes of play.
Wynne scored the first goal of the second stanza to level the score at 3-3 but the Wolverines answered with two scores to take a 5-3 advantage with 1:34 left in the half. Garnsey found the back of the net for his first goal of the day with just six seconds remaining to make the score 5-4 at the half.
The two teams traded goals for the majority of the third quarter before Michigan’s Brent Noseworthy beat the Irish keeper with 18 seconds left in the quarter to give the guests a two-goal cushion at 8-6 heading into the final frame.
Notre Dame could not have asked for a better start to the fourth, as Sexton netted his second goal of the season just 15 seconds into the period and Costabile completed his hat trick just over a minute later to even the scoreline at 8-8.
The Irish ended up scoring six times in the fourth quarter but every time the Wolverines came up with an answer, never allowing Notre Dame to take a lead. Trailing by two with less than two minutes to play, Garnsey struck again for his fifth goal of the game.
The Irish had possession late but a crease violation ended Notre Dame’s last chance to send the game into overtime and Michigan held on to win 13-12.
Notre Dame Player Of The Game
Garnsey scored a season-high five goals and added one assist against Michigan, tying him with Costabile for the most goals scored in a game by a Notre Dame player this season. Garnsey did the majority of the damage in the second half, finishing past the Wolverine goalkeeper four times in the final 30 minutes. Garnsey finished one goal shy of tying his career-best mark of six goals.
Tweet Of The Day
Get you a man who can do both! All-American LSM John Sexton scored his 2nd goal of the season to start the 4th. #GoIrish
WATCH: https://t.co/G5cmgQ6hhY pic.twitter.com/SwJ470InDs
– Notre Dame Lacrosse (@NDlacrosse) March 21, 2018
Notre Dame Notes
- The Irish were a perfect 13-13 on clearing opportunities in the game.
- Garnsey recorded the seventh hat trick of his career and second of the season. The junior now has 11 goals on the season.
- The six points for Garnsey move the junior into a tie for most points of an Irish player this season with 17.
- Costabile recorded a hat trick for the third time this season, finishing with three goals. The sophomore leads the team in goals scored with 15 during the 2018 campaign.
- Costabile has scored multiple goals in five of six games this season.
- Sexton scooped up seven ground balls on Wednesday and has now tallied 15 in the last two games.
- Sexton also scored his second goal of the season and ninth of his career.
Up Next
The Irish travel to Columbus, Ohio, this weekend for a non-conference clash at Ohio State at noon ET on Sunday, March 24. The game will air live on ESPNU.
— ND —
The University of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team pursues excellence on and off the field through the three pillars in which the program is built: Character, Culture & Community. These three foundational values guide the promise of the program, which is to provide its student-athletes with the most compelling and enriching experience in all of college athletics. Through academics, competition, service and travel, the program aims to immerse its players in situations that enhance their student-athlete experience to help them become the people, students and teammates they aspire to be.
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