CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The No. 22 Notre Dame women’s soccer team continued to roll, cruising past Miami 5-0 inside Cobb Stadium on Thursday evening.
The Fighting Irish (8-1-1, 2-0-0) earned its fourth straight win, outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 19-1 during that stretch. In addition, the Irish have outscored the Hurricanes (3-5-0, 0-2-0) 11-0 in their past two encounters.
Junior midfielder Maddie Mercado earned both an assist and a goal in the match. Senior forward Olivia Wingate earned a brace, scoring both her goals within a nine-minute span. Grad student Sammi Fisher added to her team-leading goal total, while junior forward Kiki Vanten continued her goal success at Miami.
How It Happened
The Notre Dame starters put a lot of pressure on the Miami defense early on, getting several good looks around goal but just couldn’t get that first one. Kati Druzina had the first great look with a shot that just skirted past the right post. Korbin Albert had two shots early on, including one on frame.
However, it was Coach Norman’s signature wave sub that Irish fans have grown accustomed to this season that made the difference in the first half. Just under two minutes after being subbed in, Maddie Mercado powered a shot, right-side, past the keeper for the opening goal in the 28th minute.
Then just four minutes later, Mercado sent a perfect through ball into the box to Kiki Van Zanten, who snuck past the Hurricane defense and perfectly toe-poked the ball into the net. It marked Van Zanten’s fourth goal in the past three halves at Miami (scored a hat trick there last season).
Druzina, who leads the team in assists, did it again to kick off the second half scoring. In the 50th minute, the junior chipped a ball from midfield ahead to a sprinting Wingate, who collected and buried past the keeper for the 3-0 lead.
Goal four came in the 59th minute. Albert found a wide open Wingate on the right side of the 18-box, who simply one-timed to the far post and in.
The fifth and final goal came from none other than Sammi Fisher in the 65th minute. Notre Dame’s leading scorer executed a bending free kick from about 22 yards out that went around the defensive wall and into the right corner of the goal. It marked Fisher’s eighth goal of the year and continuing her career-best season.
Up Next
The Irish return home in search of win No. 9 on the season, hosting Boston College on Sunday, Sept. 26. Kickoff inside Alumni Stadium is slated for 1 p.m. ET on ACCNX.
— ND —