COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Notre Dame women’s soccer team (4-1-1) trailed for the first time this season on Sunday. Down 2-0 at halftime at Missouri (3-2-0), the Irish scored twice in the final 20 minutes to force overtime at at Audrey J. Walton Soccer Stadium. Yet a deep strike from Mizzou’s Milena Fischer to the upper-90 gave the Tigers a 3-2 victory and gave Notre Dame its first loss of the season.
Sammi Fisher picked up her third goal of the season, converting her second penalty kick on the year. Freshman Korbin Albert then had some late heroics with her second goal of the season in the 87th minute. It was assisted by Olivia Wingate, her second on the year.
How It Happened
Missouri had just two shots in the opening 20 minutes, but unfortunately for the Irish, both found the back of the net. In the third minute, Mizzou’s Milena Fischer hit a dart from about 23 yards out to the upper-left ninety past the outstretched arms of ND goalkeeper Kaylin Slattery. Then in the 18th minute, Cassidy Nurnberger found enough space after taking on a defender 1v1 to fire a shot in far post.
Just a minute before the Tigers’ second goal, Olivia Wingate almost got the Irish on the board. Wingate received a chip pass in the middle of the box but delivered her shot right at the Mizzou keeper.
The next twenty minutes went back and forth with neither side getting too many opportunities, though important to note, Slattery recorded a couple big saves to keep the Tigers at bay with two.
With just under two minutes till half, freshman Sophia Fisher provided a mini spark – taking the ball down the right side before dishing to Kiki Van Zanten in the box. Van Zanten then hit a right-footed strike, but the shot was directed right at the keeper.
Notre Dame continued to work the ball into the Tigers’ defensive third in the second half, including a shot on net from Kati Druzina in the 61st minute.
Notre Dame finally broke through in the 73rd minute. Bri Martinez took on a pair of Mizzou defenders and was tripped up just inside the 18-yard box, resulting in a penalty. Sammi Fisher’s PK was initially saved by the keeper, but the graduate student one-timed the rebound into the back of the net for her third goal of the season.
With just three minutes left in the game, the Irish continued to pressure and push, which led to the equalizer. Wingate used her speed to break into the right side of the box, passed to the middle where Fisher executed a great dummy, which ultimately fed Albert who buried it into the right side of the net.
In overtime, Mizzou’s Fischer delivered from deep again, hitting a 30-yard chip shot to the upper-right 90 past a diving Slattery.
Up Next
The Irish return back to the Bend for a three-game homestand starting with a Thursday+Sunday weekend slate. Up first at Alumni Stadium is Detriot on Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. ET, followed by Brown on Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. Both games will be streamed live on ACCNX.
— ND —