SOUTH BEND, Ind. – In a top-15 clash to open the season, the No. 15 ranked Notre Dame women’s soccer team (0-1-0) fell short against No. 13 ranked Michigan State (1-0-0) in a 2-1 final at Alumni Stadium.
The visiting Spartans scored the opening goal of the contest in the fourth minute of play. The Fighting Irish responded with the equalizer in the tenth minute of action. Freshman Annabelle Chukwu buried her first shot of her career while sophomore Charlie Codd and fellow freshman Katherine Restovich each picked up assists.
The game remained deadlocked until the beginning of the second half when Michigan State used an early push off of the opening possession to gain a lead they would not relinquish.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Michigan State struck first after a sustained possession. The Spartans had a flurry of shots that resulted in the opening goal as Gabby Mueller put away the close-range shot in the fourth minute of action.
The Irish responded almost six minutes later. A string of passes saw Notre Dame push possession up the center of the field. Katherine Restovich wrapped a pass around a defender for Charlie Codd outside of the box, and Codd slotted the ball into the box on for Annabelle Chukwu. The freshman’s shot was strong and true as Chukwu opened her collegiate scoring tally with the goal in the tenth minute of action.
Both sides had chances over the remaining 30-plus minutes of the opening stanza. Morgan Roy and Codd each had a shot on goal turned away while Sonoma Kasica registered four saves over the first period of play as the game remained knotted 1-1 at the half.
The Spartans capitalized early into the second half, drawing the goalkeeper to the near post before a cross in the 46’ to make it a 2-1 game under the lights at Alumni Stadium.
Arguably the best scoring chance the Irish had in the second half came via a one-on-one chance with freshman Lily Joseph in the 61st minute. The Irish continued to pressure through the latter stages of the contest, hitting the crossbar at the midway point of the half. That late pressure, however, was not quite enough against the Spartans in the 2-1 final.
UP NEXT
The Irish make the trek to Alabama to take on Samford on Sunday. That match will kick off at 6 p.m. ET on August 18.