Sept. 18, 2003
The University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team improved to 3-1-2 on the season with a thrilling 1-0 victory over visiting Indiana (2-3-2) in front of a packed house at Alumni Field Thursday evening. The Irish, looking to avenge their second-round NCAA tournament loss to Indiana in Bloomington last season, received a clutch overtime goal from junior Kevin Goldthwaite in double overtime to claim the victory.
The Alumni Field announced attendance of 2,131 saw an excellent soccer match during a perfect late-summer evening on Notre Dame’s campus. Both teams managed great defensive play, escaped a few edge-of-your-seat scoring chances and battled physically for over 100 minutes. Notre Dame entered the contest ranked as high as 13th in the nation, while the Hoosier were rated as high as 19th.
Indiana ended up out-shooting the Irish 12-9 in the game and seemed to enter the halftime locker room with a bit of momentum. Notre Dame’s Chris Sawyer, who has not allowed a goal in the last 258 minutes, was forced to make two saves in the first half as Indian compiled several solid scoring chances.
Notre Dame would match the Hoosiers in scoring chances in the second period, as the team battled back and forth, up and down the field in furious action. The shots ended up even in the second half – 4-4 – but IU’s goalkeeper Jay Nolly was only forced to make one save in the entire game.
The final deciding play came with just under four minutes to play in the second overtime. Freshman Nate Norman, who was a late-regulation substitution in the midfield for Notre Dame, intercepted a lazy Indiana pass just inside the Hoosier zone. Norman darted through three defenders for the break away, along with teammates Justin Detter and Devon Prescod moving ahead on both sides.
Indiana’s Danny O’Rourke, who tallied three shots in the contest, recovered but ended up having to drag Norman down at the top of the 18-yard box. O’Rourke was issued a yellow card and Notre Dame set up for the dramatic free kick just outside of the Indiana penalty box.
Chad Riley, Notre Dame’s set up specialist, took the kick and attempted to bend his effort around the left side of the Indiana wall. The kick came around clear, but Goldthwaite dived in from the right side and redirected the kick into the opposite corner of the net. IU’s Nolly was caught out of position and could not recover.
For Riley, it is his second assist of the season. The goal marks Goldthwaite’s first of the year and sixth in his career. It is also the Sacramento, Calif., native’s first game-winning goal since 2001.
The fouls ended up even in the physical contest at 17-16 in favor of Notre Dame. The defenses kept the ball off the end line for most of the contest, as each team managed just one corner kick.
Notre Dame returns to action on Sunday, Sept. 21, with a BIG EAST Conference match against West Virginia (2:00 p.m., Alumni Field).