| NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals: | #4 Notre Dame (14-3-4) |
|---|---|
| Opponent: | #3 Stanford (15-4-2) |
| Where: | Stanford, CA | Maloney Field at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium |
| When: | Friday, Nov. 29 | 5 pm ET |
| Watch: | ESPN+ |
| Social: | NDWSOC Twitter NDWSOC Instagram |
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Postseason play returns to Alumni Stadium on Sunday when the Notre Dame women’s soccer team hosts SIUE in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Fighting Irish (13-5-1) earned a No. 3 national seed and the right to host its opening bout. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on Nov. 14, with the match streaming live on ACCNX.
Due to it being an NCAA Tournament event, entry for fans will cost $5. However, entry is free for all Notre Dame students.
NCAA Tournament history
For the 27th time over the last 29 years, Notre Dame women’s soccer will be dancing in the NCAA Tourney. Not only did the Irish earn a berth, but drew a national seed (No. 3) as well.
Notre Dame’s overall postseason record sits at 69-22-3. Amongst those wins are three NCAA championships (1995, 2004, 2010), including 12 appearances at the College Cup.
The Irish are undefeated in their last 31 home NCAA Tournament games (30-0-1), with the last home postseason defeat occurring in 2004. All-in-all, the Irish have hosted a total of 53 NCAA Tournament games.
REVENGE TOUR – SIUE
Now the one blemish on that NCAA Tournament home record was a double OT 0-0 draw in the first round against none other than SIUE. That matchup occurred back in 2016 when the Irish were ranked No. 11 overall. The Cougars upset the Irish by advancing 5-4 on penalty kicks.
A win on Sunday would mean the Irish would advance to the NCAA Second Round for the 24th time in school history.
TOURNAMENT RESUME
The Irish have gone 13-5-1 this season and boast the 16th-best RPI in the country. Notre Dame went 6-4-1 against the RPI top-50. In addition, in the No. 1 rated RPI conference of the ACC, the Irish went 7-3 and earned the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament.
BEST SEASON IN A DECADE
The Irish have won 13 games so no matter how the season ends, it will mark Coach Norman’s best year at the helm. However, the Irish could also achieve its best season in terms of winning percentage since the 2010 season – when that squad simply went 21-2-2 and won a national championship. Below is a win-loss breakdown over the past decade:
2020: 6-7-0
2019: 11-8-1
2018: 8-10-0
2017: 10-7-5
2016:13-3-5
2015: 14-5-1
2014: 14-6-2
2013: 13-8-1
2012: 16-6-2
2011: 10-8-3
OVERTIME GIVETH AND OVERTIME TAKETH
On Oct. 10, the Irish experienced the joy of an overtime win with a beautiful golden-goal diving header from Eva Gaetino off a free kick from Sammi Fisher. The goal delivered a crucial 2-1 win over the visiting Clemson Tigers.
However, overtime reeled its ugly head during the weekend swing in the state of North Carolina. The Irish had chances against two top-10 ranked teams but lost 1-0 to No. 6 Duke in OT on Thursday then lost 2-1 in double OT to No. 7 UNC later on that Sunday.
POSITIVES FROM THE ROAD GAUNTLET
There’s hitting the road for three straight conference games and then there’s hitting the road for three consecutive games against top-7 ranked teams. The Irish battled in all three, and one could argue, could have earned a victory in all three. In fact, all three were late one-goal decisions.
No. 2 Virginia did not get on the board until the 82nd minute. The Cavaliers, unfortunately, tacked on an insurance goal just 37 seconds later, otherwise, Korbin Albert’s golazo in the 85th minute would have sent the match to overtime.
The matchup at No. 6 Duke went scoreless into overtime. In fact, the Irish outshot the Blue Devils 8-6.
At No. 7 North Carolina, the Irish struck first, as Olivia Wingate scored in the 58th minute. Prior to the match, the Irish were 11-0-0 when scoring first this season. Yet, the Tar Heels rallied with goals in the 78th minute and then in double-overtime (101st minute).
SAVED BEST FOR LAST
Sammi Fisher has made the most of her graduate season, for it only took her one month of play to achieve her best year in an Irish uniform. She has now placed her name onto the list of top scorers in the country this season.
She owns 12 goals to her name, topping her previous season high of six set in 2019.
Her 12 goals rank 26th in the country and 2nd in the ACC. In addition, her 0.63 goals per game rank 32nd in the nation and 4th in the league.
Fisher also leads the team in game-winners with four, which ranks 35th in the nation. Fisher scored game-winners against Syracuse, Brown, Wisconsin and Bowling Green.
Her 29 total points rank 31st nationally and 4th in the ACC.
ON THE FRONT FOOT
Notre Dame has had a tendency to strike early, scoring a total of 11 goals in the first 20 minutes of games this season – spanning nine different games.
In fact, they have done so in seven of the past 12 games.
Wake Forest 19:58 | Clemson 11:51 | Louisville 0:37, 9:28 | NCST 0:58 | BC 4:49 | Syracuse 6:38 | Detroit 1:43, 11:59 | Wisconsin 7:52 | Bowling Green 7:14
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Coach Norman talked about how the freshmen class is his true first class at the helm of the program and they are certainly leaving their mark on this season.
Eight of the last 15 goals have been delivered from the foot of a freshman: Korbin Albert, Katie Coyle, Sophia Fisher and Kaylie Ronan.
Albert is the No. 8 ranked freshmen in Division I (according to Top Drawer Soccer) and she’s living up to the ranking. She owns the second most goals on the team with nine. In fact, she has five goals in the last eight games, including an absolute rocket at No. 2 Virginia.
FLEXING THE OFFENSIVE MUSCLE
Notre Dame has scored 45 goals which ranks 4th in the ACC and 23rd in the nation. The 45 goals are already more than seven of the past eight seasons. Notre Dame’s scoring offense of 2.37 ranks 24th in the nation and 4th in the ACC. In addition, ND’s 122 total points rank 37th in the country.
THREE ALL-ACC SELECTIONS
Sammi Fisher (29 points), Olivia Wingate (15 points) and Korbin Albert (21 points) were all rightfully honored by the league office with All-ACC awards. Fisher picked up First Team honors, while Wingate and Albert both landed on the Third Team. Albert also got the All-Freshman Team nod as well.
Fisher is now a three-time All-ACC selection and certainly playing like it. This weekend she’ll continue what is the best season of her career – ranking 2nd in the ACC with 12 goals, which also ranks 26th in the nation. Fisher has scored in 10-of-19 games.
Fisher has turned up the assist production as of late, registering four assists over the last seven games.
Then there’s Wingate, who boasts five goals and five assists. She scored the game-winner against Purdue, earned her first brace of the season at Miami and most recently scored at No. 7 UNC on Oct. 24.
Wingate notched assist No. 5 in the regular-season finale vs Wake Forest. Her five assists have now tied both Fisher and Kati Druzina for the team lead.
Then there’s the super freshman Korbin Albert, who cracked the Irish starting XI on day one. She boasts the second most goals with nine, along with her three assists.
Albert has been red hot as of late, scoring five goals over the last eight games.
THREAT OFF THE BENCH
If there were a 12th woman award similar to sixth woman in basketball, it would go to junior midfielder Maddie Mercado. The San Diego native boasts the fourth most points on the squad with 14 – comprised of five goals and four assists. Mercado tallied three points at Miami (one goal, one assist all within a five-minute span), then added a penalty-kick goal against Boston College. Prior, Mercado notched the first brace of her career against Detroit Mercy.
Her most impressive and most recent goal was the game-winner against Wake Forest in the regular-season finale when Mercado scored directly off a corner kick. Mercado now has the second most game-winners on the squad with three.
— ND —