SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Irish and Tigers will meet for the second time this season with a spot in the College Cup final on the line with an NCAA semifinal matchup at WakeMed Soccer Park at 6 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 10. The match will be broadcast on ESPNU.
#4 NOTRE DAME vs. #8 CLEMSON
Location: Cary, North Carolina | WakeMed Soccer Park
TV: ESPNU
Live Stats: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @NDMenSoccer
Game Notes: vs. Clemson
THE IRISH IN THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
• Notre Dame secured a spot in the College Cup for the second time in program history, advancing past No. 5 Pitt in the NCAA quarterfinals in penalties (4-2).
• Notre Dame is playing in its 23rd NCAA Championship in 2021 and have played in the tourney in 19 of the last 21 seasons.
• The Irish have an overall record of 21-20-4 in the NCAA Championships.
• The Irish have advanced to the round of 16 on 11 occasions and have made five quarterfinals.
• Notre Dame won the College Cup in 2013, defeating Maryland by a score of 2-1 to capture the title. It was the program’s only trip to the College Cup.
• Notre Dame is 15-8-4 when playing at home in NCAA Tournament play in program history and has advanced to the next round 18 times.
• The Irish are 12-8-2 in their opening NCAA Tournament matches in program history and have advanced to the next round 14 times.
• Notre Dame’s No. 4 national seed is the highest the program has earned since being the top-seed during the 2014 season.
THE CLEMSON SERIES
• The Irish and Tigers will meet on the pitch for the 12th time on Friday.
• Notre Dame holds a lead in the all-time series with a record of 6-4-1.
• The Irish defeated Clemson 2-0 at Riggs Field on Oct. 9. Both of Notre Dame’s goals came in the second half, as Daniel Russo and Matthew Roou both scored.
KEEP IT CLEAN
• The Notre Dame defense has come into form in the second half of the season, entering Friday’s match posting 10 clean sheets in its last 13 matches.
• The Irish have totaled 13 shutouts on the season, with Bryan Dowd in goal for 10 and Thomas Deslongchamps recording three.
• The 13 clean sheets are tied for third most in program history and the most since recording 13 during the 2006 season.
• Notre Dame has eight clean sheets against ACC opponents, the most by any team in the conference this season (Pitt x2, Duke, Clemson, Wake Forest, Louisville, NC State x2)
• Opponents have scored multiple goals in just four of 23 matches this season.
• Despite playing some of the top teams in the country, the Irish have allowed just six goals in the last 15 matches.
• Pitt’s goal in the 41st minute of the NCAA snapped a streak of 650 minutes of scoreless play, marking a Notre Dame program record.
• Bryan Dowd tied the program record for consecutive clean sheets with six straight, all coming in postseason play.
FINISHING STRONG
• The Irish have made it a habit of dominating the second half of matches, outscoring the opposition 31-7 in the final 45 minutes of regulation.
• Notre Dame’s defense hasn’t allowed a goal in the second half in the last 13 matches, outscoring the opposition 18-0 in the second half during that stretch.
• The last time the Irish allowed a goal was in a 2-1 win against Virginia on October 1.
SET PIECE SUCCESS
• The Irish have been dominant on set pieces this season, scoring 12 goals from either penalties, throw-ins, corners or free kicks while only allowing four against.
• Notre Dame’s defense hasn’t allowed a set piece goal since allowing Michigan to score off a free kick on Sept. 21.
• The Irish attack has scored four goals off penalties, four from corners, two from free kicks and two from throw-ins.
• The Irish have not allowed a goal from a corner all season.
• Notre Dame is 4-for-4 from the spot (not including shootouts) this season.
SHOOTOUT DOMINANCE
• The Irish have advanced once in the ACC Tournament and once in the NCAA Tournament off shootouts.
• Notre Dame has converted all seven attempts from the spot during shootouts this season.
• Bryan Dowd has only allowed two penalty shootout attempts to find the back of the net despite facing seven attempts.
• The Irish defeated Louisville 3-0 in just three rounds in the second round of the ACC Tournament and then advanced past Pitt in the NCAA quarterfinals by a score of 4-2 in four rounds.
LYNN LEADS THE LINE
• Lynn was Notre Dame’s representative on the ACC Preseason Watch List and was ranked No. 33 in TopDrawerSoccer’s midseason top 100 players rankings.
• Lynn paces all active Irish players in career goals with 30.
• Lynn became the 12th player in program history to reach the 30 career goal mark.
• The senior leads the team in goals (9) and points (22) on the year.
• The forward has nine goals and four assists on the season.
• Lynn was named All-ACC First Team for the second straight year by the league coaches.
• The forward enjoyed a breakout 2019 campaign, scoring a career-high 10 goals to lead the Irish attack.
• Lynn has led the Irish in goals and points in each of the last two seasons.
BALANCED ATTACK
• Nineteen different Irish players have registered at least one point this season, as the team has totaled 146 on the season.
• Fifteen players have scored a goal through 23 matches, with 11 scoring multiple goals.
• Dawson McCartney, Paddy Burns and Ethan O’Brien are tied for the team lead in assists with five each while Jack Lynn and Daniel Russo are tied for second with four each. Matthew Roou, Ben Giacobello and Matthew McLaughlin each have three.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
• The Irish have received significant contributions from the 2021 freshman class.
• Fourteen of Notre Dame’s 51 goals have been scored by freshmen.
• Matthew Roou ranks tied for second on the team in goals scored with seven while Eno Nto is fourth on the squad with five goals to his name.
• Michael Rossi scored two goals in his debut season.
• Josh Ramsey has played in all 23 games, including 22 starts for Notre Dame this season at the center back position.
• Nto and Roou both scored goals in their first career starts, coming in the 2-0 win over NIU.
• Kyle Genenbacher has also logged minutes in 21 matches this season.
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP REWIND
• The Irish captured its first ACC Championship title in program history with a 2-0 win over Duke in Cary, North Carolina.
• Dawson McCartney scored a brace in the title game and totaled three goals over the four tournament matches to earn ACC Championship MVP honors.
• Jack Lynn, Bryan Dowd and Philip Quinton joined McCartney on the ACC All-Tournament Team.
• The Irish didn’t allow a goal over the four games, becoming the first team to accomplish the feat when playing in four games and the sixth to ever finish the ACC Championships with no goals allowed.
• Notre Dame advanced past NC State (1-0), Louisville (0-0, 3-0 penalties), and Pitt (2-0) to get to the title game.
• The Irish snapped Pitt’s 19-match home winning streak with the 2-0 win in the semifinal round.
2021 CAPTAINS
• Mohamed Omar and Philip Quinton will share the skipper role for the Fighting Irish for the 2021 season.
• Omar has been a staple as a central defensive midfielder over the past three seasons. His 2020-21 campaign was cut short due to an injury that sidelined him for almost all of the spring.
• Omar has racked up 68 appearances for the Irish over four seasons, scoring six goals and adding three assists in his career.
• Quinton has been a mainstay in Notre Dame’s defense four seasons at the center back position.
• The 6-foot-6 defender has anchored the Irish back line the last two seasons.
• The senior was named All-ACC Third Team following the regular season and was placed on the ACC All-Tournament Team.
• Quinton has scored the first two goals in his Notre Dame career this season, coming against Virginia Tech and Purdue Fort Wayne.