SOUTH BEND, Ind. – After a record setting performance all around by the University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team to open the NCAA postseason play, the seventh-seeded and No. 4 Irish team will host No. 5 Michigan in the NCAA Second Round at noon Sunday (May 12).
The Irish dominated game one against Coastal Carolina, recording a 24-6 triumph over the Chanticleers which marked both the most goals in an NCAA Tournament game and largest margin of victory in a postseason contest. Jackie Wolak’s 11-point performance tied her career best while her nine assists, including five in the first quarter, set numerous program records.
Tickets for the Second Round game can be purchased here.
GAME DETAILS
Location: South Bend, Ind. | NCAA Second Round vs. Michigan
Schedule: May 12 | 12 p.m.
TV: ESPN+
Live Stats: UND.com
Twitter Updates: @NDWomensLax
For a more in-depth look at the matchup – Game Notes: Notre Dame
FOR STARTERS
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As the No. 7-seeded team in the NCAA Tournament, the Irish played host to Coastal Carolina, Michigan and Mercer for the first and second rounds of the 2024 postseason.
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The Irish played the Chanticleers in round one of the tournament, advancing to Sunday’s Second Round matchup against Michigan who defeated Mercer Friday.
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The Irish opened the tournament with a record setting performance against Coastal Carolina, including most goals forced in an NCAA Tournament game and largest margin of victory for the Irish in NCAA postseason history. Their 24-6 win over the Chanticleers included a career performance from numerous individuals like Jackie Wolak (11 pts./9 assists), Arden Tierney (5 goals) and Kathryn Morrissey (3 goals; first career hat trick).
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Picking up her 16th win of the season and boasting all decisions for the Irish in 2024, Lilly Callahan tied a program record for single-season wins by a Notre Dame goalkeeper. She became just the second individual to hit 16 wins in a year with the Irish, joining Erin Goodman who set the record in 2009.
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The fourth-ranked Irish will take on the fifth-ranked Wolverines in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament set for noon Sunday, May 12.
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Notre Dame has now appeared in 17 NCAA Tournaments and has made it in 11 of the last 12 completed seasons. Under Coach Halfpenny, the Irish appeared in their 11th NCAA postseason tournament when they hosted Coastal Carolina on Friday.
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The Irish kicked off their 2024 campaign with a five-game homestand in which they went 4-1 and had their best start to a season (4-0) since 2020.
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Notre Dame closed out its regular season home slate when they hosted Duke for a 19-7 win on senior day.
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The Irish boast eight 20+ goal performances this season and own one of the nation’s hottest offenses. The eight games with 20 or more goals ranks most in a single season for the Irish in program history. Their previous best was four, set multiple times prior, including in 2023.
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The team opened their ACC Tournament play with their highest-seed in the history of the program, having clinched the 2nd place conference finish following their win at Louisville to end the regular season.
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The Irish fell to the Eagles of Boston College in a tightly contested defensive matchup, 7-9 in the ACC Semifinals to end their run in Charlotte.
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With her second draw control of the ACC Semifinals, Kelly Denes became the program’s all-time leader at the draw, boasting 368 career controls and passing Andie Aldave’s previous record of 367. The senior from Florida now owns 381 career draw controls and is the only individual to have three consecutive 100+ draw control seasons.Kasey Choma became the program’s all-time leader in games played with her start against the Eagles Friday in the ACC tournament. To date, the graduate student has appeared in 84 games for the Irish and owns 303 points off 248 goals and 55 assists.
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Kelly Denes registered 16 draw controls in the contest against Pitt, tying a program record and helping the Irish to 26 total draw wins – good for a program best at home.
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For her performance at the draw circle against Pitt, Denes was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week.
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Doherty’s hat trick goal at Brown came with 36.5 seconds to play in regulation of a deadlocked 15-15 contest to snap the tie and give the Irish the win. She followed it up with a career night four goals at then No. 2 Boston College, including the final dagger with just 15 ticks left on the clock to hand the Irish their first win at BC since 2003. To ensure the victory, Doherty won the following draw control to give the Irish possession and run out the clock. Following the road trip, Doherty racked up numerous awards for her full field performance, including USA Lacrosse, IWLCA and ACC honors. The senior midfielder now boasts a team best six game-winning goals this season, with her most recent coming against Coastal Carolina.
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Last season the Irish boasted four regular season road wins, including defeats of Duke, Butler, Pitt and Robert Morris. They have since surpassed that number this year, owning a 8-0 record on the road.
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Callahan was announced as ACC Defensive Player of the Week Tuesday, March 5, following her performance at UNC.
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After an eight point weekend, including four goals and two assists against Northwestern, Jackie Wolak was named the USA Lacrosse Magazine, ILWomen and ACC Offensive Player of the Week after boasting four goals and two assists in the team’s win over then-top ranked Northwestern.
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Freshmen Angie Conley, Kathryn Morrissey, Kate Timarky and Meghan O’Hare all scored their first collegiate goals and were joined by veterans Ciara Mazzone and Maeve Dwyer in the accomplishment in the opening weekend of the season.
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Live stats will be available for the contest as well as a the game being aired on the ESPN+.
IN THE POLLS
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Notre Dame was ranked No. 4 in the latest ILWomen/IWLCA poll of the season while sitting atop the USA Lacrosse Magazine rankings for the first time in program history.
ETCHED IN HISTORY
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A five assist and six point performance for Jackie Wolak in the opening quarter of the NCAA Tournament set a program record for the Irish for points in a quarter while tying the assists in a half record (5). She went on to post nine assists against Coastal Carolina to break the previous program record.
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With four draw controls against Boston College in the ACC Semifinals, Kelly Denes became the program’s all-time leader at the draw circle. She now owns 381 career draw controls over four years with the Irish and is the only woman in program history to have recorded triple digit controls in three consecutive seasons.
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When play started on the ACC Semifinal contest, Kasey Choma became Notre Dame’s all-time leader in career games played. The graduate senior has now competed in 84 contests with the Irish during her tenure.
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Notching her third assist of the first quarter against Liberty, Jackie Wolak eclipsed 300 career points. The graduate attacker now boasts 334 points with the Irish off 186 goals and 148 assists. With her 300th point at Notre Dame, Wolak became just the third in program history to hit the mark. Her 334 career points with the Irish ranks second all-time in program history, just two shy of the program record (336) set by Jillian Byers in 2009.
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Madison Ahern joined her classmate in the 300-points club with her third point of the afternoon at Louisville to round out the regular season. It marks the first time in program history that multiple members of the roster have over 300 career points at one time.
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Kasey Choma added to the 300-point club with her second goal of the day against Coastal Carolina, marking the first-ever trio to accomplish the feat. Choma now owns 303 points behind 248 goals and 55 assists.
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Ahern, Choma and Wolak now combine for 951 points during their tenure at Notre Dame.
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With her first goal of the game vs. Central Michigan, Kasey Choma became just the third woman in program history to surpass 200 collegiate goals. The graduate student has scored in 82 of 84 games played throughout her collegiate career, including a 70-game point streak dating back to her Irish debut. Choma’s streak was snapped in the team’s first road contest of the season but she bounced back against Virginia at home the following week with two goals and an assist.
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With her third goal against Pitt, graduate attacker Madison Ahern eclipsed 200 career goals and became the fourth in program history to accomplish the feat. She joined classmate Kasey Choma as the only two to hit the milestone in the same season.
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With 39 points between 26 goals and 13 assists, the Irish women set a program record for most points in a game when they hosted Pitt.
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Their 26 draw controls against the Panthers was also a program record while Kelly Denes’ 16 own draws tied a program best.
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Jackie Wolak’s six assists in the win over Pitt gave her a career-best 11 points on the day, one shy of the program record for an individual game while her assists tied a then-Notre Dame best at home.
BALANCED ATTACK
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The Irish returned an NCAA best 91-percent of their scoring from a season ago including their six top scorers in Jackie Wolak (105 pts.), Kasey Choma (88 pts.), Madison Ahern (84 pts.), MK Doherty (38 pts.), Kristen Shanahan (29 pts.) and Kelly Denes (25 pts.).
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The trio of Ahern, Wolak and Choma combined for 26 points in the team’s opening weekend to kick off 2024, led by Wolak with a team-best 12 points and 7 goals.
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Arden Tierney, a draw specialist who joined the Irish ahead of the 2024 season, registered 10 draw controls in week 1, including eight in the team’s 22-3 win over Central Michigan. Kelly Denes, who led the team in the category a year ago boasts 142 draw controls thus far in 2024 and leads the team in the category again.
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Denes led the team with eight draw controls against Northwestern, tying that of the visitors’ total at the circle as the Irish dominated draws by a 20-8 margin. She now boasts 131 draw controls this season and averages 7.28 controls per game, good for second in the ACC and 13th in the country.
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Through 19 games played, nine Irish individuals boast double digit points while one has reached triple digits – Wolak with a team-best 103. The graduate also leads the team in goals (56) and assists (47).
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With 105 points in 2023, Wolak ranked fourth nationally and second in the ACC. With her performance against Florida to reach the 100+ point mark, she became just the third woman in program history to hit 100 points in a single season. The graduate attacker’s 11 points behind two goals and nine assists over Coastal Carolina lifted her past the ellusive triple-digit mark again in 2024 as she became the first individual in program history to record multiple 100+ point seasons.
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With a scoring margin of 7.72, the Irish rank fourth in the nation while also ranking second in the country in shots per game (36.44) and shots on goal at 26.83 (third).
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At the conclusion of the ACC Tournament, Jackie Wolak was voted ACC Attacker of the Year by conference head coaches. She became the first Notre Dame student-athlete to earn the award under the team’s time in the ACC.
LEADERSHIP GROUP
- The team named a trio of captains, as voted on by their peers, ahead of the 2024 season. This year’s captains will be Madison Ahern, Kasey Choma and Aine Maseker.