April 3, 2004
Storrs, Conn. – Seniors Meredith Simon (Flemington, N.J.) and Kassen Delano (Alexandria, Va.) combined for seven goals and two assists to lead the third-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish to a 14-8 win over the University of Connecticut Huskies Saturday night at the George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex.
The win, the 12th straight for the Irish, improved Notre Dame to 8-0 on the year and 3-0 in BIG EAST play. Connecticut falls to 3-6 on the year and 0-2 in league play.
Played on a cold, windy, rainy night in Connecticut, the Irish saw UConn’s Tracy Mullaney score three times in the first half to send the game to the intermission tied at 5-5. Meghan Murphy (Fr., Centennial, Colo.), Abby Owen (Sr., Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.) and Andrea Kinnik (Sr., West Chester, Pa.) score single goals while Simon scored her first of two on the night for Notre Dame’s five goals in the half. Mullaney got her third of the game with 47 seconds left in the half to tie the game.
In the second half, Notre Dame’s offense came to life, scoring the first three goals over the first six-and-a-half minutes of the final stanza. Delano got her first of the game on a free-position shot just 4:34 into the half for a 6-5 lead. Jackie Bowers (Jr., Springfield, Pa.) and Simon (her third goal of the game) made it 8-5 as they scored 15 seconds apart at 6:11 and 6:26 of the half.
Jacqui Hamilton stopped the Irish run with a goal just under nine minutes into the second half to make it 8-6 before Crysti Foote (So., Suffern, N.Y.) and Kristen Gaudreau (Sr., Annapolis, Md.) made it 10-6 with goals at 17:35 and 14:45. Kristen Link scored a free-position goal for Connecticut with 13:39 left in the game for a 10-7 Notre Dame lead.
From there, the Irish went into their stall offense, looking to kill off the clock. They would score four more goals over the final 2:44, as Connecticut was force to gamble to break the stall to get scoring chances. Lauren Fischer (Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa.) scored at 2:44, Delano scored twice (1:59 and 1:28) and Simon closed out the scoring with 10 seconds left. Michel had UConn’s final goal, getting her second of the night with 58 seconds left in the game.
On the night, the Irish outshot the Huskies by a 27-21 margin. Carol Dixon (Jr., Pennsauken, N.J.) won her eighth game in a row and made eight saves on the night. Jennifer Wong surrendered all 14 Notre Dame goals and made four saves in the game.
The Irish return to action on Tuesday, April 6 when they play host to the Ohio University Bobcats in a 3:00 p.m. game at Moose Krause Stadium.
Game Summary: 1 2 - F#3 Notre Dame (8-0/3-0) 5 9 - 14 Connecticut (3-6/0-2) 5 3 - 8
GOALS: ND - Meredith Simon (4), Kassen Delano (3), Kristen Gaudreau, Meghan Murphy,Lauren Fischer, Andrea Kinnik, Abby Owen, Crysti Foote, Jackie Bowers. UC - Tracy Mullaney(3), Tammy Michel (2), Jacqui Hamilton, Shannon Burke, Kristin Link.ASSISTS: ND - Abby Owen (2), Jackie Bowers, Meredith Simon, Kassan Delano. UC - ShannonBurke (2).SAVES: ND - Carol Dixon - 8 goals, 8 saves. UC - Jennifer Wong - 14 goals, 4 saves.
First Half ScoringTeam Time Score Goal AssistND 29:09 1-0 Meghan Murphy Abby OwenUC 28:27 1-1 Shannon BurkeUC 25:09 1-2 Tracy MullaneyND 22:00 2-2 Abby OwenND 19:21 3-2 Meredith SimonUC 17:22 3-3 Tracy Mullaney - 2UC 13:22 3-4 Tammy MichelND 12:29 4-4 Andrea KinnikND 3:07 5-4 Meredith Simon - 2UC 0:47 5-5 Tracy Mullaney - 3 Shannon Burke
Second Half ScoringTeam Time Score Goal AssistND 25:26 * 6-5 Kassen DelanoND 23:49 7-5 Jackie BowersND 23:34 8-5 Meredith Simon - 3 Kassen DelanoUC 21:44 8-6 Jacqui HamiltonND 17:35 9-6 Crysti Foote Meredith SimonND 14:45 10-6 Kristen GaudreauUC 13:39 * 10-7 Kristen LinkND 2:44 11-7 Lauren FischerND 1:59 12-7 Kassen Delano - 2ND 1:28 13-7 Kassen Delano - 3 Jackie BowersUC 0:58 13-8 Tammy Michel - 2 Shannon Burke -2ND 0:10 14-8 Meredith Simon - 4 Abby Owen - 2
* denotes free position goal
GoalkeepersND: Carol Dixon (60:00 min; 8 goals against; 8 saves)UC: Jennifer Wong (60:00; 14 goals against; 4 saves)