Dec. 4, 1999
San Jose, Calif. – Top-ranked and unbeaten Santa Clara University couldn’t crack a tortoise-shell-tough Notre Dame defense Friday night, as the Fighting Irish upset the Broncos 1-0 in the NCAA Women’s Cup soccer semifinals.
The victory sends Notre Dame into Sunday’s championship game against North Carolina, a 2-0 winner over Penn State in the other semifinal game. It is Notre Dame’s fourth trip to the finals in five final-four appearances since 1994, having won the NCAA title in 1995.
“This is new for me. Hats off to Santa Clara. They were all over us tonight,” said victorious first-year Coach Randy Waldrum.
Notre Dame scored in the 75th minute when Nancy Mikacenci assisted Ali Lovelace. Lovelace rolled a shot past the outstretched body of Santa Clara goalkeeper Crystal Gordon after the Fighting Irish had weathered a Bronco offensive of controlled passing and on goal shooting by Aly Wagner. To that point, Santa Clara controlled the momentum of the game, pressuring Notre Dame goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene often during both periods. The goal punctuated Notre Dame’s only offensive surge of the second period.
It was only the third shot (and last) in the game for Notre Dame, which was outshot in the second half 12-2, and in the game 17-3. The Fighting Irish then focused on defense and held off Santa Clara and for the next 15 minutes.
“For the past three weeks, we talked about our defense and we have been focused. Tonight, we played very good defensively. I would have liked to have been more attractive offensively, but we battled through,” a smiling Waldrum offered.
“You can shoot as much as you want but you have to score,” said Santa Clara Coach Jerry Smith.
The Broncos penetrated the Notre Dame defense consistently, setting up their offense throughout the first period but were unable to score or shoot consistently on goal. Beene turned back the Broncos’ Aly Wagner several times and the Notre Dame defense retreated but held. In the last minute, Santa Clara staged a furious rally, setting up numerous scoring opportunities but could not find the net.
In the end, Santa Clara outshot Notre Dame but failed to score.
“We worked our tails off today and so did Notre Dame. It just wasn’t our day,” noted the Broncos Nikki Serelenga.”
Santa Clara ends the season losing for the seventh time in as many tries in the NCAA semis under coach Smith — whose wife and assistant coach, U.S. Women’s Cup heroine Brandi Chastain, was on the bench for the game.
Santa Clara finishes the year 23-1-0. Notre Dame improves to 21-3-1 and faces North Carolina at noon PT Sunday. In a previous meeting this year, North Carolina defeated Notre Dame 3-2 in two overtime periods.
The No. 1-seeded Broncos and No. 6-seeded Irish battled before a record crowd of 14,006 at San Jose State’s Spartan Stadium, the largest to see a women’s soccer semifinal or final.
***More Notre Dame quotes and notes will be available later today ***