Sept. 25, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – A goal from senior forward Steven Perry (Edmond, Okla./Bishop McGuinness) in the 70th minute is all the Notre Dame men’s soccer team would need in a 1-0 triumph of 12th-ranked St. John’s on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium. The match was the BIG EAST opener for both squads.
Notre Dame (3-2-2, 1-0-0) owned the stat sheet once again as the Irish out shot the Red Storm 18-7, including a 9-0 advantage in shots on goal. The Fighting Irish also gained one more corner kick (7-6).
Perry and freshman forward Harrison Shipp (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) both notched a game-best four shots, including two apiece on goal. Perry had Notre Dame’s first good look of the day in the 18th minute as he worked his way through the Red Storm defense and into the 18-yard box and sent a shot on frame that was saved by St. John’s (5-2-0, 0-1-0) goalkeeper Rafael Diaz.
The Irish had another opportunity in the 34th minute when junior midfielder Brendan King (Naperville, Ill./Edison Academic Center [Fla.]) dribbled his way to the top of the 18-yard box and placed his shot just wide of the left post. Notre Dame out shot St. John’s 7-2 in the first half.
“It was a good win today,” said Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark. “I felt we dominated the game in many respects. I thought we played superbly well in the first half. We also had chances in the second half, but we have to put more of them away.”
Notre Dame kept the attack going in the second half. Junior midfielder Michael Rose (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) had his 25-yard blast saved in the 54th minute. Four minutes later, Diaz also had to punch out an attempt from senior right back Bilal Duckett (Peachtree City, Ga./McIntosh) from eight yards out.
In the 69th minute, Irish sophomore midfielder Dillon Powers (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) had his shot punched out by a diving Diaz and the ensuing corner kick resulted in the Notre Dame tally. King sent the corner kick into the box and after the ball was batted around, Perry sent it home for his team-high third goal of the season.
The Irish had a few good looks for their potential second goal of the match. Senior forward Jeb Brovsky (Lakewood, Colo./Green Mountain) had his shot tipped wide of the goal in the 74th minute. The best chance may have occurred in the 80th minute when Shipp collected a turnover and saw Diaz well off his line and placed the ball just wide of the left post from 40 yards out.
It looked as though St. John’s would get the equalizer in the 85th minute as a handball was called on Notre Dame inside the box. However, Tadeu Terra’s penalty kick was sent wide to the left and the Irish would hold on to secure the victory.
“That penalty kick was a scare,” added Clark. “The game went right down to the wire. St. John’s is a very good team. They pushed us right to the final minute. You know every St. John’s team will do that. That’s the sign of a good program.”
Notre Dame junior goalkeeper Will Walsh (Morristown, N.J./Delbarton) did not need to make a save to earn his fourth shutout of the season.
The Fighting Irish will face Northwestern on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. (CT). Tickets are $10 over the phone (708-594-7200) and at the gate the night of the match. Student tickets are $5 at the gate.
Alumni Stadium – Notre Dame, Ind.
September 25, 2010
#12 St. John’s (5-2-0, 0-1-0) 0 0 – 0
Notre Dame (3-2-2, 1-0-0) 0 1 – 1
Scoring: ND: Steven Perry (unassisted) 69:14
Shots: SJ 2-5 – 7, ND 7-11- 18
Corner Kicks: SJ 2-4 – 6, ND 1-6 – 7
Goalkeepers: SJ: Rafael Diaz – 8 SV, 1 GA, 90:00, L; ND: Will Walsh – 0 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W
Fouls: SJ 7, ND 9
Offsides: SJ 2, ND 0