PREVIEW: Top-5 Matchup at Alumni Between #2 Irish and #5 Seminoles

The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish host the No. 5 Florida State at Alumni Stadium on Thursday, October 9 at 7:00 PM.

#2 NOTRE DAME vs. #5 FLORIDA STATE – Thursday, October 9 at 7:00 PM 
Location: South Bend, IN | Alumni Stadium
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Game Notes (PDF)

#2 IRISH ADVANCE TO 5-0 IN ACC PLAY AFTER DEFEATING #23 LOUISVILLE

• The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-0-1, 5-0) remain undefeated after defeating the No. 23 Louisville Cardinals (10-3, 3-2) in a 3-1 victory at Alumni Stadium on Friday night.
• Annabelle Chukwu, Ally Pinto, and Izzy Engle each scored a goal in the win. Morgan Roy, Abby Mills, and Engle each recorded an assist as well.

IZZY ENGLE = GOALS

• Announced by the league office on Tuesday, sophomore forward Izzy Engle was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week.
• She helped guide the Irish to a 4-3 win over No. 22 North Carolina and a 5-1 win at Clemson. The sophomore finished the week with three goals and an assist for seven points on the week.
• On Sunday evening at Clemson, Engle recorded her ninth multi-goal match of her career as she finished with a brace in the fourth conference win of the season.
• Engle has been an absolute offensive force for the Irish. She’s scored 28 points across 11 matches, which is second in the nation in points per game (2.55).
• She has now scored 12 goals this season, the most of any player in the ACC so far this year as she is third nationally.
• The All-American sophomore has scored 31 career goals in just 33 games played.

#2 IRISH LEAD ACC AFTER DEFEATING CLEMSON 5-1

• The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-0-1, 4-0) lead the ACC and remain undefeated on the season after taking down the Clemson Tigers (3-4-5, 0-3-2) on the road in a 5-1 victory on Sunday evening.
• Izzy Engle recorded her ninth multi-goal match of her career as she finished with a brace in the fourth conference win of the season.
• Ellie Hodsden, Grace Restovich, and Paige Buchner each scored a goal a piece in the win, contributing to the most goals Clemson has conceded this season.
• The Irish dished out five assists tonight as Leah Klenke, Carolyn Calzada, Annabelle Chukwu, Charlie Codd, and Izzy Engle each finished with an assist.
• Engle’s brace and assist gave her an impressive five points on the night.

#6 IRISH TAKE DOWN #3 DUKE IN 3-2 BATTLE AT ALUMNI 

• It was a top-10 matchup at Alumni Stadium on Thursday evening as the No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-0-1, 2-0) defeated the No. 3 Duke Blue Devils (6-2-1, 1-2) in a 3-2 ACC victory.
• Sophomore Izzy Engle, sophomore Annabelle Chukwu, and senior Laney Matriano each netted a goal for the Irish. Engle is tied for a conference-best eight goals so far on the year with Chukwu right behind her at seven goals.
• The Irish defense held the Blue Devils to nine shots with just three shots on goal.
• The last top-five win in the regular season for the Irish was Oct. 9 2022 as Notre Dame defeated No. 3 Florida State in a 4-0 shutout at home.

IRISH OPEN UP ACC PLAY WITH 2-1 WIN AT NC STATE

• The No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-0-1) finished with a 2-1 win on the road against the NC State Wolfpack (1-6-2) to open up ACC play.
• It was a battle all night as the Wolfpack defense was relentless in their efforts. The Irish found a way to get the job done on the road as the sophomore duo of Izzy Engle and Annabelle Chukwu each scored a goal a piece for Notre Dame to clinch the road win.
• In the 86th minute, Roy sent a perfect delivery into the box, connecting with Chukwu on the cross. Chukwu’s clinical finish found the back of the net, securing all three points for the Irish in the 2-1 win over the Wolfpack in the league opener.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Sonoma Kasica was great defensively down the stretch as she had four big-time saves in the second half for a season-best five saves on the night.

CHUKWU CLINIC AT MICHIGAN STATE

• Sophomore Annabelle Chukwu has been named the ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week and was also named to the Top Drawer Soccer Women’s Team of the Week.
• She recorded her first career hat trick as she scored one goal in the first half and two goals in the second in the 3-0 win at Michigan State
• Shooting a perfect 3-for-3 on night, she finished with a career-high six points.
• This is also Chukwu’s first multi-goal game in her Irish career. With the three goals in the win, she has now recorded a total of eight career goals, six games through her sophomore season.
• Chukwu’s header in the 26th minute put the Irish on the board and scored again in the 48th minute, burying it from the top of the box into the upper 90 to make it 2-0.
• Just two minutes later, In the 50th minute, Morgan Roy fired the perfect corner kick to the near post as another Chukwu header found the back of the net to cap off the hat trick.

MATRIANO HAD HERSELF A WEEK

• Laney Matriano has been named the ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week and was also named to the Top Drawer Soccer Women’s Team of the Week.
• Matriano helped guide the Irish to a 3-0 win over Michigan and an 8-0 win over Oakland, finishing the week with an impressive two goals, three assists, and seven points.
• She recorded a career-high three assists in the win over the Wolverines on Thursday, assisting on every goal scored that game and becoming the first ACC player to record three assists in a match against a Power Four conference team since Pitt’s Landy Mertz on November 11, 2023.
• She then recorded a brace in the win over Oakland on Sunday, another career-best.

A CAREER NIGHT IN THE 8-0 WIN OVER OAKLAND 

• The No.6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish advanced to 4-0-1 on the season as they defeated the Oakland Golden Grizzlies (1-4-1) in a 8-0 victory on Sunday evening.
• The Irish had seven players in the scoring column, but senior Laney Matriano led the way with a brace, recording a career-high two goals in the dominant win.
• Junior Morgan Roy and sophomore Grace Restovich recorded their first goals of the season, The sophomore duo of Annabelle Chukwu and Izzy Engle chipped in one goal a piece for their second and sixth goals on the season, respectively.
• It was a night of career-firsts and career-highs for Notre Dame. Freshman Tessa Knapp and sophomore Randie Foor each recorded their first career goals, with junior Jackie Hollomon grabbing her first save in goal.
• Sophomore Lily Joseph tied her career-high two assists and Senior Kiki Turner recorded her first career assist.

IRISH REMAIN UNDEFEATED: TAKE DOWN WOLVERINES

• The No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-0-1) remain undefeated on the season as they defeated the Michigan Wolverines (2-3-0) in a 3-0 win at Alumni Stadium on Thursday evening.
• The Irish scored on three headers in the win, with goals coming from the sophomore trio of Izzy Engle, Abby Mills, and Ellie Hodsden.
• Notre Dame finished with a season-best five assists as senior Laney Matriano led the way with a team-best and career-high three assists. Senior Leah Klenke and graduate Carolyn Calzada each recorded an assist for the Irish in the win.
• The Irish outshot the Wolverines 16-5 as sophomore Sonoma Kasica finished with three saves and recorded her ninth career clean sheet.

IRISH TAKE DOWN BEARCATS

• It was a great offensive night for the Irish with three players netting goals in the 4-0 win at Alumni on Thursday, Aug. 21.
• Sophomore Izzy Engle recorded her second brace of the season, with sophomore Annabelle Chukwu and sophomore Ellie Hodsden each adding one goal apiece in the second half.
• Sophomore Grace Restovich led the way with two assists, with senior Laney Matriano and junior Morgan Roy each recorded an assist as well.
• The Irish defense suffocated the Bearcat attack, allowing only one shot on goal. Sophomore Sonoma Kasica finished with a clean sheet for the Irish, her eighth clean sheet in her career.

IRISH DRAW AT #2 ARKANSAS

• The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1-0-1) earned a hardfought draw on the road against No. 6 Arkansas Razorbacks (0-1-1) on in a heated top-10 battle.
• The Irish offense was led by Charlie Codd and Ellie Hodsden, who each recorded their first goals of the season in the 2-2 draw.
• While Codd netted the first goal of the game to tie it up at1-all, just over 35 minutes later, Ellie Hodsden had the play of the game. The sophomore received a pass in her own half and took it coast-to-coast before firing in a great shot from just inside the box.
• Sonoma Kasica recorded four saves in the stalemate, totaling eight saves in the opening week of the season.

ENGLE WAS EVERYTHING NEEDED IN HOME OPENER

• Sophomore Izzy Engle recorded a brace in the 2-1 win in the season opening win against the defending MAC Champions Western Michigan at Alumni Stadium on Thursday evening.
• The reigning ACC Freshman of the Year and All-American picked up right where she left off in the 2024 campaign, recording her seventh career multi-goal game.
• The Irish improved to an impressive 29-5-3 record in season openers.
• Junior Chase Ying recorded her first career point off an assist on the opening goal.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Sonoma Kasica recorded four saves to pick up the win.

PRESEASON PRAISE

• Coming off of NCAA Quarterfinal run last season, the Irish were selected as the no. 2 team in the country in this year’s United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll. This is the highest preseason ranking since the 2011 season after the Irish won the National Championship in 2010.
• The Irish were also selected as the no. 2 team in the 2025 Preseason ACC poll.
• Goalkeeper Sonoma Kasica and forward Izzy Engle have been named to the United Soccer Coaches 2025 NCAA Players to Watch list this preseason.
• Engle was also selected as a Preseason All-ACC honoree, alongside senior Leah Klenky. Both were All-ACC standouts last season, earning All-Region status as well.
• Engle and Klenke are were each named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List as well this preseason.

BY THE NUMBERS – NCAA TOURNAMENT

• For the 30th time over the last 32 years, the Notre Dame women’s soccer program qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
• Notre Dame improved its all-time postseason record to 77-26-4. Their 77 victories passed UCLA (75) for the third most and rank only behind Florida State and UNC.
• With a dominant 5-1 victory over Milwaukee in the First Round, the Irish improved to 52-4-1 at home in the NCAA Tournament
• They have recorded 50 all-time clean sheets in the NCAA Tournament.
• Notre Dame was a seeded team for the fourth consecutive year, earning the four-seed in the bottom-right quadrant.
• The past four seasons under Doug & Lisa Jones Head Coach Nate Norman: Sweet 16 in 2021, Elite Eight in 2022, 2nd Round in 2023 and an Elite Eight in 2024. Thus, two quarterfinal appearances over the last three years.
• The Irish made their 17th all-time appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals. They are now 12-5 all-time in that round.
• They’ve qualified for 12 College Cups with their last being in 2010. They are 8-4 in the Semifinal round.
• The Irish boast three NCAA championships, which is tied for second most – 1995, 2004, 2010 – and five runner-up finishes (1994, 1996, 1999, 2006, 2008).