March 27, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Sophomore Megan Sullivan scored four goals, tying her total season output, and the No. 11/8 Irish fended off No. 19 Louisville, 11-9, in the BIG EAST opener for both teams.
Notre Dame improved to 5-2 on the season and 1-0 in conference play, while the Cardinals fell to 4-3 overall and 0-1 in the BIG EAST. The Irish are now 2-0 all-time against Louisville.
Sullivan led the Irish with a career-high four goals. Maggie Tamasitis added two goals and three assists, while Kaitlin Keena and Shaylyn Blaney notched one goal and one assist each. Gina Scioscia, Maggie Zentgraf and Ansley Stewart scored one goal apiece, and Jackie Doherty chipped in an assist for the Irish.
Bergan Foley led Louisville with four goals, while Emily Dashiell notched three scores for the Cardinals. Lianne Bobal and Liz Lovejoy added one goal each, and Katie Oliverio recorded two assists.
Louisville got on the board first as Bobal scored just 2:28 into the game. Keena answered quickly for the Irish, tying the game at 1-1 off a Tamasitis assist with just over 26:00 left in the first half. Dashiell put the Cardinals ahead 2-1, but Zentgraf found the back of the net off an assist from Doherty to tie the game just 37 seconds later.
Foley gave Louisville a 3-2 lead with 22:57 left in the first period, but the Irish scored three straight on goals from Stewart, Scioscia and Sullivan to take a 5-3 lead into the lockerroom.
Notre Dame came out firing in the second half, scoring three goals in just over one minute into the period. Tamasitis scored off an assist from Blaney, before Sullivan scored twice on Tamasitis assists. Foley scored two quick goals for Louisville to make it an 8-5 contest.
Tamasitis scored Notre Dame’s ninth goal of the day with 22:28 left, before Foley and Dashiell notched two more for the Cardinals. Sullivan found the back of the net on a free position shot to put the Irish up 10-7 with 16:00 remaining. Lovejoy and Dashiell each scored to pull Louisville within one, but Blaney scored the final goal to make it an 11-9 game. The Irish defense held off a battling Louisville for the final eight minutes to preserve the win.
Ellie Hilling recorded a season-high 12 saves in goal for the Irish. Louisville’s Danielle Pawliw had three saves. Louisville outshot the Irish 30-25 in the contest.
Notre Dame hits the road Tuesday for a 7:00 p.m. (ET) matchup with Northwestern in Evanston, Ill.
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