May 6, 2002
Providence, R.I. – Notre Dame senior defensive standout Kathryn Lam (Plainsboro, N.J.) has been named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending May 5. Lam, a three-time captain of the Irish, played a key role in Notre Dame’s 10-9 overtime win versus 10th-ranked Vanderbilt in the team’s regular season finale on Friday, May 3.
In the Vanderbilt game, the Irish trailed 9-6 with less than two minutes left in the game and rallied to win scoring three times in the final 1:55 to tie the game at 9-9 before winning in overtime. Lam played a major role in the final two Irish goals scored by Danielle Shearer.
Following Eleanor Weille’s goal with 1:55 left, Vanderbilt controlled the ensuing draw and moved into the Irish end looking to run out the clock. With the Commodores controlling play in the right corner of the field, Lam forced a turnover and came up with the loose ball. She moved the play to midfielder Natalie Loftus who got the ball to Shearer near the Vanderbilt goal. Shearer, Notre Dame’s top scorer scored with 1:08 left to make it a 9-8 game.
Lam, an all-Region candidate, then controlled the next draw in the Notre Dame zone and got the ball to fellow defender Maureen Henwood who played it ahead to Shearer. Shearer was fouled on the play and then scored on a free position shot to tie the game at 9-9 with 20 seconds left.
In the game, Lam was credited with four ground balls, caused three turnovers and had one draw control. For the season, she led the Irish in ground balls (third time in four seasons) with 53 and is the school’s all-time leader in that category with 188. She is tied for second on the squad with 17 caused turnovers and has 10 draw controls on the year.
Lam and the Irish defense have been instrumental in the team’s success in 2002 as they’ve helped hold opponents to just 7.24 goals per game, the lowest average in the six-year history of the program. The team’s 12 wins this season (12-4) are the most in the program’s history while being ranked eighth in the nation is the highest ranking the team has ever achieved.
Notre Dame returns to action on Thursday, May 9 when the Irish play host to the 14th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes at Moose Krause Stadium in first round NCAA tournament action. The opening draw is set for 4:00 p.m. (CST).