March 17, 2002

The Notre Dame women’s soccer team will play seven exhibition games during late March and April, highlighted by a return visit from the Mexican Women’s National Team on Friday, March 22. That game will be played at Notre Dame’s Alumni Field, with a 7:30 p.m. start time. Tickets are $2 for adults and $1 for children, with Notre Dame students admitted free of charge (ND’s other spring home games are open to the public and free of charge).

The Irish also will play at Marquette on April 6 and at Nebraska on the 14th before facing USC the next day (also at Nebraska, with the time of both games TBA). Notre Dame then will play a pair of home games on April 20 (vs. Evansville at 10:00 a.m. and Illinois at 6:00 p.m., with those teams also meeting in the afternoon) before closing the spring season with an April 27 home game vs. Missouri (11:00 a.m.).

The Notre Dame women defeated Mexico, 2-1, in a spirited 2001 spring game at South Bend’s School Field. The rematch will not include several of Mexico’s top players who currently are training with their respective teams in the Women’s United Soccer Association – including former ND players Monica Gerardo (Washington Freedom) and Monica Gonzalez (Boston Breakers), both of whom are founding members of the Mexican Women’s National Team (which began play in 1998). Mexico continues to be led by its speedy forward tandem of Iris Mora and Maribel Dominguez.

Notre Dame will face Mexico without the services of junior defender Vanessa Pruzinsky, who will be training with the U.S. under-21 national team. Four other current and former Notre Dame players recently completed in the Algarve Cup in Albufeina, Portugal: defender Kate Sobrero (’98) and goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene (’00) with the U.S., midfielder Anne Makinen (’01) with Finland and current freshman Candace Chapman with Canada. Chapman is considered one of Team Canada’s top young players and served as a flank midfielder at the Algarve Cup, one of the world’s top international tournaments.

Top Irish players for the spring season include the sophomore forward tandem of Amanda Guertin, Melissa Tancredi and Amy Warner, plus two midfielder starters in junior Ashley Dryer and sophomore Randi Scheller. Chapman also should play a key role during the spring, joining Pruzinsky as the only returning starters from the defensive third.

Notre Dame also will hope to see extended play from freshman midfielder Mary Boland, who was hampered by injuries during the 2001 fall season. Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Kent will be looking to gain valuable experience during the 2002 spring games while other Irish veterans include sophomore midfielder/defender Kim Carpenter, sophomore defender Jen Carter, freshman midfielder Reagan Jones, freshman defenders Gudrun Gunnarsdottir and Kate Tulisiak and freshman forward Molly Tate.

Notre Dame Women’s Soccer – 2002 Spring Schedule

March 22 – Mexican National Team (at Notre Dame’s Alumni Field, 7:30 p.m.)

April 6 – at Marquette (Milwaukee, WI, 3:00 p.m.)

April 13 – at Nebraska (Lincoln, NE, time TBA)

April 14 – vs. USC (Lincoln, NE, time TBA)

April 20 – Evansville (at Notre Dame, 10:00 a.m.)

April 20 – Illinois (at Notre Dame, 6:00 p.m.)

April 27 – Missouri (at Notre Dame, 11:00 a.m.)