Notre Dame Captures 13-6 Victory At St. John’s
Krebs nets hat trick as Irish improve to 7-5
QUEENS, N.Y. – The Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team defeated St. John’s 13-6 on Saturday afternoon in BIG EAST action at DaSilva Memorial Stadium. The win improved the 15th-ranked Fighting Irish to 7-5 overall and 2-3 in BIG EAST play, while the Red Storm fell to 5-7 overall and 2-3 in the league.
Senior midfielder Grant Krebs (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary’s) paced the Irish with his fourth hat trick of the season. Junior midfielder Zach Brenneman (East Hampton, N.Y./East Hampton), sophomore attackman Sean Rogers (New Hyde Park, N.Y./Holy Trinity) and senior attackman Neal Hicks (Atlanta, Ga./Lovett School) all had two goals for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame jumped on top less than three minutes into the game on Brenneman’s first tally of the day. St. John’s knotted the contest on a Garrett Mitchell goal midway through the first quarter. The Irish regained the lead less than a minute later on a goal from Hicks. Notre Dame led 2-1 after the opening 15 minutes of play.
Following a Red Storm goal from Charlie Holenstein with 11:37 left in the second quarter, the Fighting Irish went on an 8-0 run to establish momentum in the game. The uprising started on a goal from Rogers with 7:26 showing on the clock in the first half. Krebs followed with three straight tallies to put Notre Dame up 6-2 at halftime.
Junior midfielder David Earl (Simsbury, Conn./Westminster School) kept the run going with a goal at the 11:28 mark of the third quarter. Rogers netted his second goal of the day less than two minutes later to put the Irish up by six (8-2). Scores from Brenneman and Hicks completed the surge with 3:14 remaining in the third quarter.
St. John’s temporarily stopped the bleeding on a Tyler Novotny goal with 2:38 left in the third period. Notre Dame led 10-3 after three quarters of play.
A man-up goal from sophomore attackman Nicholas Beattie (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) put Notre Dame back up by eight (11-3) less than a minute into the final period. Following a goal from the Red Storm’s Harry Kutner, Irish sophomore midfielder Max Pfeifer (Crozet, Va./Western Albemarle) scored with 11:23 left in regulation to put Notre Dame on top 12-4.
Goals from Novotny and Tom Manes made it a 12-6 affair. Notre Dame freshman midfielder Steve Murphy (Shirley, N.Y./William Floyd) netted the final goal of the day with 4:12 showing on the clock.
St. John’s held a 35-30 edge in shots. Notre Dame’s Scott Rodgers (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) started in goal and made 13 saves, while surrendering five goals, in 51:22 of play. Rodgers now is 6-3 this season. Brendan Moore (Charlotte, N.C./Providence), a senior, played the final 8:38 and made three stops for the Irish. Jeff Lowman made eight saves for the Red Storm.
The Fighting Irish will conclude the regular season against top-ranked Syracuse at 7:00 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, May 1 at Arlotta Stadium. The game will be aired live on ESPNU.
PROVIDENCE (0-9, 0-2) at
NOTRE DAME (5-5, 0-3)
Saturday, April 17 • 12:00 p.m. (ET)
Arlotta Stadium • Notre Dame, Ind.
Live video broadcast on und.com
Gametracker on und.com
SETTING THE STAGE …
Notre Dame returns home following a two-game road trip to face BIG EAST foe Providence on Saturday in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Game time is slated for noon (ET) at Arlotta Stadium. The Fighting Irish are 5-5 and 0-3 in BIG EAST play, while the Friars are 0-9, including a 0-2 mark in league action.
ABOUT THE IRISH …
Notre Dame will look to snap a three-game losing skid when the Irish play host to Providence on Saturday … the Fighting Irish are aiming for their first BIG EAST victory after suffering consecutive setbacks to Rutgers (10-8), Villanova (9-8) and Georgetown (11-8) … senior midfielder Grant Krebs paced the Irish with a career-high four goals against Georgetown last Sunday … junior midfielder Zach Brenneman has a team-high 18 goals … senior attackman Neal Hicks has a team-best 11 assists to go along with 15 goals … Brenneman and Hicks share the team lead in points with 26 apiece … the Fighting Irish are averaging 9.30 goals per game, while surrendering 8.40 per contest … Notre Dame has had 11 different players score a goal this season … senior goalie Scott Rodgers, a third-team All-American last season, is 5-3 on the season … Rodgers boasts an 8.10 goals-against average and a .570 save percentage … he has a 20-4 career record … freshman goalie John Kemp has played in three games, including one start … Kemp carries a 9.50 goals-against average and a .558 save percentage.
ND-PROVIDENCE SERIES NOTES …
Saturday will be the first-ever meeting between Notre Dame and Providence.
ABOUT PROVIDENCE …
Providence will bring a 0-9 record into Saturday’s meeting with the Fighting Irish … the Friars are 0-2 in BIG EAST play … Providence is coming off a 7-5 setback against Yale on Tuesday … Providence has fallen to Georgetown (14-4) and St. John’s (13-5)?in league play … the Friars are averaging 5.11 goals per game, while surrendering 11.11 per contest … junior midfielder Mike Feldberg has a team-high nine goals … sophomore midfielder Jake Nolan leads the Friars in assists (10) and points (11) … sophomore Tim Finnegan has started five games in goal and has a 13.35 goals-against average and a .510 save percentage … Christian Dzwilewski has three starts between the pipes and carries a 10.97 goals-against average with a .512 save percentage … the Friars went 6-10 last season … Providence returned six starters and 29 letterwinners from the 2009 squad … head coach Chris Burdick is in his 12th season at the helm of the Friar program.
CAREER DAY FOR KREBS …
Senior midfielder Grant Krebs scored a career-high four goals on Sunday against Georgetown … that matched the most goals scored by an Irish player this season (Max Pfeifer had four against Drexel) … that was the third game this season that Krebs had scored three or more goals.
A HOT HALF …
The eight first-half goals against Georgetown (Apr. 11) were the second-most scored in any half this season by the Irish … Notre Dame scored nine goals in the first half against Penn State on Feb. 28.
LOCKING DOWN …
The Fighting Irish boast the nation’s fifth-best man-down defense (.792) … Notre Dame ranks tied for 10th nationally in overall team defense by surrendering just 8.40 goals per game … since the beginning of the 2007 season, the Fighting Irish defense has only allowed 10 or more goals seven times in the 58 games played during that span.
RODGERS IN THE RANKINGS …
Notre Dame senior goalie Scott Rodgers ranks ninth nationally with an 8.11 goals-against average and he is 12th in the nation with a .570 save percentage.
SCORELESS QUARTERS …
When the Notre Dame defense held Rutgers scoreless in the first quarter on March 27, it marked the fifth time this season that the Irish held an opponent without a goal for an entire quarter … in the season opener, Notre Dame did not allow a fourth-quarter goal against Duke … the Fighting Irish held Loyola scoreless during the second quarter of the game on March 6 … the Irish shut out Drexel in the third period on March 9 … Notre Dame held Ohio State scoreless in the fourth quarter in the meeting on March 20.
FINISHING STRONG …
Notre Dame has out-scored its opponents 27-18 in the fourth quarter of play this season.
HAT TRICKS …
Six Notre Dame players have registered hat tricks this season … junior midfielder Zach Brenneman has a team-best four hat tricks this season … Grant Krebs (Sr./M) has three, including a four-goal performance against Georgetown … Neal Hicks (Sr./A) and David Earl (Jr./M) both have two hat tricks … Max Pfeifer (So./M) and Sean Rogers (So./A) each have one hat trick this season … Pfeifer’s hat trick was a four-goal effort against Drexel.
SPREADING THE WEALTH …
The Fighting Irish have had 11 players score a goal this season … Notre Dame boasts four players with double-digit goal totals … Zach Brenneman (Jr./M) has a team-high 18 goals, while Grant Krebs (Sr./M) has 16 … Neal Hicks (Sr./A) has 15 goals and David Earl (Jr./M) has netted 14.
STREAKING …
Junior midfielder Zach Brenneman has scored a goal in a team-best five straight contests … Brenneman has netted 11 goals during that stretch.
FACING OFF …
Senior midfielder Trever Sipperly went 13-17 (.765) in faceoffs against Drexel (March 9) to match a personal-best winning percentage for a single game … Sipperly followed that up with 14 wins out of 20 attempts (.700) against Fairfield … he ranks 15th nationally with a .574 winning percentage (117-87) this season … last season, Sipperly ranked 13th nationally with a .559 percentage (85-67).
QUALITY COMPETITION …
The Fighting Irish have seven teams on their 2010 slate that appear in the latest USILA coaches poll … five of those squads are ranked in the top 10 … Notre Dame opened the campaign with an 11-7 victory over current No. 5 Duke … the Blue Devils were ranked second at the time of the contest … Notre Dame took down current No. 8 Loyola, 11-9, on March 6 … the Irish fell at current No. 7 Drexel, 7-6 in overtime, on March 9 … the Irish also suffered a 10-8 setback to current No. 18 Fairfield on March 13 in Houston, Texas … the Fighting Irish were defeated by No. 13 Villanova, 9-8, on April 3 … Notre Dame fell at No. 9 Georgetown, 11-8, last Sunday … the Irish will conclude the regular season against No. 2 Syracuse on May 1 at home.
A COACHING MILESTONE …
Notre Dame head coach Kevin Corrigan earned his 200th victory at Notre Dame with the win over Denver on March 16 … Corrigan, who is in his 22nd season at Notre Dame, has a 201-101 (.666) record at the helm of the Fighting Irish program.
A RARE OCCURANCE …
The 10-8 setback to Rutgers on March 27 snapped Notre Dame’s 27-game regular-season home win streak … prior to the loss to the Scarlet Knights, the Irish had not dropped a regular-season home tilt since a 9-6 loss to Denver during the 2005 season.
WORKING OVERTIME …
The 7-6 win over Ohio State on March 20 was Notre Dame’s second overtime game of the season … the Irish dropped a 7-6 overtime decision at Drexel on March 9 … the last time that Notre Dame played two overtime contests in the same season was in 2005 … the win over Ohio State was Notre Dame’s first overtime victory since an 8-7 win over Colgate in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
A GOOD CAUSE …
The Notre Dame-Fairfield contest on March 13 was part of the inaugural ‘Beating Cancer With a Stick Lacrosse Classic’ … the event, which was presented by Lacrosse 4 All, will help raise money for The Children’s Cancer Hospital at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center … it was the first NCAA Division I lacrosse game in Houston since 1970, when Johns Hopkins played Navy … four high school programs, Kinkaid, Houston Episcopal, Gulliver Prep (Fla.) and Palo Verde (Nev.), also participated in the event.
A RETURN TO TEXAS …
The Fairfield game on March 13 signified the second straight season that Notre Dame has played a game in the state of Texas … last year, the Fighting Irish topped Vermont, 13-7, in Dallas … that contest was part of the Patriot Cup.
BEATING THE BEST …
Notre Dame has defeated two top-10 teams this season … the Irish knocked off No. 2 Duke, 11-7, in the season opener … Notre Dame took down No. 10 Loyola, 11-9, on March 6 … the last time the Fighting Irish beat two top-10 teams in the same season was during the 2008 campaign … that season, Notre Dame topped No. 9 Ohio State, 17-12, during the regular season and then downed the 10th-ranked Buckeyes, 9-2, during the GWLL tournament … Notre Dame also beat No. 10 Colgate, 8-7 in overtime, that season in the first round of the NCAA Championship.
DEFENDING THE CAGE …
Notre Dame currently ranks tied for 10th nationally with an 8.40 goals-against average … Notre Dame boasted the nation’s top defense in 2009 by producing a school-record 6.19 goals-against average, which shattered the program standard of 6.66 from the 2007 season … in his first season as a starter, Scott Rodgers led all NCAA Division I goalies with a 6.14 goals-against average and a .663 save percentage en route to earning third-team All-America honors in 2009 … his 15 victories also established a Fighting Irish record … the Irish had the nation’s fifth-best scoring defense in 2008 by allowing 7.04 goals per game … in 2007, Notre Dame ranked fourth nationally with the 6.66 mark.
ARLOTTA STADIUM …
Arlotta Stadium is the new home for the Notre Dame men’s and women’s lacrosse programs … construction of the facility began in August of 2008 and it held its first event on October 16, 2009 as the Notre Dame men’s team played the Iroquois National Team in an exhibition contest … the official stadium dedication was held on October 17, 2009 … Notre Dame defeated Denver 14-7 on March 16 in its first regular-season game in the facility … the stadium features over 2,000 seats, lights, an artificial-turf field, locker rooms, player lounges, restrooms and concession areas … the state-of-the-art facility is named after Notre Dame graduate John Arlotta, president and chief executive officer of Denver-based Coram Inc. … he and his wife Bobbie pledged the lead gift toward the stadium, which was built to the east of the Joyce Center as part of the University’s new athletics quadrangle … the Arlotta children – Mindy, Andy and Jon – pledged an additional gift from The Arlotta Family Foundation toward the project … in addition to their generous donation, alumni and friends of the lacrosse programs donated over two million dollars.
BIG STAGE …
Notre Dame has played in some big venues over the past few seasons … on March 6, the Irish defeated Loyola, 11-9, in front of 19,742 fans at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md. during the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic … last season, Notre Dame topped Ohio State, 14-8, in front of an NCAA regular-season record crowd of 30,192 fans at Ohio Stadium … the game was played prior to Ohio State’s spring football game … the Fighting Irish bested Denver, 10-8, at Invesco Field at Mile High one season ago … in 2008, Notre Dame faced Denver at Toyota Park, which is home to the Chicago Machine (MLL) and Chicago Fire (MLS).
A FANTASTIC 400 …
The Penn State contest on Feb. 28 marked the 400th game in the history of varsity men’s lacrosse at Notre Dame … the Fighting Irish carry an all-time record of 265-143 (.650).
GETTING OFFENSIVE …
The Notre Dame offense has been one of the best in the nation over the past few seasons … last season, the Irish tied for 10th nationally by averaging 11.00 goals per-game … in 2008, the Irish averaged 12.04 goals per game and that placed them fifth among all NCAA Division I teams … Notre Dame ranked fourth in 2007 with an 11.65 goals per-game average … the Irish are averaging 9.30 goals per game this season.
GRAND OPENING …
Notre Dame’s 11-7 season-opening win over No. 2 Duke on Feb. 20 marked the program’s first victory over a team ranked in the top-two of the national polls … Notre Dame is 23-7 all-time in season-openers, including a 17-5 record in the Kevin Corrigan era … the Irish have won a program-record eight straight season-openers … the Fighting Irish have opened their slate against a ranked opponent for 17 consecutive seasons.
DELIGHTFUL DEBUT …
Notre Dame freshman midfielder Steve Murphy netted two goals in his collegiate debut against Duke on Feb. 20 … the last time a Fighting Irish freshman scored at least two goals in their Notre Dame debut was when Ryan Hoff and Peter Christman deposited two goals each in an 8-4 win over Penn State in 2006.
THREE NAMED TO TEWAARATON WATCH LIST …
Notre Dame seniors Sam Barnes (D), Grant Krebs (M) and Scott Rodgers (GK) were named to the 64-man watch list for the 2010 Tewaaraton Trophy … The Tewaaraton Award was formally established in August of 2000 and is the pre-eminent lacrosse award, which is given annually to the NCAA men’s and women’s lacrosse player of the year … the award will be presented on June 3rd, 2010 at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS …
Five Notre Dame players garnered preseason All-America honors from Inside Lacrosse … Scott Rodgers (Sr., G) was named to the first team, while Grant Krebs (Sr., M) and Sam Barnes (Sr., D) were second-team selections … Trever Sipperly (Sr., M/FO) and Andrew Irving (Jr., LSM) were honorable mention picks.
BIG EAST DEBUT …
The 2010 campaign marks the first season of BIG EAST men’s lacrosse … the seven conference schools that participate in the newly-formed league are Georgetown, Notre Dame, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, Syracuse and Villanova … the teams will play a six-game single round-robin regular-season schedule … men’s lacrosse is the BIG EAST’s 11th men’s sport while the Conference conducts 13 women’s sports … Notre Dame already is a member of the BIG EAST in 23 other sports … Notre Dame was a member of the Great Western Lacrosse League (GWLL) from 1994-2009 … the Fighting Irish captured 12 GWLL regular-season titles in addition to winning the only two GWLL Tournaments (2008 & 2009).
IRISH TABBED TO FINISH SECOND IN BIG EAST …
Notre Dame was picked to finish second in the inaugural season of the BIG EAST men’s lacrosse league … the conference’s head coaches casted the votes and were not permitted to vote for their own teams … Syracuse was tabbed to win the league with six first-place votes, while Notre Dame received one first-place nod … rounding out the order of finish was Georgetown, Villanova, Rutgers, St. John’s and Providence.
IRISH EARN PRESEASON ALL-LEAGUE HONORS …
Four Notre Dame student-athletes were named to the 2010 All-BIG EAST Preseason Team … senior Scott Rodgers was the lone goalie selected to the 15-man squad … fellow seniors Sam Barnes (D), Neal Hicks (A) and Grant Krebs (M) also were chosen for the all-conference team.
RODGERS NAMED A LOWE’S SENIOR CLASS AWARD FINALIST …
Notre Dame goalie Scott Rodgers has been named one of 10 finalists for the 2010 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in the men’s lacrosse division … to be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – classroom, character, community and competition … an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities … Rodgers, a third-team All-American last season, carries a 3.077 cumulative grade-point average as a sociology major in Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters … nationwide balloting is underway to determine the winner … fan balloting is available at www.seniorCLASSaward.com, as well as through text messaging … fans can text LAX to 74567 to vote for the finalists … Lowe’s will announce the winner of the award in late May.
IRISH CAPTAINS …
Seniors Mike Creighton (D), Neal Hicks (A) and Kelly McKenna (M) are first-time captains for the Fighting Irish, while Scott Rodgers (G), a fifth-year senior, is serving as a team captain for the second straight season.
A QUICK LOOK BACK …
In 2009, Notre Dame posted the first undefeated regular season in program history … the Fighting Irish went 13-0 overall in the regular season, including a 5-0 mark in Great Western Lacrosse League (GWLL) play … Notre Dame notched two more wins to take its second straight GWLL Tournament title … the Irish concluded the season with a 15-1 record after falling to Maryland, 7-3, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament … Notre Dame garnered the No. 7 seed for the NCAAs … the win total and winning percentage (.938) established program records … the Fighting Irish defense led the nation in 2009 with a 6.19 goals-against average, while the offense was tied for 10th by scoring 11.0 goals per game … five Notre Dame players garnered All-America honors in 2009 … Scott Rodgers (G), Ryan Hoff (A) and Regis McDermott (D) were third-team selections, while Sam Barnes (D) and Grant Krebs (M) were honorable-mention picks … Rodgers, Barnes and Krebs are back for the Irish in 2010 … Rodgers was named the 2009 GWLL Player of the Year, while Kevin Corrigan was named the league’s coach of the year for the fifth time … Rodgers led the nation in goals-against average (6.14) and save percentage (.663) … attackman Neal Hicks led the Irish with 43 points on 25 goals and 18 assists … Hoff scored a team-best 32 goals.
WINNING WAYS …
In 2009, Notre Dame’s 15-1 mark established program records for wins and winning percentage in a single season … the Fighting Irish compiled the first undefeated regular season in program history and it marked the fourth straight season that the Irish have reached double figures in wins … Notre Dame’s 15-game win streak was a program best.
SUSTAINED SUCCESS …
Notre Dame has earned four straight appearances to the NCAA Championship … over the past two seasons, the Irish have garnered one of the tournament’s eight national seeds and have hosted a first-round contest … last season, the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish fell to Maryland, 7-3, in the tournament’s first round … Notre Dame has made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances since 1990 … Notre Dame is competing in its 30th season of varsity lacrosse … the Fighting Irish have an all-time record of 265-143 (.650) … Kevin Corrigan is in his 22nd season as the head coach of the Fighting Irish … he has a record of 201-101 (.666) during his Notre Dame tenure.
KEEPING UP WITH ND MEN’S LACROSSE …
Log onto und.com for the latest information on the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse program … und.com, the official athletics web site for the University of Notre Dame, features press releases, game stories, feature stories, video interviews, stats, rosters and more … fans also can sign up for Irish ALERT, a text messaging service designed to give fans game updates for all 26 varsity sports at Notre Dame … Irish men’s lacrosse fans can sign up to receive scores following each quarter … in addition, media members and fans may be added to the sports information e-mail release list by contacting assistant sports information director Sean Carroll at Carroll.64@nd.edu or (574) 631-2664 … all requests for story ideas, interview access, match credentials and further information on Irish men’s lacrosse should similarly be directed to Carroll … credential and interview requests should be made at least 24 hours in advance.
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Sean Carroll
Assistant Sports Information Director
University of Notre Dame
112 Joyce Center
Notre Dame, IN 46556
office: (574) 631-2664
cell: (574) 340-2177
fax: (574) 631-7941
www.und.com
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NOTRE DAME, Ind. – A David Earl (Simsbury, Conn./Westminster School) goal with 1:41 remaining in the first overtime session gave the No. 9 Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team a 7-6 victory over Ohio State on Saturday afternoon at Arlotta Stadium. Earl and fellow junior midfielder Zach Brenneman (East Hampton, N.Y./East Hampton) both notched hat tricks for the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame (5-2) trailed 6-4 entering the fourth quarter, yet the Fighting Irish defense held the Buckeyes scoreless throughout the final period and in overtime. Brenneman sliced the deficit to one (6-5) with his third goal of the day at the 8:49 mark of the fourth quarter. Brenneman has a team-best four hat tricks this season. Earl knotted the game with 3:20 left in regulation.
Ohio State (4-3) opened the game’s scoring 36 seconds into the contest on a goal from Mario Ventiquattro. James Green made it 2-0 in favor of the Buckeyes midway through the first quarter. Ventiquattro and Green both scored three goals for Ohio State.
Earl put the Irish on the board with 6:48 left in the opening quarter. Ohio State led 2-1 after the opening 15 minutes of play. The Buckeyes regained their two-goal edge on Ventiquattro’s second goal of the day.
The Fighting Irish used a 3-0 run to claim a 4-3 lead at the intermission. Junior long-stick midfielder Andrew Irving (McLean, Va./The Hotchkiss School (Conn.)) began the surge at the 11:34 mark of the second quarter with his first goal of the season. A Brenneman goal evened the contest (3-3) with 8:13 remaining in the first half. Brenneman gave the Irish their first lead of the game with 21 seconds left before halftime.
Ohio State answered Notre Dame’s 3-0 run with one of its own to start the second half. Ventiquattro completed his hat trick to tie the game with 13:44 remaining in the third quarter. Consecutive tallies from Green gave the Buckeyes a 6-4 lead heading into the final quarter.
Notre Dame out shot Ohio State 27-23. Senior goalie Scott Rodgers (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) made 10 saves in the victory, while his counterpart Ryan Brant also had 10 stops. The six goals were the fewest allowed by the Notre Dame defense this season.
Today was Notre Dame’s second overtime contest of the season. The Irish fell at Drexel, 7-6, in overtime on March 9.
The Fighting Irish will open BIG EAST Conference play next Saturday against Rutgers at Arlotta Stadium. Game time is slated for noon (ET).
HOUSTON, Texas – The third-ranked Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team dropped a 10-8 decision to Fairfield on Saturday afternoon at The Kinkaid School. Senior attackman Neal Hicks (Atlanta, Ga./The Lovett School) paced the Fighting Irish with three goals. Midfielders Grant Krebs (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary’s) and David Earl (Simbsbury, Conn./Westminster School) both chipped in two goals and an assist for the Irish.
Fairfield (2-2) jumped out to a 4-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. Netting goals for the Stags in that span were Matt Plominski (13:42), Nick Baglio (8:37), Brent Adams (2:45) and Kevin Peters (0:13).
Notre Dame (3-2) got on the board with five minutes elapsed in the second quarter as Hicks deposited his first goal of the game. Today was the second hat trick of the season for Hicks, who has a team-best 23-game point streak.
The Stags responded with three straight tallies to take a 7-1 lead with 6:33 left in the first half. The run started on a goal from Mike Esposito with 9:36 showing on the clock in the period. Brent Adams and Sam Snow followed with goals of their own to give Fairfield the six-goal advantage.
Notre Dame’s Max Pfeifer (Crozet, Va./Western Albermarle) put a halt to the surge as he netted a man-up goal with 5:34 remaining in the first half. Fairfield led 7-2 at the intermission.
The Fighting Irish staged a second-half comeback that fell just short. Notre Dame held a 6-3 scoring advantage in the second half.
Hicks opened the half with back-to-back goals to slice the Irish deficit to three (7-4) with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter. However, goals from Fairfield’s Kevin Peters and Max Trunz extended the Stags lead back to five (9-4) by the end of the third quarter.
Notre Dame cut the Fairfield lead to two (9-7) with just under nine minutes left in regulation on a goal from Earl and two man-up tallies from Krebs. The Irish could not get any closer as a Doug Kuring goal put Fairfield back up by three (10-7) with 20 seconds left. Notre Dame’s Earl deposited the final score of the game with seven seconds remaining.
The 10 goals scored by Fairfield snapped Notre Dame’s 20-game streak of not surrendering double digits in goals. The Irish out shot the Stags 42-23. Notre Dame goalie Scott Rodgers (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) made five saves, while Joseph Marra had 17 stops for Fairfield. Senior midfielder Trever Sipperly (Greenwich, N.Y./Greenwich) went 14-6 in faceoff attempts for the Fighting Irish.
Saturday’s contest was part of the inaugural ‘Beating Cancer With a Stick Lacrosse Classic’. The event, which was presented by Lacrosse 4 All, helped to raise money for The Children’s Cancer Hospital at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. It was the first NCAA Division I lacrosse game in Houston since 1970, when Johns Hopkins played Navy.
The Fighting Irish are back in action when they play host to Denver on Tuesday, March 16. Game time is slated for 4:00 p.m. (ET) at Arlotta Stadium.
No. 9 Notre Dame never trailed and used a Brenneman hat trick to capture victory.
DURHAM, N.C. – A hat trick from junior midfielder Zach Brenneman (East Hampton, N.Y./East Hampton) helped lead the No. 9 Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team to an 11-7 season-opening win over No. 2 Duke on Saturday afternoon at Koskinen Stadium. The Irish never trailed in the contest en route to defeating a team ranked in the top-two of the national polls for the first time in program history.
Senior attackmen Neal Hicks (Atlanta, Ga./Lovett School) and Colin Igoe (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) along with freshman midfielder Steve Murphy (Shirley, N.Y./William Floyd) all scored two goals apiece for the Irish. Senior All-America goalie Scott Rodgers (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) had 15 saves on the day.
Notre Dame (1-0) grabbed a 1-0 lead with 11:57 left in the first quarter as Igoe connected on his first shot of the game. The Irish had the first six shots of the contest and out shot the Blue Devils 46-33 on the day. Murphy made it 2-0 in favor of the Fighting Irish with just over eight minutes showing on the clock in the first quarter.
Duke got on the board with 4:29 left in the first quarter on a Max Quinzani goal. Quinzani led the Blue Devils with three goals.
The Irish came right back and scored less than a minute later to regain their two-goal advantage as Murphy notched his second goal of the game. The Blue Devils had a response of their own with 2:41 remaining in the first period as Will McKee deposited a goal to make it 3-2 in favor of Notre Dame.
The back-and-forth game continued as Igoe tallied his second goal of the game on an assist from Brenneman with 2:17 left in the first quarter. Notre Dame led 4-2 at the end of the first quarter. The Fighting Irish out shot the Blue Devils 16-8 in the period.
A man-up goal from Brenneman gave the Irish a three-goal lead (5-2) less than a minute into the second quarter. The Irish went up by four on a goal from sophomore attackman Nicholas Beattie (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) with 8:37 showing on the clock in the second quarter. Fellow sophomore Eric Keppeler (Baldwin, Md./Dulaney) picked up the assist on the score.
Duke tallied three goals in a 30-second span to slice the Irish lead to one (6-5) with 4:14 left in the first half. The scores came from Justin Turri (4:44), Zach Howell (4:34) and Parker McKee (4:14).
Notre Dame led 6-5 at halftime.
The Fighting Irish deposited the first tally of the second half as Hicks sent a shot into the back of the net with nearly five minutes elapsed in the stanza. Following Quinzani’s second goal of the game, Hicks tallied his second goal to make it 8-6 in favor of the Irish with three minutes left in the third quarter.
Brenneman scored less than a minute later, on an assist from Igoe, to give Notre Dame a three-goal advantage (9-6). Quinzani’s third tally of the day would make it a 9-7 contest in favor of the Irish after three quarters.
The Notre Dame defense, which led the nation last season with a 6.19 goals-against average, held Duke without a goal in the final quarter.
Brenneman completed his hat trick to put Notre Dame back up by three (10-7) with 5:35 left in the game. Hicks assisted on the goal. Junior midfielder David Earl (Simsbury, Conn./Westminster School) put the cap on the Irish victory as he scored with one minute left to produce the final outcome.
Fighting Irish senior Trever Sipperly (Greenwich, N.Y./Greenwich) went 10-for-19 in faceoff attempts. Notre Dame was 10-21 in faceoffs overall.
Notre Dame has won a program-record eight straight season openers. The Fighting Irish are 23-7 all-time in season-openers, including a 17-5 record under head coach Kevin Corrigan.
The Fighting Irish return to action when they play host to Penn State in the home opener on Sunday, Feb. 28. Game time is slated for 1:00 p.m. (ET) inside the Loftus Sports Center.
Notre Dame Lacrosse Announces Fall Ball Schedule
Fighting Irish to open Arlotta Stadium against Iroquois National Team on Oct. 16.
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team has announced its 2009 fall schedule. The Fighting Irish will face the Canadian National Team twice on Oct. 11 in Orchard Park, N.Y. Notre Dame concludes the slate with a home game at Arlotta Stadium against the Iroquois National Team on Oct. 16.
Notre Dame will meet the Canadian National Team at Orchard Park High School in Orchard Park, N.Y., which is just south of Buffalo. There will be two games, with the first starting at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The second contest will follow immediately afterwards.
The Canadians won the world championship during the last world games. They will bring their top 50 players to face the Fighting Irish. Their roster will then be reduced to 23 members for the games next summer.
The game against the Iroquois National Team will be the first game held at the state-of-the-art Arlotta Stadium. Game time is slated for 4:00 p.m. (ET) and there is free admission for all fans. The official stadium dedication will take place the following morning (Saturday, Oct. 17) prior to the Notre Dame-USC football game.
The Iroquois are a unique entity, comprising the only Native American team sanctioned to compete in any sport internationally. They have transitioned from box lacrosse to the field game. The Iroquois team members have also achieved great success. They boast NCAA All-Americans, professional players in the National Lacrosse League and many International Lacrosse Federation World Team members.
Lacrosse is one of the oldest team sports played in North America. Rooted in centuries of Native American tradition, the game took on many variations before reaching its present day form. The annual collegiate player-of-the-year trophy for men’s and women’s lacrosse is named the Tewaaraton Trophy. ‘Tewaaraton’ is the Mohawk name for their game and the progenitor of present day lacrosse.
Notre Dame posted a 15-1 record last season en route to garnering the No. 7 seed in the NCAA Championship. The win total and winning percentage were program records. Notre Dame won the Great Western Lacrosse League regular season and tournament titles.
The 2010 season will mark a new era for Fighting Irish lacrosse. Not only will Notre Dame begin play in Arlotta Stadium, the Irish also will be competing in the BIG EAST Conference. This will mark the first year the BIG EAST has sponsored men’s lacrosse. There will be seven members of the league that will compete in men’s lacrosse (Georgetown, Notre Dame, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, Syracuse and Villanova).
NOTRE DAME MEN’S LACROSSE 2009 FALL SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Site Time
Sunday, Oct. 11 Canadian National Team* Orchard Park, N.Y. 10:00 a.m. (ET)
Friday, Oct. 16 Iroquois National Team Notre Dame, Ind. 4:00 p.m. (ET)
* – Notre Dame will play two games against the Canadian National Team
–ND–
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame senior goalie Scott Rodgers (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) is featured on the cover of the October issue of Inside Lacrosse magazine. Among other things, the issue previews the 2009 fall ball season and the newly formed BIG EAST Conference for men’s lacrosse.
Last season, Rodgers earned third-team All-America honors from the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) in addition to being named the Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Year. Rodgers was the statistical national champion for goals-against average (6.14) and save percentage (.663) as he helped the Fighting Irish win a program record 15 games. The goals-against average also was a Notre Dame record.
To see additional images from the Rodgers photo shoot with Inside Lacrosse along with video of the shoot, log onto insidelacrosse.com.
–ND–
Pioneer coaching staff will hold six Sunday clinics beginning Sept. 20 at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium
DENVER – The University of Denver men’s lacrosse program will hold six Sunday Fallball Clinics for intermediate to advanced level players, beginning Sunday, Sept. 20 at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. Each Sunday clinic will have two sessions, with the first session running from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (sixth-eighth grade) and the second session running from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (ninth-12th grade).
Each clinic will use drills, skills and techniques taken directly from DU head coach Bill Tierney’s coaching plan the Pioneers and is sure to give each participant the tools to step up his/her game to the next level.
Cost for all six clinics is $150 per player and includes a free instructional DVD that covers everything that we go through in the clinics, which is a $30 retail value.
The clinics are also a great way for elite level players looking to get specialized instruction for their specific position. Each Sunday clinic will have a different format and will feature two sessions, depending on age range and skill level.
The middle school division sessions will be for sixth through eighth grade players and will serve as tryouts for the two Denver Elite Junior Fall Teams. These teams will travel to the Dallas Lone Star Shootout on November 20-22, 2009. The high school division practices will serve as the tryouts for our Denver Elite Fall High School Teams as well.
For more information on the Lone Star Shootout, the Denver Elite Junior Fall Teams and the Denver Elite Fall High School Teams visit www.denverpioneerslacrosse.com.
The first two Sundays will be a station sessions, where the players learn a variety of different skills. The second two sessions will be a position focused clinic where players will be broken up and learn position-specific technique. The third set of Sunday sessions will revolve around team and transitional work for young players to develop their overall understanding of team play.
To register for the Sunday Fallball Clinics, visit www.denverpioneerlacrsse.com. For questions, please contact assistant coach Matt Brown at matthew.t.brown@du.edu, or 303-871-4347.
SESSIONS: September 20 / September 27 / October 4 / October 11 / October 18 / October 25
TIMES: 10AM to 1PM each Sunday morning / Middle school division at 10AM to 1130AM / High school division at 1130AM to 1PM
LOCATION: University of Denver | Barton Stadium
GRADES: 6th through 8th grade (Middle school division) / 9th through 12th grade (High school division)
COST: $150 per player for all six weeks | Includes free instructional DVD that covers everything that we go through in the clinics which is a $30 retail value.
CAMP DIRECTORS: Bill Tierney, Trevor Tierney and Matt Brown
Fighting Irish Receive Commitments From Nine Student-Athletes
Incoming class boasts three Under Armour All-Americans.
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse head coach Kevin Corrigan has announced the commitment of nine student-athletes who will join the program beginning in the 2010 season. The newcomers hail from six different states, including four from Maryland.
Among the nine standouts, there are three Under Armour All-Americans, which are the most in program history for a single recruiting class. The class features two attackmen, four midfielders, two defensemen and one goalie.
“I think this is one of the best classes we’ve ever signed,” says Corrigan. “We have players at every position that we think can come in and compete for playing time right away. We couldn’t be more happy with the quality and depth at every position.”
Here is a breakdown of Notre Dame’s incoming freshman class …
Tyler Andersen – Defense – Wayne, Pa./Radnor
Two-sport letterwinner in football and lacrosse and Radnor High School … earned varsity letters in both sports in each of his final three years … served as team captain of both squads his senior year … named to the 2009 all-state team … two-time all-league selection … also a two-time all-Delaware County and all-Main-Line pick … selected as his team’s defensive MVP … two-time team captain … led his team in ground balls his final three seasons … established school record for ground balls in a career … was named MVP, as well as a member of the all-conference and all-county teams junior year in lacrosse and both junior and senior seasons in football … was a member of the Radnor Recreation Department … father played football for Bucknell University … has one sibling.
Corrigan on Andersen … “Ty Andersen is an athlete first right now, but a player with a great instinct for the game. He’s continued to refine his lacrosse skills. He’ll keep getting better and his best lacrosse is in front of him. I think he proved this year that he’s ready to play at a very high level.”
Pat Cotter – Midfield – Olney, Md./Georgetown Prep
Under Armour All-American … an Under Armour Senior All-American Classic participant … a USL high school All-American … a two-sport athlete at Georgetown Prep, earning a combined seven varsity letters in football (3) and lacrosse (4) … Georgetown Prep went 20-3 during his senior season in lacrosse en route to winning their league and finishing 13th nationally … team went 83-7 during his four-year career … helped Georgetown Prep go undefeated and finish nationally ranked, all on the way to capturing a conference, regional and state championships his freshman year … team achieved national ranking during his sophomore and junior campaigns as well … was chosen as team captain for both football and lacrosse teams as a senior … participated as a member of the Under Armour Underclassmen team in 2007 and 2008 … first team all-state in 2008 and 2009 … two-time member of the Maryland Free State lacrosse team … notched 30 goals, 20 assists and 75 ground balls as a senior … 2009 conference (IAC) champions in lacrosse … was No. 4 prospect according to the Inside Lacrosse rising senior list … high school teammate of fellow Irish signee John Kemp … three-year starter in football at running back and linebacker … has two siblings … father played rugby at Holy Cross and grandfather, Tom, played baseball for Iona.
Corrigan on Cotter … “Pat Cotter may be the most celebrated of our group coming in. He’s very skilled and does a lot of things well. He’s very athletic and has played in an excellent program. He’s been playing at a high level so he’ll have a chance to come in and compete right away.”
Quinn Cully – Midfield – Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury
U.S. Lacrosse All-American … four-year lacrosse player at Duxbury High School … four-time Division I state champion … 2009 Boston Globe Massachusetts Lacrosse Player of the Year … captained his high school team during his senior season … 2009 Boys’ Lacrosse All-Northeast Region Team honorable mention … team MVP as a senior … Patriot League All-Star in 2008 and 2009… named the team’s most valuable midfielder as a senior … 2009 Eastern Mass All-Star … member of Top Gun Clams Lacrosse … named varsity rookie of the year … four-year football player at Duxbury … Super Bowl champion in 2008 … named defensive player of the year in football as a senior along with being a Patriot League all-star … played hockey for two seasons … Boston Globe Gold Key Scholastic Art Award in 2009 … an honor roll student.
Corrigan on Cully … “Quinn Cully is very athletic, tough and hard-nosed. He’s a guy who knows how to make plays. As he continues to refine his game, we think he’ll be an excellent player. All of our midfielders coming in are big, strong and athletic and can do a variety of things. They all have great upside.”
Ryan Foley – Attack – Glen Ridge, N.J./Delbarton
Three-year letterwinner in lacrosse … team captain as a senior … first team all-area, all-league and all-state … selected to New Jersey state all-star game … Under Armour underclassmen All-America game MVP … named Morris County Scholar-Athlete of the year … Morris County Champions … member of two non-public state championship teams … earned three letters in football … New Jersey tournament of champions runner-up as a junior in football … first-team all-conference and all-county at wide receiver and cornerback … received football team’s MVP award as a senior … high honors student … an AP art student.
Corrigan on Foley … “I think Ryan Foley is going to be a terrific player. He’s a guy who understands the game and plays the way that we like to play. He’s capable of scoring, but does a lot of things well. That’s the kind of guy that is successful for us.”
John Kemp – Goal – Potomac, Md./Georgetown Prep
Under Armour All-American … Under Armour Senior Classic participant … U.S. Lacrosse All-American … recipient of the Tim Wynne Award as the ‘Outstanding Goalie in the State of Maryland’ … garnered the C. Markland Kelly, Jr. Memorial Award as the ‘Outstanding Maryland High School Lacrosse Player’ … selected to the Toyota High School ‘All Tewaaraton Team’ … first team all-state … named the Washington D.C. area player of the year by The Washington Post … first team all-Met … tabbed as the county player of the year and first team all-county … team MVP and captain at Georgetown Prep … first team all-conference (IAC) … boasts a career save percentage of 71 percent and a career goals-against average of 3.58 … was a member of the undefeated and top-ranked team nationally during his freshman lacrosse season … team went on to capture conference and state titles as well … saw lacrosse team finish nationally-ranked sophomore (4th) and junior (21st) years … served as team captain for both hockey and lacrosse teams senior year … was selected as honorable mention All-Metro DC area as well as being named second team All-Maryland in lacrosse as a junior … Under Armour Underclassmen regional team in 2008 … part of the Maryland Free State team … played both hockey and lacrosse at Georgetown Prep, earning varsity letters every year in both sports … was a member of the German National Honor Society … high school teammate of fellow Irish signee Patrick Cotter … hails from same school as current Notre Dame players Billy Maloney, Patrick Maloney, Kevin Ridgway and Jake Brems … brother, Joey, was a three-time All-American in goal for the Irish from 2005-08 … has six siblings … sisters Julie, Erin and Liz were swimmers for Miami (Fla.), Towson and Florida, respectively … brother, CJ, was a lacrosse goalie at Fairfield … father played football at William and Mary under former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz.
Corrigan on Kemp … “I think John Kemp was the best high school goalie in the country this year. He’s from a family of goalies. Two of his three older brothers were All-America goalies at the Division I level. We think we’re in a very fortunate position to bring him in behind a guy like Scott Rodgers this year. We know that John will have a great career for us. He’s extremely skilled and extremely poised.”
Tyler Kimball – Midfield – Phoenix, Md./Gilman
Prep team ranked first nationally … netted two goals in the 2007 Under Armour underclassman game … ranked 73rd overall and 23rd ranked midfielder in Inside Lacrosse Power 100 … tallied 16 goals and 12 assists as a senior … two-time first team all-Baltimore and first team all-Examiner in football … two-time honorable mention all-state on the gridiron in addition to being all-conference … led the team in touchdowns, rushing yards and passing yards during his senior season … selected to Baltimore Touchdown Club Senior all-star game … played football at the Naval Academy prep during the fall of 2008 and was the second-leading scorer on the team.
Corrigan on Kimball … “I think Ty Kimball is a guy who is really hungry for the opportunity to prove himself. He’s another big, strong kid and an excellent football player who we think will get better and better as he commits himself to just playing lacrosse. I think he has a lot of potential.”
Matt Miller – Defense – Warrenton, Va./Notre Dame Academy
A four-year varsity letterwinner with the lacrosse team at Notre Dame Academy … switched from midfielder to defense during sophomore year … tallied seven goals and nine assists during his senior season along with compiling 120 ground balls and 64 takeaways … named team MVP during his senior campaign … selected to Washington Post all-Met second team in 2009 in addition to being a Washington Post all-Extra first team … first team Maryland Independent Lacrosse League … named all-conference and all-state on the way to leading team to a conference and state championship during sophomore campaign … also earned all-conference honors and a conference championship junior year … named team captain for his senior season … participated in the Under Armour underclassmen game as a member of the DC team … was a member of the National Honor Society … nominated school president for student government … has one sibling … mother and brother, David, played lacrosse at Lynchburg and Maryland, respectively.
Corrigan on Miller … “Matt Miller has a great feel for the game and a great way of moving and playing the game. I think he’s really going to benefit from getting in the weight room and take advantage of what we can offer with our strength and conditioning facilities. I think he’s really going to improve the physical side of his game.”
Steve Murphy – Midfield – Shirley, N.Y./William Floyd
Under Armour All-American … Under Armour Senior Classic participant … U.S. Lacrosse All-American … U.S. Lacrosse National Senior Showcase … three-time first team all-county in lacrosse … gold medalist at the 2008 Empire State games … all-Long Island … tallied over 200 career goals … scored 46 goals as a senior in an injury-shortened season … picked up 130 ground balls during his final prep campaign … holds every record at William Floyd for ground balls, goals, assists and faceoff wins … three-time all-county and three-time all-division … North vs. South Senior Showcase invitee … 2009 USILA preseason All-American … named a top-five player on Long Island according to Newsday … three-time all-division and academic all-division in football at quarterback and wide receiver … first team all-state in football … also two-time all-county and all-Long Island on the gridiron … received Boomer Esiason Award as the best quarterback on Long Island … Boomer Esiason Classic starting quarterback … Tony Cachia Award as the outstanding football player in Suffolk County … amassed 2,200 all-purpose yards as a senior (1,150 passing, 1,050 rushing) and 12 total touchdowns (13 passing, 12 rushing) … three-time Long Island champions in football … football team ranked 20th nationally during his junior campaign … received the Dellacave Award for the top athlete in Suffolk County (all-sport award).
Corrigan on Murphy … “Steve Murphy is a guy who has really started to come into his own. He blossomed into a tremendous athlete on Long Island this year. He’s a great football player and a great lacrosse player. He really understands how to make things happen on the field. He’s a very hard worker and he is committed to becoming a great player.”
Andrew Will – Attack – Olney, Md./The Bullis School
Two-sport athlete in football and lacrosse for The Bullis School … earned a varsity letter all four seasons in lacrosse and final three years in football … three-year starter in lacrosse … tallied 37 goals and 21 assists as a senior en route to being selected first team all-state and honorable mention all-metropolitan … also named first team all-county, all-gazette and all-conference (IAC) … competed in the Maryland state senior game … received MVP award for his high school squad after leading the team in points … tallied 85 goals and 44 assists during his prep career … selected team captain for senior campaign in lacrosse … named to adidas All-America team as well as the Baltimore Elite Lacrosse all-star team for lacrosse in 2008 … named defensive MVP in football after junior season … three-year starter at running back and outside linebacker … member of the National Honor Society … has one sibling … brother, Brian, currently plays lacrosse at Georgetown University … intends on majoring in finance/international business.
Corrigan on Will … “Andrew Will is a guy who doesn’t need the ball in his stick to be an effective player. He knows how to play without the ball and he can finish. He has a chance to really work his way into our lineup.”
2008-09 Notre Dame Men’s Lacrosse Recruits
Tyler Andersen D Wayne, Pa./Radnor
Pat Cotter M Olney, Md./Georgetown Prep
Quinn Cully M Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury
Ryan Foley A Glen Ridge, N.J./Delbarton
John Kemp G Potomac, Md./Georgetown Prep
Tyler Kimball M Phoenix, Md./Gilman
Matt Miller D Warrenton, Va./Notre Dame Academy
Steve Murphy M Shirley, N.Y./William Floyd
Andrew Will A Olney, Md./Bullis
COLUMBUS, Ohio – In front of an NCAA men’s lacrosse regular-season record crowd of 30,192 watched as the Ohio State men’s lacrosse team lost to No. 3 Notre Dame, 14-8, in sunny, warm Ohio Stadium Saturday.
Buckeye junior goalie Brandon Freeman made a career-best 18 saves in the defeat, while senior Jeff Ryan had four goals and an assist for his second-consecutive five-point game. Senior Joel Dalgarno’s goal in the first quarter was the 123rd of his career, as he tied the program record set by Terry Gilmore in 1979.
The loss drops the Buckeyes to 7-7 on the year and they end Great Western Lacrosse League play 3-2. Notre Dame, the only undefeated team in the nation, moves to 13-0 and wraps up the GWLL regular-season title with a 5-0 ledger. Notre Dame enters the GWLL tournament next weekend as the No. 1 seed and will take on Quinnipiac. Ohio State and Air Force will play in the other semifinal, with final seeding set after the Falcons’ game vs. Denver Saturday night.
Ohio State led 3-0 in the first quarter but Notre Dame outscored the Buckeyes, 4-1, including a goal with one second remaining, in the second quarter to send the teams into halftime tied at 4. The Irish scored the next seven goals to take the lead and push the score to 11-4. Ohio State ended the run with a goal with 3:16 left in the third quarter. Each team scored three times in the fourth.
The Buckeyes opened the scoring at 10:46 of the first quarter when Dalgarno found Mario Ventiquattro at the far post with a cross-crease pass. Dalgarno scored a goal of his own at 8:02. Junior Keith Lovett forced a turnover in the Buckeye zone and rushed the ball upfield, sending Dalgarno in on the Irish net for his record-tying goal. Ventiquattro added his second of the game at 6:45, set up by Ryan. Notre Dame got on the board when Zach Brenneman tallied at 4:24. Shots were 12-9 in favor of the Irish in the first quarter.
The Irish tied the game with the first two goals of the second quarter. Ryan Hoff scored at 10:11 and Peter Christman scored man-up with 3:00 on the clock. With Ohio State on a man-up chance, Ryan put Ohio State ahead when Justin Hayes found him with a quick-stick pass. The Irish tied the game with just one second remaining when Christmas found the back of the net on a rising shot from a sharp angle. Ohio State was outshot in the quarter, 11-6, with Freeman making five saves.
Notre Dame poured it on coming out of halftime, opening with a 7-0 run. Christman and Hoff (man-up) scored in 28 seconds to put the Irish up by two, followed by a goal from Brennaman at 10:58. The Irish scored four goals in 3:23, with goals from Duncan Swezey (7:23), Brennaman (5:50), Neal Hicks (5:43) and Hoff (4:00). Ohio State stopped the run when Ryan scored unassisted with 3:16 left in the quarter. Freeman made seven saves in the quarter, as the Irish outshot the Buckeyes, 20-7.
Notre Dame scored twice in 20 seconds in the fourth quarter, with goals from Grant Krebs at 11:45 and Hicks at 11:25. Freshman Eddie Bambino found the back of the net for the Buckeyes and 10:01. There was no scoring until Mike Pires set up Ryan at 3:17. Nicholas Beattie scored a goal for the Irish at 1:57 and Doug Ruhnke set up Ryan for the final goal with 39 seconds left. Shots were 10-8 for Notre Dame in the quarter.
Each team won 12 faceoffs, with senior Nick Carr going 8-5 for the Buckeyes. Lovett was 3-4 and had a team-best five groundballs in the game.
Notre Dame was 2-for-5 on EMO chances in the game. Ohio State was 1-for-2, with its last chance starting with three seconds left in regulation.
Postgame Notes
Dalgarno has a team-best 30 goals, 23 assists and 53 points this season. Dalgarno, who became the second Buckeye all-time (and in 30 years) to cross the 200-point mark for his career, now has 123 goals and 219 career points, ranking second in both categories in the Ohio State record book. He is tied with Terry Gilmore for first all-time in goals. Dalgarno has 97 assists to stand one back of second place Cliff Murray. He is on a 20-game point streak (49-34-83).
Ryan now is second on the team with a career-best 45 points, including a personal-high 29 goals and 16 assists. It was his third five-point game this season and the fifth of his career. It was the third four-goal game of his career and the second this season.
Ruhnke is on a six-game scoring streak (6-4-10).
Freeman topped the 15 saves he had at Air Force last Saturday. He has double-digit saves in each of his last three games.
The previous attendance record was 29,601 set in Ohio Stadium last year when the Buckeyes downed Denver in Ohio Stadium. The Buckeye game vs. Notre Dame preceded the Ohio State spring football game, which set the national attendance record for a spring football game with 95,722 fans in attendance.
