Notre Dame Nips Louisville in Big East Opener
from press release
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 5-3 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.
