The No. 2 Irish battled No. 13 Northwestern into double overtime and finished in a 1-1 deadlock at the rain-sodden Alumni Stadium on Tuesday.
Notre Dame (7-0-5, 3-0-2 ACC) controlled the majority of the match and out-shot the Wildcats (8-3-2, 1-1-0 BIG TEN) 22-6, despite getting off to a slow start. The Wildcats out shot-the Irish 4-3 in the first period.
"This is South Bend, Ind., so don't want to make the rain an excuse," Irish coach Bobby Clark said. "We started very slowly, but having said that we actually did get a goal in that period. In the second half and OT we really dominated.
Northwestern has not lost to the Irish since 2000, compiling a 3-0-3 record in the last six matchups.
"They are a well-organized team and difficult to play down," Clark said. "You have to be patient, and maybe it just wasn't our night tonight."
The majority of the first period consisted of significant back-and-forth play by both teams as each squad tried to find its comfort zone in the unfavorable conditions and did not take any dangerous chances at goal.
The Irish had a near chance at goal in the 16th minute off of a pass from senior forward Harrison Shipp to sophomore midfielder Connor Klekota, but Northwestern junior goalkeeper Tyler Miller cleared away the ball to prevent the goal.
In the 37th minute, senior forward Leon Brown fought off a tackle to get the ball to sophomore midfielder Evan Panken. Panken deposited a cross from close range to junior defender Max Lachowecki who knocked the ball in from the right side for an Irish goal.
"I try to get into the attack as much as I can, and I got up on the right side because I thought a cross was coming in," Lachowecki said. "I was the only guy up on the back post, so I figured I'd get up and see if anything came through, and the keeper got a hand on it and pushed it wide and I got it in the goal."
The Irish began into the second period in full force and with much calmer weather conditions.
Shipp battled past three defenders within the first minute and took his first shot of the second half, nearly hitting the post from 20 yards out. Shipp had a total of seven shots, two on goal, in the second period.
Though the Irish dominated the second half, the Wildcats did not back down.
In the 50th minute, sophomore midfielder Cole Missimo maneuvered around three Irish defenders and Wall, who was out of the net, to notch his first goal of the season for the Wildcats.
Despite outshooting the Wildcats 19-2 in the second period, the Irish came up scoreless.
Notre Dame dominated both overtime periods, outshooting Northwestern 5-0.
Junior forward Vince Cicciarelli had the best shot at goal for the Irish in the overtime periods. Cicciarelli headed the ball at the goal off a cross from senior defender Luke Mishu with 20 seconds left in the first extra period, but Wildcat junior defender Grant Wilson cleared it away.
This was the fifth double overtime match for the Irish this season, and so far the Irish have finished each in a draw.
"We just have to learn to finish at the end of the day," Lachowecki said.
The Irish take on North Carolina State in Raleigh, N.C. at Dall Soccer Complex on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.
