After two exhibition game wins, one at home over the Ohio State Buckeyes and the other over the Fighting Illini in Champaign, IL, the Fighting Irish Women’s soccer team opened the season with a win and a draw.
Against the Bowling Green Falcons, Notre Dame came away with a 3-1 win at home on Aug. 19. The Irish saw senior forward Olivia Wingate step up only 7 minutes into the first half for a goal off an assist from junior midfielder Maddie Mercado. Then, 28 minutes into the half, junior forward Kati Druzina found graduate student midfielder Sammi Fisher for a second Irish goal.
The two early Irish goals lit a fire under the Falcons, which led to them committing 19 total fouls and picking up three yellow cards. To close the first half, Bowling Green's Katie Cox and Ruby Linton received yellow cards in the 34th and 40th respectively. The Irish answered back throughout the game, accumulating 10 fouls but no yellow cards.
Shortly after the third Falcons yellow card, given to Mackenzie Reuber in the 63rd minute, Irish senior defender Brianna Martinez scored off a touch from freshman midfielder Korbin Albert in the 67th minute. This third goal closed out scoring for the Irish after seven shots on net and 15 shots overall.
In the 84th minute, Madi Wolfbauer gained enough momentum to find the back of the net for the Falcons. But, despite their four shots on net and 11 shots overall, there wasn’t enough time to swing two more goals.
One place the Irish failed to convert against Bowling Green was off corners. The Irish had six corners, none of which were converted. Set piece struggles followed them to their Aug. 22 draw against the Indiana Hoosiers. The Irish had nine corner opportunities during their matchup against the Hoosiers but never scored.
In the August heat, the intensity persisted throughout the game. Wingate, senior midfielder Brooke VanDyck and sophomore midfielder Eva Gaetino kept the pressure on the Hoosiers, but all found themselves just wide. Despite total shots the Irish never found the back of the net. The Irish kept the Hoosiers from scoring as well.
The Hoosiers instigated throughout the game with 16 fouls, but the referees handed yellow cards to just Fisher and sophomore defender Eva Wirtz, two Irish players, in the 50th minute and 99th minute. Without a loss in the books though, the Irish turn next to face Wisconsin on Aug. 26 at 8:30 pm in Madison, WI. You can catch the game on BTN+.
