The Notre Dame men’s soccer team obliterated Trine University 13-0 at Alumni Stadium on Tuesday.
The scoring began early and continued all night in South Bend, as nine different Irish players got on the scoresheet in what would become the most lopsided victory in Notre Dame men’s soccer program history.
Dawson McCartney got the Irish on the board in the third minute, lashing home a powerful volley. Eno Nto then notched a quickfire brace to make the margin three by the 10th minute. Tyler Shea would find the back of the net for four, before a Trine own goal on the stroke of halftime made it a 5-0 game heading into the break.
The goalfest didn’t relent after halftime, though. Jack Lynn converted a penalty 3 minutes into the second period, and then Nto completed his hat trick to make it 7-0 in the 52nd minute. Michael Rossi and Matthew Roou each added goals of their own before the 60th minute, before Ethan O’Brien found the back of the net unassisted to make it a double digit margin in the 71st. PJ Bujouves, Michael Rossi and Alex Salvino all scored in the final 10 minutes to give the Irish a 13-0 lead by the matches’ finish.
The match, which presumably was scheduled as an intentional tuneup for a pivotal matchup with Virginia looming on Friday, served as exactly that. Irish coach Chad Riley made deep use of his bench, getting rotational players plenty of minutes while also ensuring that the starters remained fresh and got some time themselves.
Keeping the squad ready for Virginia is vital for Riley and his staff, as the Cavaliers present the Irish with a major chance to grab another ACC home win. While the Hoos are 0-3 in conference play, such a record is somewhat deceiving. They’ve played Maryland and Virginia Tech losing within a goal, and though they aren’t the same College Cup contenders they were years ago, they remain one of the most talented rosters in the ACC. The Cavaliers are led by Andreas Ueland and Kome Ubogu, each of which have a pair of goals and an assist on the year. If Virginia gets a chance to go to the penalty spot, Ueland is their man: Both his goals on the year have come from penalty kicks. Paul Wiese is set to be the main creative force for UVA — the freshman defender is the only player on the roster to have registered more than one assist so far this season (Wiese has four).
Notre Dame men’s soccer will take on Virginia in a Friday special under the lights at Alumni Stadium at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on the ACC Network.
