The sixth-ranked Notre Dame women’s soccer team picked up their first ranked win of the season on Thursday night, topping third-ranked Duke at Alumni Stadium. The Irish dominated the first hour of the match, scoring the first three goals, before hanging on to claim the 3-2 triumph over the Blue Devils.
Eighth-year head coach Nate Norman’s uber-talented Irish squad entered play unbeaten at 6-0-1, riding a five-match winning streak. The lone match where the Irish had to share the spoils was a 2-2 draw at then-No. 6 Arkansas back on Aug. 17. In the next four matches, Notre Dame outscored their opponents 18-0, including three shutout wins over Power Four opponents. Last time out, Notre Dame opened ACC play with a thrilling 2-1 win in Raleigh, North Carolina, over NC State, aided by sophomore forward Annabelle Chukwu’s 86th-minute winner.
Across the sideline, first-year head coach Kieran Hall took the reins for the Blue Devils following the retirement of legendary manager Robby Church. Duke reached the 2024 College Cup in Church’s final campaign, and returned many of the key contributors from last year’s team. The Blue Devils came to South Bend sporting a 6-1-1 mark, with the lone defeat coming at the hands of now-No. 1 Virginia. Duke has faced a gauntlet across the foremost month of the schedule, including wins over ranked opponents Penn State and Arkansas. In their previous contest, the Blue Devils went to Coral Gables and captured a 1-0 win to move to 1-1 in league play.
Thursday’s top-10 affair at Alumni Stadium would be the much anticipated rematch from last October’s thrilling 3-3 draw in Durham. That contest was also a top-10 meeting, with the Irish forcing the No. 1 Blue Devils to drop points for the only time throughout the 10-game conference slate.
After controlling possession and opportunities across the opening quarter of an hour, Notre Dame finally opened the scoring in the 24th minute behind standout sophomore forward Izzy Engle. The Edina, Minnesota native received a cheeky feed from her Canadian classmate Chukwu at the top of the 18, before using her right foot to poke the ball past Duke sophomore goalkeeper Caroline Dysart. Engle’s finish was her eighth goal of the season, tying her for the national lead.
The Irish doubled their advantage less than three minutes later after some individual brilliance from Laney Matriano. The senior midfielder, who has started 63 games throughout her four-year career, carved her way through a pair of Duke defenders before firing a left-footed bender from 25 yards out that dinged off the left upright and in. The pure technical class gave Matriano her third goal of the season.
Notre Dame would keep the pressure on throughout the remainder of the opening period, entering the intermission with a resounding 14-1 edge in shots, as well as 7-0 on goal. Notre Dame also earned six corner kicks in the first 45 minutes, with a number of those set pieces contributing to Dysart having to make four first half saves.
Both teams had opportunities coming out the locker room, but it was once again the Irish who broke through first. Chukwu made the lead 3-0 in the 64th minute, calmly slotting home a cross-body shot off steady team build-up. Both Engle and junior forward Charlie Codd earned assists on the play, with Engle possessing up the left flank before sliding a pass to Codd in the middle who quickly dished off to Chukwu at the right corner of the 18-yard-box. The goal was Chukwu’s seventh of the year.
Duke pounced on a relaxed Irish defense just 24 seconds later, finding the back of the net immediately following the restart. Freshman forward Avery Oder slid a narrow through-ball between the Notre Dame backline to the waiting feet of Kat Rader. Rader, a Florida native, has been the Blue Devils’ offensive engine thus far in 2025, tallying six goals and seven assists.
The Blue Devils would inch even closer just ten minutes later, as junior forward Mia Minestrella ran unmarked to just outside the six-yard-area, sneaking a right-footed shot under the arms of Notre Dame sophomore netminder Sonoma Kasica. Minestrella, who has added seven goals and three assists, has been Duke’s main playmaker up top aside Rader. Both junior defender Cameron Roller and freshman defender Lexi Coughlin earned assists on the play.
Duke continued to press, desperately searching for an equalizer at the death but Notre Dame’s early advantage proved enough. The 3-2 Irish victory earned the program a marquee win which vaulted them to the peak position in the ACC table.
Notre Dame outshot Duke 24-9, with shots on goal concluding 11-3. Dysart made seven saves, while Kasica finished with just one.
Both sides will continue the grueling ACC schedule next week, each battling College Cup finalists from a year ago. The Blue Devils will return home to Tobacco Road to host in-state rival 16th-ranked Wake Forest next Thursday. Notre Dame will stay in the friendly confines of northern Indiana, hosting the reigning national champion North Carolina Tar Heels next Wednesday.
The 18th-ranked Heels will enter South Bend at 7-3, having been bested by now-No. 7 Tennessee, now-No. 21 Georgia and No. 7 Florida State. Wednesday’s top-25 matchup from Alumni Stadium is set for a 6:00 p.m. first touch, with the game being televised nationally on ACC Network.
