Sports

Freshman Folston carries the load, scores decisive TD

With less than four minutes left in the game, the ball at the Navy 1-yard line and No. 25 Notre Dame down three, Irish senior quarterback Tommy Rees turned and handed the ball to a teammate three classes his junior. Irish freshman running back TareanFolston took the ball from his quarterback, leapt over the pile at the goal line and put the Irish (7-2) ahead for good with 3:47 left to play Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.

ND Women's Soccer: ACC season ends in quarterfinals

Hockey: Hockey splits with Vermont

Women's Swimming: Notre Dame falls to Purdue in close competition

Men's Basketball: ND closes exhibition run

Jones climbs the ranks

Men's Soccer: Irish move into first with win

Week 9: Navy

On a day when neither defense seemed to be able to get off the field, No. 25 Notre Dame got a stop when it counted. The Irish stuffed a Navy reverse on 4th-and-4 at the Notre Dame 31 yard-line to cement a 38-34 victory on a cold, wet Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.

Men's Soccer: ND plays for first place in ACC

First place in the ACC will be on the line when the No. 2 Irish take on No. 12 Wake Forest on Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Demon Deacons (8-3-5, 5-0-4) currently sit atop the ACC with 19 points. The Irish (8-1-5, 5-1-3) trail Wake Forest in second place by two points and have two conference games left, first against the Demon Deacons and then against Pitt on Nov. 8. Irish coach Bobby Clark said Notre Dame will face top-notch competition in Wake Forest, but the Irish need to win. "This is a huge game," Clark said. "Wake Forest is leading the league. We're one point behind them, and if we can beat them, then we will be two points up with two games to go. It's not the league decider, but it's coming close to it. ... If we want to win the ACC, we need to win this game. The game doesn't get bigger than this. Obviously, since Wake Forest is at the top of the league at the moment, they're a very good team." Both sides are capable of scoring and play stingy defense. The Demon Deacons have outscored opponents 30 to 16 this season, while Notre Dame has outscored opponents 22 to 10. Wake Forest owns the edge in shot attempts as well, with 258 compared to 244 for the Irish. Demon Deacons junior forward Sean Okoli (7), senior midfielder and forward Luca Gimenez (6) and senior forward Andy Lubahn (5) lead Wake Forest in goals. Okoli has scored the third-most goals in the ACC this season. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Alec Ferrell and sophomore goalkeeper Andrew Harris have combined to allow only .94 goals per game. Clark complimented Wake Forest's talent and said the Demon Deacons and the Irish play similar styles of soccer. "They're a very good team," Clark said. "They've got some of the best players in collegiate soccer. They play a very controlled game, but they can mix it up. They've got players who can handle the ball, so they're not terribly unlike ourselves in that respect." The Irish have controlled time-of-possession throughout the season and have limited opponents to just 126 shots, a little more than half of Notre Dame's total. Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall has surrendered .66 goals per game, while playing every minute for the Irish. Notre Dame last played Oct. 26 and suffered its first loss of the season, 2-0 against then-No. 23 Virginia at Alumni Stadium. Clark said the Irish studied game tape and will be more focused against Wake Forest. "After every game whether we win, tie or lose, we tape ... and try to improve on it," Clark said. "That's one of our goals. We want to make an improvement every week of the season. I think we've done a fairly good job of this. After the last game, we're very focused." Notre Dame will make improvements, but don't expect a radically different Irish team to take the field Friday, Clark said. "We stick to our own game plan," Clark said. "It's a bit like playing ourselves in some respect, obviously with different players. We've just got to play well. We've got to play our game and execute well. I think it will be a good game with a good crowd there, so it'll be a fun situation for us." Notre Dame and Wake Forest face off in an ACC showdown Saturday at 7 p.m. at Spry Stadium in Winston-Salem. Contact Samantha Zuba at szuba@nd.edu  

ND Women's Soccer: Notre Dame falls to Noles

With less than four minutes left in regulation, things were looking good for No. 10 Notre Dame. Up 1-0 at No. 3 Florida State, it appeared as though the Irish (11-6-1, 7-5-1 ACC) would end the regular season on a high note and head into the ACC tournament with a three-game win-streak. Then, in the 88th minute, FSU junior forward Marta Bakowska-Mathews launched a shot into the upper-right corner of the net, past Irish freshman goalkeeper Kaela Little, forcing overtime. With momentum heading into the extra period, the Seminoles (15-1-3, 10-1-2) put heavy pressure on the Irish defense. Finally, the Florida State offense broke through in the 105th minute when junior defender Megan Campbell sent a long cross into the box that a diving Bakowska-Mathews headed past Little, giving the Seminoles the 2-1 victory. Though the loss did not have an impact on Notre Dame's final seeding in the ACC tournament, Irish coach Randy Waldrum said he was still disappointed with the result. "We wanted to win, Waldrum said. "We needed to win. It would have helped us out a lot. We're still vying for a good seed in the NCAA tournament, so it's disappointing, especially when the team played so well." The Seminoles challenged Little and the Irish backline early, taking four shots in the opening 25 minutes to Notre Dame's one. But immediately after coming off the bench, Notre Dame sophomore forward Anna Maria Gilbertson turned the tide for the Irish with a hard bending shot into the upper corner of the net to give Notre Dame a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute. "Anna Maria probably had one of her better games of the year," Waldrum said. "The goal she scored was world-class. She defended well and attacked well, too." For the rest of the game, the Irish attack kept heavy pressure on the Seminole defense, unleashing 15 shots from there on out, including a near miss by freshman midfielder Morgan Andrews that ricocheted off the crossbar. On defense, the Irish kept the Florida State attack at bay for most of the second half. Despite eight corners and multiple throw-ins that made it into the box, Little was able to break up any potential shots on goal. "[Little] was very good tonight," Waldrum said. "It seemed like every time they had a throw-in, it was in the box, and I think she coped with that, and the corners, really well." In the end, though, the Seminoles finally evened the score on Bakowska-Mathews's blast from 20 yards out and ended the game on her header in the second period of overtime. "I don't think there was much [Little] could have done on either goal," Waldrum said "One was through a crowd and she couldn't even see it and the other was from only two or three yards off the line." Still, Waldrum said his team needs to focus and close games better as it heads into the postseason. "We've lost six games, and five of them have come in overtime or with [less than five] minutes to go," Waldrum said. "That completely changes the outlook of your team if you at least get a tie in those games. We have got to close games better, and we have to score more than one goal a game. The team has to focus for the full 90 minutes. We let one get away today." With the win, the Seminoles clinch the No. 2 seed in the ACC tournament. Meanwhile, Notre Dame will travel to Blacksburg, Va., to take on Virginia Tech in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament. The Irish played the Hokies earlier this year, losing 1-0 on a goal in the final four minutes. On Sunday, they will look to avenge that loss. "It's tournament time, and if you don't win, you're out," Waldrum said. "There are no more second chances. The main thing is putting this loss behind us so we can go to Virginia Tech and get back a game we lost early in the year to a team that I think we're better than. We have to go there and produce. It's all on us at this point." The Irish begin the ACC tournament Sunday at 1 p.m. in Blacksburg, Va., against Virginia Tech. Contact Greg Hadley at ghadley@nd.edu  

Women's Interhall Football: Welsh Fam looks to hand Ryan its first loss

By ALEX CARSON Sports Writer Ryan Hall will look to secure a top seed in the playoffs and Welsh Family will look to snag a playoff spot when the two teams collide Sunday. The Wildcats (4-0-1) are still unbeaten on the year, and senior captain and offensive linesman Andrea Carlson said they see this game as an opportunity to grab the No. 1 seed of their division. "We want to put up a big number this game [to win a potential tiebreaker with Pangborn]," Carlson said. "We're neck-and-neck with Pangborn, and we'd like to get the top seed going into the playoffs." On the other side of the ball, the Whirlwinds (2-3) will try to sneak their way into the playoffs this weekend with a win over Ryan. "We're hoping to show how much we've improved and play our hearts out," senior captain and linebacker Carissa Henke said. "Hopefully, we can go out there and get the win and make the playoffs." Ryan's success this year has come on both sides of the ball. The Wildcats average 28.4 points per game offensively and have only given up 13 all season. Carlson attributed their strong season to maintaining good communication. "One of the best things we have going for us is our communication," Carlson said. "Our offense and defense are both really good with reading the play." Welsh Family has seen strong games from its defense throughout the year, giving up only 13 points per game. "Our defense has really stepped up this season," Henke said. "We've had players playing different positions, and it's been great to see them come along." Ryan and Welsh Family will take to the field at LaBar Fields this Sunday at 4 p.m. Contact Alex Carson at acarson1@nd.edu Pangborn vs. McGlinn By JOSE FERNANDEZ Sports Writer After the break, an undefeated Pangborn takes on a hungry McGlinn team that is looking to deliver the first blow to the Phoxes' record. Pangborn (4-0-1) went into the break following a hard fought game against Ryan that resulted in a tie. Senior captain and offensive lineman Mary Kate Veselik said she saw a loss of focus going into their last game and is expecting much more from the Phoxes this time around. "We need to focus on keeping up with consistent play and what we know how to do," Veselik said. "We have to take every game as if it was the most important game of the season." Veselik said she had confidence in the two-quarterback system that the Phoxes use with juniors Caitlin Gargan and Liz Quinn, and in their ability to carry the team. McGlinn (2-3), on the other hand, suffered a loss before fall break and is looking to right the ship and make a final push for the playoffs. Senior captain and receiver Tara Crown said she urged her team to have a short memory. "We need to be focused and forget about what happened," Crown said. "We need to start fresh and match Pangborn's athleticism in every play." Much like Pangborn, the Shamrocks will rely on their quarterback, sophomore Katherine Petrovich, to make big plays and lead the charge, Crown said. The Phoxes and Shamrocks will face off Sunday at 4 p.m. at LaBar Fields. Contact Jose Fernandez at jfernan9@nd.edu

ND Volleyball: Notre Dame takes on conference-foe Terps

With half a season completed and only two ACC wins under their belt, the Irish will look to turn their luck around today when they take on Maryland at 4 p.m. in Purcell Pavilion. The Irish (8-13, 2-8 ACC) dropped their first five ACC matches, four by at least a two-set margin. It wasn't until they took on Georgia Tech on Oct. 12 that they were able to get their offense moving, shutting out the Yellow Jackets. The Irish carried that momentum against Miami the following weekend, taking a 3-1 victory. The Irish enter tonight on a three-match losing streak as they try to find their place in the ACC. Irish coach Debbie Brown said she thinks Maryland is another tough competitor from a stacked ACC lineup. "We have a really strong conference," Brown said. "There's matches [Maryland has] played really well and matches where they've struggled. They played Pitt [on Wednesday in a 3-1 win] and played a very good match so I think it will be very tough." Leading the Terrapins (12-11, 4-7) is junior outside hitter Ashleigh Crutcher, who had a strong performance against the Panthers. "Ashleigh Crutcher had 24 kills and hit over .450, which is phenomenal," Brown said. "She was a one-woman show and really carried a huge offensive load. She had 24 kills and the next player had seven. We can't allow her or any other player to go out and have that many kills." Crutcher provided half of Maryland's 48 kills. In addition, she had 10 digs and hit .467. In Notre Dame's last matchup, junior outside hitter Toni Alugbue and junior middle blocker Jeni Houser led the Irish with 11 kills apiece. Brown said her team has struggled because it has not consistently produced kills from game to game. "We've been working on our offense and our shots," Brown said "We need to make smarter kills and we've practiced directing the ball to certain spots." With the losses, Brown said she's been telling her team to focus only on the point at hand, not the struggles from the past, in order to get a win. "I think it's one of those things where you have to take it a point at a time," Brown said. "If you do that, good things will happen and you'll be thinking about the right things at the right time." The Irish take on ACC opponent Maryland this afternoon at 4 p.m. at Purcell Pavilion.

ND Women's Swimming: ND faces Purdue

Three weeks after their first competition, the Irish dive into their ACC season tonight with a dual meet against Purdue at 5 p.m. Irish coach Brian Barnes said the competition with Purdue is only the first step in the team's overall goals for the season. "Purdue is not the focus of the year," Barnes said. "It's the NCAA and the ACC championships. The challenge this weekend is to stay within the seasonal plan and to go down there and be competitive and try to win a meet." To prepare for their season and their ultimate goal, Barnes said the Irish have been focusing on the small details, not just general training. "Starts and turns," Barnes said. "I think we're going to finish better. We've been working on relay exchanges and starts and turns ... We've been talking about details and what it comes down to is details." Barnes said he believes the focus on details will allow the Irish to finish every race strong and ultimately get them the win. The Irish have a lot of experience leading them in their quest for the ACC championships. Junior breaststroke Emma Reaney and junior freestyle Bridget Casey serve as team captains. Reaney is a two-time monogram winner and was an All-American in two events last season. After the first weekend of competition on Oct. 11-12, Reaney was named ACC Swimmer of the Week, the first ACC honor for the Irish. Casey is also a two-time monogram winner and was named to the all-Big East squad last season. "We have strong captains with Emma Reaney and Bridget Casey," Barnes said. "[Senior backstroke] Kelly Ryan has so much experience and she's competitive and great to have around. I think we'll definitely see some leadership there." Barnes said he's not just relying on his captains and his senior leaders to take charge against the Boilermakers. "I'm expecting everybody to lead," Barnes said. "That's what it comes down to." The Irish begin action tonight at 5 p.m. against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind.

Men's Basketball: Irish prepare for Pioneers

After rolling to a comfortable victory in its exhibition opener earlier in the week, Notre Dame will close out its preseason schedule by welcoming in Tusculum tonight. The Irish defeated Indianapolis, 95-69, on Monday while exhibiting some of the traits that Irish coach Mike Brey said can be cornerstones of his team's success this season. "Well I think we can always rely on our unselfishness and our ability to pass," Brey said. "I mean, we are really good with the ball and that showed up the other night. Our offensive efficiency is going to be key for us. I like how we've moved together defensively. I mean, we play defensively like the older guys do because they've played a lot together. We are going to have to play some zone this year, and I think that's going to be good to us." Notre Dame assisted on 29 of its 35 baskets in the win, while sophomore forward Austin Burgett and senior forward Garrick Sherman combined to make 14 of 19 attempts. Burgett earned a spot in the starting lineup following injuries to graduate student forward Tom Knight and sophomore forwards Eric Katenda and Zach Auguste. Katenda is expected to miss several weeks with a knee injury and Auguste is in the middle of a return from a broken hand suffered on Oct. 10, but Brey said he expects Knight to return tonight. "We played really small the other night," he said. "It'll be good to have Tom Knight back. We should have him back Friday. He should be in there a lot. And then Zach joins us in practice Saturday. Obviously, when you are playing a little bigger as we have at times, you rebound better. So I think that should help us. I'd like to get those two guys going ... because I think it's important. We are going to need them." If Knight does indeed take the court tonight, it will be just in time to take on a Tusculum squad pegged to finish ninth out of twelve teams in the SAC by conference coaches. The team from Rock Hill, S.C., returns four starters and 12 letter winners from last year's 6-21 squad, including sophomore forward Keith Jumper, last year's SAC Freshman of the Year. Senior guard Addison Flynn also returns for Tusculum after leading the Pioneers in scoring with 12.7 points-per-game last year. The second exhibition contest offers Notre Dame another chance to fine-tune a few things before beginning the regular season on Nov. 8 with a home game against Miami (Ohio). "The main thing is to stay in character on the offensive end of the floor and continue that efficiency. Then on the defensive end, I would add then the rebounding part," Brey said. "Can we be an improved rebounding team and spread it amongst a bunch of guys? I'm not looking for a guy to get 15 like [former Irish forward Jack] Cooley, but can we get a couple guys with seven?" Irish sophomore Cam Biedscheid will not play tonight while he and the Irish coaching staff continue to consider a redshirt season for the 6-foot-7, 186-pounder who averaged 6.2 points-per-game and appeared in all 34 contests last season. "I think we are going to talk again on Friday," Brey said. "His mom will be in town and we will sit down and talk about it. I think, certainly, we'll make a final decision Monday or Tuesday. We'll have to know as we prepare for Nov. 8. He just can't play in any exhibitions if we want to save the year [of eligibility]. So he's practicing with us, he's doing all the other stuff ... I think it's a matter of weighing a lot of different things. It'll be good to have everybody in my office and we can talk face-to-face." Notre Dame and Tusculum tip off at 9 p.m. in the Purcell Pavilion.

ND Cross Country: Irish head to ACC Champs

After a trying regular season for the cross-country team, Notre Dame will look to begin anew in the postseason with this weekend's ACC Conference Championship. Despite early season struggles and nagging health issues on the women's side, Irish coach Tim Connelly said he believes his team is finally ready to pull it all together. "Are we where I hoped we would be September 1? No," Connelly said. "But again I think we set ourselves up to have a really good postseason. ... Going into the conference I think we've got a realistic shot of being a top three team there, going to the regional meet I think we've got a great shot of being a team that moves on to the national meet, and I've think we've set ourselves up to be a team that runs really well and finishes high at the national meet. That's what you use the regular season for." On the men's side, head coach Joe Piane seemed equally relieved to have gotten through the regular season. "Well those meets are over but now the championship season starts," Piane said. "[The season] was ok, not great but ok. We've done what we needed to do to get an at-large bid if we don't automatically qualify, so that's a positive. This weekend is a big help for us to get a bid, because there's a few teams there that we need to beat." In order to beat those teams, Piane said he needs more production from the end of his lineup. "We've got to have a better five, six, and seven," Piane said. "If we do that we're going to get much better, and I guarantee you that everyone can run better than they did at the Wisconsin Invitational, there's no doubt in my mind. And if you ask them they'll say the same thing." Connelly said he isn't looking for anything specific, but that he wants his girls to be mentally tougher during the race. "It's the whole, 'When I get in a race and things get tough, how do I deal with that?'" Connelly said." I think we still need to grow a little bit as competitors and do a little better job at responding. That's basically where we have to get better. If you want to be a really good cross-country runner, that's where it comes. It's that toughness, that deep down mentality." Since this is Notre Dame's first year in the ACC, this is the first ACC Championship they will compete in. "It's just a different set of really good teams," Connelly said. "I don't know if the actual running part changes a lot, but again I've been saying all along, we basically traded one really good conference for another. I don't think we've changed our approach, it's a championship meet so we're going out there to be the best that we can be." Despite the increased competition level the Irish will run against, Connelly said this conference meet might actually prove to be less daunting than several regular season meets due to the smaller number of runners. "It's a really big meet, but in terms of logistics it's probably a lot simpler than running at the Notre Dame Invitational or running at Wisconsin because now we're running against 15 teams as opposed to 36," Connelly said. "So in terms of our competition, it's not nearly as complicated to find who you want to beat and find your teammates." Piane said this race is important for a variety of reasons. It is an opportunity to prove themselves in the ACC, rack up coveted at-large points, and springboard the Irish into a deep postseason run. "[The meet] is very important," Piane said. "It goes back to getting the at-large points, that's very important, and I think it's something we've been looking for and getting ready for quite a long time. Since the announcement that we're going to the ACC, this is our first opportunity, so it sure would be nice to start with a good showing. I think it's very important to [our runners], and if we do well there, then it would bode well for the regional meet and then, God willing, the nationals. Everything builds towards this." Notre Dame will race in the ACC Conference Championship on Friday at 10 a.m. in Kernersville, N. C.

Men's Swimming: Irish prepare for 'big challenge' from Boilers

Coming off a close victory over Air Force (134-128) during fall break, the Irish look to jump right into the heart of their schedule when they travel to Purdue to take on the Boilermakers for a dual men's/women's meet. Men's head coach Tim Welsh expects a hard-fought meet right from the get-go. "[Purdue]'s always good," Welch said. "They're always somewhere in the top 25. We've been racing very well against them in this pool [Rolfs Aquatic Center], but every time we've gone down there, we've stubbed our toe. Our mission tomorrow is to get off the bus and swim fast." While noting that Purdue is a strong team, Welsh said he believes there are several events in the meet where the Irish have the edge. "Typically, the first time they show everything they've got it's against us," Welsh said. "We're pretty strong in the 200 breaststroke, we'll be strong in the 200 freestyle, we should be strong in the 200 butterfly. We'll be solid in the [100 and 200] backstroke. They probably will outsprint us in the 50 [freestyle], maybe in the 100. We're going with a 200 freestyle relay at the end of the meet, and we're hoping that's a really close race." Individually, the Irish will rely on several strong upperclassmen to carry their events. Juniors Zach Stephens, Cameron Miller and John Williamson, as well as senior Frank Dyer, were NCAA qualifiers in their individual events. During the win over Air Force, Dyer, Stephens and Miller were part of the 200-medley relay team that outpaced the rest of the field with a time of 1:30.88, beating the runner-up by more than two seconds. Irish sophomore BogacAyhan rounded out the quartet. While acknowledging the performances as exemplary, Welsh said the rest of the team is making strides as well. "Our freshman are doing a great job, and we want them to continue doing a great job," Welsh said. "But also we're early in the season, so the identity of the team is still to be determined. "And early in the season, we want to see this team and what's going to happen, how its character is going to develop and what its identity is going to be. Right now, the answer is we want everybody [to succeed]." But ultimately, Welsh said he has high hopes for the team's performance in today's meet against the Boilermakers. "We think this'll be a big struggle, and we want it that way," Welsh said. "We won't get better if we don't have a big challenge." The Irish take to the road on Friday to face off against the Boilermakers at 5 p.m.

Women's Interhall Football: Welsh Fam looks to hand Ryan its first loss

By ALEX CARSON Sports Writer Ryan Hall will look to secure a top seed in the playoffs and Welsh Family will look to snag a playoff spot when the two teams collide Sunday. The Wildcats (4-0-1) are still unbeaten on the year, and senior captain and offensive linesman Andrea Carlson said they see this game as an opportunity to grab the No. 1 seed of their division. "We want to put up a big number this game [to win a potential tiebreaker with Pangborn]," Carlson said. "We're neck-and-neck with Pangborn, and we'd like to get the top seed going into the playoffs." On the other side of the ball, the Whirlwinds (2-3) will try to sneak their way into the playoffs this weekend with a win over Ryan. "We're hoping to show how much we've improved and play our hearts out," senior captain and linebacker Carissa Henke said. "Hopefully, we can go out there and get the win and make the playoffs." Ryan's success this year has come on both sides of the ball. The Wildcats average 28.4 points per game offensively and have only given up 13 all season. Carlson attributed their strong season to maintaining good communication. "One of the best things we have going for us is our communication," Carlson said. "Our offense and defense are both really good with reading the play." Welsh Family has seen strong games from its defense throughout the year, giving up only 13 points per game. "Our defense has really stepped up this season," Henke said. "We've had players playing different positions, and it's been great to see them come along." Ryan and Welsh Family will take to the field at LaBar Fields this Sunday at 4 p.m. Contact Alex Carson at acarson1@nd.edu Pangborn vs. McGlinn By JOSE FERNANDEZ Sports Writer After the break, an undefeated Pangborn takes on a hungry McGlinn team that is looking to deliver the first blow to the Phoxes' record. Pangborn (4-0-1) went into the break following a hard fought game against Ryan that resulted in a tie. Senior captain and offensive lineman Mary Kate Veselik said she saw a loss of focus going into their last game and is expecting much more from the Phoxes this time around. "We need to focus on keeping up with consistent play and what we know how to do," Veselik said. "We have to take every game as if it was the most important game of the season." Veselik said she had confidence in the two-quarterback system that the Phoxes use with juniors Caitlin Gargan and Liz Quinn, and in their ability to carry the team. McGlinn (2-3), on the other hand, suffered a loss before fall break and is looking to right the ship and make a final push for the playoffs. Senior captain and receiver Tara Crown said she urged her team to have a short memory. "We need to be focused and forget about what happened," Crown said. "We need to start fresh and match Pangborn's athleticism in every play." Much like Pangborn, the Shamrocks will rely on their quarterback, sophomore Katherine Petrovich, to make big plays and lead the charge, Crown said. The Phoxes and Shamrocks will face off Sunday at 4 p.m. at LaBar Fields. Contact Jose Fernandez at jfernan9@nd.edu

Hockey: Icers debut in Hockey East

It's been in the cards since Oct. 11, 2011. And tonight, it will reach fruition. Notre Dame will play its first ever game in its new conference: Hockey East. The No. 2 Irish (5-1-0) travel to Vermont for a two-game series tonight and Saturday in their first contests since 2002. The meetings between Notre Dame and the Catamounts (1-1-1) will be just the third and fourth games, respectively, between the programs. They also mark a new era of Irish hockey, as Notre Dame will open play in a new league after a 21-year run in the now-disbanded CCHA. "It seems like we're playing another non-conference series," Irish coach Jeff Jackson said. "As time goes on, that will change. When you're accustomed to playing Lake Superior, Bowling Green and Michigan all these years, and then all of a sudden now you're playing Vermont, it is a little different." Irish junior defenseman Robbie Russo noted each league game is more critical this season than in previous years, because there are only 20. Notre Dame played 28 regular season CCHA games a year ago. Russo said he's excited to be part of Notre Dame hockey history. "It's kind of cool to be a part of the first ever Hockey East game at Notre Dame," he said. "I think guys will realize that when they're playing in it [the game] and just noticing it will be a pretty cool experience." The Catamounts opened their season with a series at North Dakota on Oct. 11 and 12 in which Vermont lost the first game before earning a tie in the second. The Catamounts did not play again until Saturday, when they defeated Penn State 5-2 in Philadelphia. Vermont senior forward Chris McCarthy, who led the team in goals, assists and points a year ago, fronts the Catamount attack. Jackson said Vermont's lack of games has given it more time to practice and prepare earlier in the season. "Kevin Sneddon's a good young coach," Jackson said. "They haven't had great teams in the last couple of years, but I think that he's trying to rebuild that. ... This early in the season, every [team] thinks [it's] winning the national championship." The Irish will face Vermont without sophomore forward Thomas DiPauli and junior defenseman Eric Johnson, who were both injured in Notre Dame's split at Minnesota-Duluth last weekend. Notre Dame will also have the difficulty of facing a Vermont team that's both playing for the first time at home this season and hosting a celebration of the program's 50th anniversary this weekend. "It doesn't matter who we were going to play, they're going to be [pumped] up for us. That's just the way things are going to be all the time," Jackson said. "I'm sure most buildings are excited to have Notre Dame come in ... and they're going to be looking at where we're ranked, so you go in with a big target and be prepared to face the opponent's very best." The Irish open Hockey East play tonight in Burlington, Vt., against Vermont at 7:05 p.m. The second game of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Contact Sam Gans at sgans@nd.edu  

ND Women's Soccer: ND finishes season against No. 3 FSU

ND Women's Basketball: Baby steps