Bengal Bouts: Semifinals 171 pounds
Ryan "Dirty" Alberdidef. Patrick Spittler
Ryan "Dirty" Alberdidef. Patrick Spittler
Saint Mary's fell to Case Western despite a tough effort on Saturday but bounced back with a resounding win over John Carroll Sunday to end their weekend in Cleveland with success.
After opening the season by taking two out of three games in the Big East/Big Ten Challenge last weekend, Notre Dame took a step backward by dropping two of three to Seattle over the weekend.
On a night honoring Notre Dame's all-time leading scorer, the Irish struggled to put the ball in the hoop. But 43 combined points from seniors Ben Hansbrough and Tim Abromaitis pushed them to a 60-48 win over Seton Hall Saturday at the Purcell Pavilion.
Unfamiliar opponents were no match for the experienced Irish (9-0) as the team returned from South Carolina still undefeated and in possession of the Notre Dame softball record for best start to a season.
The numbers and accolades speak for themselves: 34.6 points per game in his career, 1971 National Player of the Year, an NCAA tournament-record 61 points in a game, another NCAA tournament-record 41.3 points per game in seven tournament games, the first overall pick in the 1971 NBA Draft.
After a sluggish first half on Sunday, the Irish found their offense in the second frame and rallied past a determined Duquesne squad.
After a gutty 3-2 win at Western Michigan Friday, the Irish were just one win away from a CCHA regular season title, an unexpected result for a season that began with so many question marks. It wasn't to be, though, as Notre Dame fell 2-0 to the Broncos at home Saturday on Senior Night.
Despite a number of missed offensive opportunities, the Irish turned in an impressive defensive performance their 6-2 win over Penn State, extending their winning streak over the Nittany Lions to nine.
In one of the oldest and most competitive annual tournaments in the nation, the Irish were able to cruise to victory Friday before dropping their matches on Saturday and Sunday.
The No. 19 Irish dominated this weekend at the Blue-Gray Classic, earning three big wins against some of the top teams in the country.
The No. 8 Irish entered Saturday's game against Cincinnati with nervous excitement and a bit of emotion, but an explosive 21-0 run to start the second half gave Notre Dame a 66-48 win on Senior Day, in forward Becca Bruszewski's final game at Purcell Pavilion.
Heading into its final home stand of the season, home court advantage seems to take on a new meaning for No. 9 Notre Dame.
After an opening stretch that saw a two-game west coast trip and a home opener against No. 2 Northwestern, No. 11 Notre Dame will hit the road this weekend to take on Duquesne Saturday.
Saint Mary's travels to Cleveland to face Case Western Reserve and John Carroll this weekend, hoping to rebound from a disappointing opening performance.
The No. 19 Irish face off this weekend against an array of excellent teams at the Blue-Gray Tournament in Montgomery, Ala.
After starting their season with a 5-0 record in the UCF Invitational, the Irish are eager to see what else they can accomplish at the College of Charleston Invitational.
Hoping to continue its recent success, No. 26 Notre Dame will travel to Montgomery, Ala. this weekend to participate in the annual Blue-Gray National Tennis Classic.
Notre Dame will look to follow up on its dominant performance against defending champion Duke as it travels to Penn State to face a team that posted an abysmal 2-11 record last year.
Giacomo Minafra def. Brian "Half Man, Half Hair" O'Connor