Sports

SMC Soccer: Squad battles Hope to draw, preps for Albion

Saint Mary's seems to have gotten the wake-up call coach Michael Joyce said it needed, playing undefeated Hope to a 1-1 draw in double overtime Saturday at home. "I think the [4-0 loss Sept. 14 against] Alma showed us what not to do," Joyce said. "We focused in practice and were able to stick to our game against Calvin [on Wednesday in a double-overtime, 0-0 tie]. Against Hope, we got even sharper. We're headed in the right direction now for sure." The Flying Dutch (7-0-1, 4-0-1 MIAA) had come into the matchup on a seven-game-winning streak to start their season, having outscored their first four conference opponents 13-2. Hope got off to a quick start against the Belles, scoring in the sixth minute off a corner kick to take a 1-0 lead. Saint Mary's (2-4-2, 0-2-2) came right back, though, with multiple opportunities to equalize during the first half. In the 29th minute, junior forward Kelly Wilson had a look inside the 18-yard box, but her shot trickled by the far post. Senior captain and midfielder Mollie Valencia followed up with another scoring chance in the 37th minute, but her free kick from just outside the 18 sailed over the crossbar. Coming out of halftime, Saint Mary's controlled possession but was unable to capitalize on any chances until the 56th minute when, on what was already the Belles third corner kick of the half , senior forward Kaitlin Teichman drilled a low cross into the box. Freshman defender Emily Rompola snuck a shot inside the near post to tie the match at one. Saint Mary's continued to control possession for the remainder of the second half. Still, other than a dangerous cross from Belles sophomore forward Maggie Wenzel in the 57th minute that was left untouched, both teams went quietly into overtime. Despite facing six shots in the extra time, Belles junior goalkeeper ChanlerRosenbaum and the rest of the Saint Mary's defensive unit held firm until the final whistle. Rosenbaum finished with only two saves - a total dwarfed by the 13 shots she stopped against Calvin on Wednesday - but Joyce was still impressed with her play in goal. "Chanler is on top of her game for sure," Joyce said. "She's been spectacular. Our defenders were outstanding, too, especially [juniors] Mary Kate [Hussey] and Kerry Green. ... We're finally back to where we were last year defensively, just took a little longer than we wanted." The Belles now turn their attention to their matchup Tuesday against what Joyce called a "much improved" Albion squad. Joyce said although Saint Mary's is coming off a challenging portion of the schedule and it defeated Albion twice last season by a combined score of 11-1, the Belles cannot take the Britons (2-6-0, 0-5-0) lightly. "It will be a challenge for our players to forget last year and be ready for a solid opponent," Joyce said. "I expect us to come out with the same intensity we left the Hope game with." The Britons are coming off a 5-1 loss to Calvin on Saturday. Saint Mary's and Albion take the field Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at Albion. Contact A.J. Godeaux at agodeaux@nd.edu  

Men's Golf: Irish hang in sixth

The Irish finished a sunny first day of the Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic in sixth place on their home course with a score of 585. Houston University leads after Day One with a score of 565, followed by Georgia Southern with a score of 575 and Michigan State with a score of 578. Other teams participating in the Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic include Yale, College of Charleston and Davidson College. Freshman Matt Rushton leads the Irish with a total score of 144. On the par-71 Warren Course, Rushton shot a three-above par 74 in his first round, and a one-below par 70 in his second round. Rushton is currently tied for 15th place. "Matthew [Rushton] continues to impress. He seems perfectly comfortable competing in a very competitive environment," Irish coach Jim Kubinski said. Junior Patrick Grahek and Senior Niall Platt are tied for 19th. They both shot a total score of 146. Grahek, who is competing as an individual golfer, shot a one-below par 70 in his first round and a five-above par 76 in his second round. Because Grahek is golfing as an individual, his scores will not count toward the overall Irish team score. Platt shot a three-abovepar 74 in his first round and a one-above par 72 in his second round. Freshman Blake Barens led the Irish going into the second round with a score of 72, yet fell behind substantially after scoring a 10-above-par 81 in the second round. Barens had trouble on the 10th hole, shooting a double-bogey. "Blake [Barens] has great ability," Kubinski said. "He simply needs a little more experience, to improve his ability to stay confident and positive regardless of results." Although the Irish are currently sitting in sixth place, Kubinski said the team is not far out of the running. "We're only 10 [strokes] out of second [place], so a strong round tomorrow will make for a successful week," Kubinski said. "The Irish just need to come into the round feeling comfortable in the environment. The talent is on our roster." The Irish will continue competing in the Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic on Tuesday on Warren Golf Course, starting with a tee time of 9 a.m. Contact Meredith Kelly at mkelly29@nd.edu  

Alternate History: Aaron Carter

"If Aaron Carter can do it, anybody can do it." - Kobe Bryant, shortly after the release of "That's How I Beat Shaq," spurring his Walter White-esque spiral from supporting player on Shaquille O'Neill's NBA championship Los Angeles Lakers to his eventual blackhat fate as the one-legged anchor of the most embarrassing Lakers performances since Rick Fox's acting career.

ND Volleyball: Notre Dame finishes as tournament runner-up

After defeating North Dakota State, 3-1, on Saturday, the Irish closed out the Kansas Invitational in Lawrence, Kan., with a pair of 3-1 losses to Georgia and Kansas to finish the tournament 1-2. 

Men's Golf: Confident Irish prepare to host Gridiron Classic

Notre Dame returns home to the friendly confines of the Warren Golf Course this week, as it plays host to the eighth annual Fighting Irish Gridiron Golf Classic Monday and Tuesday.

ND Women's Soccer: Von Rueden stars

Playing on the road in front of more than 3,500 fans against the No. 1 team in the country, No. 7 Notre Dame needed to score early and seize the momentum against North Carolina on Sept. 15. Naturally, sophomore right back Brittany Von Rueden stepped up and delivered a spot-on cross that freshman midfielder Morgan Andrews headed past the Tar Heel defense for the game-winning goal in the 22nd minute. Four days later, the Irish (7-1, 3-0-0 ACC) were again locked in a scoreless tie, this time at home against Syracuse. With less than 10 seconds left, Andrews sent a free kick into the box that Orange goalkeeper Brittany Anghel punched out. Von Rueden, once again in perfect position, headed the ball to junior center back Sammy Scofield, who scored and gave the Irish the win.  Assists from Von Rueden are a common occurrence. As a freshman, she led the squad with seven, and in just eight games this year Von Rueden has amassed four helpers, good for second on the team. Ask her, though, and she gives all the credit to her teammates and coaches. "[Against North Carolina], we had our game plan and we executed," Von Rueden said. "It was just movement from our midfield back to me and Morgan getting in and doing her job. It wasn't a personal achievement, it was about taking it to them as a team." In addition to her assists, Von Rueden is also a vital cog in an Irish defense that coach Randy Waldrum has called one of his best ever. Through eight games, Notre Dame has allowed only four goals and posted four shutouts. "We play as a team," Von Rueden said. "We're not a backline of individuals. If anyone messes up, there's always someone there to cover for her. Everyone is very supportive and we just focus on the game plan our coaches give us. Really, we move together as a line, and that's what helps us defend well." As good as Von Rueden and her teammates are on the field, they are just as close off it. One need not look further than the team Twitter and Facebook pages, which are full of their antics, for confirmation. "Everyone gets along great, on and off the field," Von Rueden said. "On the field, we hold each other accountable, but off it, back in the locker room, everyone gets along and it's really fun to hang out. I think that strong team chemistry is definitely something you need to compete on a high level." Individually, the Mequon, Wisc., native has been a regular on U.S. youth national squads since she was 14. In the future, Von Rueden's ultimate goal for her soccer career is to make the women's senior national team. For the present, she spends her summer playing in the Elite Clubs National League, one of the top youth club soccer leagues in the country. "It's high competition against other clubs around the nation that have extremely good players," Von Rueden said. "It fuels me to get better and helps me to improve on things I need to work on. It's very important so I can keep the right mindset over the summer and come into the season ready to win right away." As for the season ahead, Von Rueden doesn't care about personal accolades as long as the team is playing for another title. "I'd like to lead the team in assists again," Von Rueden said. "But really what we all want is to win the national championship obviously." Von Rueden and the Irish next play Thursday at Alumni Stadium at 7 p.m. against Maryland.

ND Women's Golf: Irish claim seventh in Tennessee

Notre Dame held its own this weekend against a tough field at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship at Cherokee Country Club in Knoxville, Tenn., as the Irish finished seventh out of 17 teams.

Hadley: NCAA needs to face the music (Sept. 23)

Football: Seeking stability

362 to Temple. 460 to Michigan. 294 to Purdue.

Men's Golf: Irish hang in sixth

The Irish finished a sunny first day of the Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic in sixth place on their home course with a score of 585.

Monardo: Offensive flexibility could be enough for Irish (Sept. 23)

ND Women's Tennis: Irish begin fall play with separate Invitationals

The Irish opened their season with success across the board this weekend at both the Wolverine Invitational in Ann Arbor, Mich., and the Ball State Fall Invite in Muncie, Ind. Notre Dame split its team up across the two open tournaments to provide the entire roster with opportunities to play and gear up for the season, Irish coach Jay Louderback said. "We have 12 on the team and for us to get all 12 a lot of matches we've got to split up," Louderback said. "We got to play a lot of matches and also played a lot of teams we don't usually play. It was a little different than in the past because we've never had 12 on the team, but it was good to play so much." The Wolverine Invitational pitted the Irish against opponents from Purdue, Tulane, Arizona State, Michigan and DePaul from Friday through Sunday. Notre Dame won 13 of 15 matches on Friday to begin the event at Michigan. No. 35 senior Britney Sanders, No. 87 sophomore Quinn Gleason, No. 117 senior Jennifer Kellner and freshmen Monica Robinson and Mary Closs earned victories at No. 1 through No. 5 singles against Purdue. Senior Julie Sabacinski also won at No. 8 singles against the Boilermakers. Notre Dame and Purdue split the doubles matches on Saturday, with each team taking two victories. The Irish nearly achieved a sweep and beat Tulane at No. 2 through No. 7 singles on Friday before winning all four matches the doubles competition against the Green Wave on Saturday. The invitational allowed the Irish to play teams they typically wouldn't have the opportunity to play, which teaches players how to adjust to opponents' different playing styles, Louderback said. "It's nicer to get to play some players you've never seen or played," Louderback said. "You may be forced to play a little differently because you're figuring out how to play them while the match is going on. Tulane, I don't think we've played them for 15 years." The wins kept coming against Arizona State on Saturday, as Notre Dame added seven more singles wins to its weekend total. The matches against the Sun Devils provided the Irish with a scouting report for a rare matchup between the two teams early in the spring. "We haven't played Arizona State in a long time but we'll play them in the second match in the spring," Louderback said. "It was good to get a lookout and see how they play." On Sunday, the Irish took three of four doubles matches from Michigan. Sanders and Gleason paired to knock off the Wolverine's duo of junior Emma Bektas and senior Brooke Bolender, the third-ranked pairing nationally. Notre Dame wrapped up the weekend with five singles victories against DePaul . "I felt like we played really well," Louderback said. "[Sunday], especially, doubles played really well. They took three of four from Michigan, who we lost to last year. Sanders and Gleason earned a win over a team ranked third in the country, and their win over Purdue was against a ranked team as well, so overall we had a great weekend." At the Ball State Invitational, junior Molly O'Koniewski played her way into the top singles flight and won her first-round match. Irish junior Katherine White made her way into the B-bracket and won matches in the first three rounds. O'Koniewski and White also played their way into the doubles Flight A and earned a first-round win. Irish sophomores Darby Mountford and Alaina Roberts did the same in Flight B before winning their first two rounds. These first tournaments will serve as the launching pad for the rest of Notre Dame's fall preparation, Louderback said. "The entire fall all of our tournaments are basically getting ready for our spring," Louderback said. "The first is always a good time to be able to get a lot of matches in." Notre Dame travels to Pacific Palisades, Calif., for its next competition at the ITA All-American Qualifier beginning on Oct. 1. Contact Samantha Zuba at szuba@nd.edu  

Defense uses rotations to shut down Spartans

With the help of three new starters, the increased involvement of freshman talent and the steady play of some familiar faces, Notre Dame's defense returned to last season's shutdown level this weekend against Michigan State.

Men's Soccer: A dominant draw

Shots? Check. Goals? Not quite. The No. 1 Irish created many scoring opportunities but couldn't convert late to break a 1-1 tie with Boston College on Saturday in Newton, Mass. Notre Dame (3-0-3, 1-0-2 ACC) had possession most of the game and outshot the Eagles (2-2-2, 1-1-1), but Boston College forced the draw in front of an enthusiastic home crowd of 2,000. Irish coach Bobby Clark said he enjoyed the high attendance and strong crowd engagement. "It was a terrific crowd," Clark said. "It was a really great atmosphere for college soccer." Notre Dame ran an impressive offensive stat line, launching 17 shots against five for the Eagles, and Clark said he thought the Irish should have been able to secure a win. Despite the disappointment, the game produced positive developments for Notre Dame. "I think if you look at the stats, you can see we dominated the game," Clark said. "It was a matter of not converting chances, and that was disappointing. There were a lot more positives than negatives, though. We dominated and played well. They were just holding on trying to get a tie, so they'll be happy with that." The Irish could not score after the 17th minute, although Boston College fielded 10 players and had to play defensively after the 60th minute when Eagles junior defender Nick Butler received his second yellow card. Boston College struck first in the 17th minute when freshman forward Isaac Normesinu dashed into the box from the right side with sharp footwork and shot low past Irish senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall. It was the first goal of Normesinu's college career and just the third goal allowed by Notre Dame this season. Irish senior forward Harrison Shipp evened the score 12 seconds later when he fielded and converted a right cross from junior forward Vince Cicciarelli for his second goal of the season. Shipp led Notre Dame's offense with five shots, and sophomore midfielder Patrick Hodan supplied four. After Shipp's goal, the Eagles' defense prevented further quality shots from the Irish. Of Notre Dame's 17 shots, only three were shots on goal, and Clark credited Boston College's defensive work for slowing down the Irish. "I think the team played well but they weren't able to convert in the final area," Clark said. "I think you've got to give their defense a lot of credit for holding us. They played defense well as a team, so we had a lot of shots but not a lot of good shots." As for the Irish, it was a quiet night on defense. Notre Dame held the Eagles to just five shots and three shots on goal, but the offense drove the pace of the game and helped the defense by keeping the ball away from Boston College. "I think we had the ball most of the time," Clark said. "We had to be sharp defensively, but I think it was more we had a lot of the ball." Now that the Irish have proven they can control a possession game, they have to take the next step and find the net more consistently, Clark said. "We didn't play the final chances," Clark said. "We weren't able to put the ball away." The Irish are next in action against Duke on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Alumni Stadium. Contact Samantha Zuba at szuba@nd.edu  

Week 4: Michigan State

Up against Michigan State's top-ranked defense, the No. 22 Irish were able to take advantage of untimely Spartan penalties and a turnover late in the third quarter to hold onto a 17-13 victory Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.

Irish benefit from penalties

The Irish gained 115 yards on ten Michigan State penalties. Seven of their 14 first downs came via penalty yardage. The Irish also incurred eight penalties for 86 yards.

ND Cross Country: Men and women place first at home

Both the men's and women's squads won each of their respective team titles in the 34th annual National Catholic Championships held at the Notre Dame Golf Course on Friday. "Not only did the men run well, but the women did as well," Piane said. "Both squads did very well. You can't ask for much more." The women's team took the top three spots in a field of 298 runners. Irish senior Kelly Curran won the race with a time of 17:17.9 and received top individual honors. It is the 11th-consecutive year a Notre Dame runner has captured the women's individual title at the National Catholic Championships. Irish coach Joe Piane said the cross country team as a whole had a stellar meet. Irish senior Alexa Aragon and junior Emily Frydrych came in second and third respectively, with times of 17:18.5 and 17:34.4. "With Kelly winning and Alexa and Emily right behind her, it was a great finish for the women," Piane said. With the third-place finish, Frydrych secured her fastest time and turned in the best showing at a meet of her career. "It was the best race Emily has had in her collegiate career," Piane said. Irish sophomore runner Molly Seidel finished in seventh with a time of 17:45.1. Piane said he was impressed with her progress. "Molly had a great outing," Piane said. "She had an abbreviated track season [last year], so she's short on training. But she is coming along really well." The Irish men did not take the individual title, which went to Loyola junior Sam Penzenstadler (24:55.4), but they did have six runners finish among the top seven, in a field of 260 runners. Irish junior Jake Kildoo (25:05.4), sophomore Michael Clevenger (25:05.4), senior Martin Grady (25:05.6), graduate student Jeremy Rae (25:05.8), senior Walter Schafer (25:06.0) and senior Patrick Lesiewicz (25:09.7) finished in second place through seventh place, respectively. Piane said the Irish planned to gather points in the meet by placing a large group of runners among the top finishers. "That was honestly what we wanted to do," Piane said. "We were pretty confident that we would win. But to be a good cross country team, you have to run together and we did that. They really supported each other out there." The Irish finished with the low score of 20. No other team finished with a score below 66, and eight of 10 teams finished with scores over 100. The top five finishers for each team contribute their finishing position to an aggregate score. Piane said even if the Irish had used the finishing positions of their sixth and seventh runners, they still would have won. Lesiewicz finished seventh overall and Irish freshman runner Scott Milling was the seventh Irish finisher, coming in 13th overall with a time of 25:44.2. "Our goal was to win, but also to run as a group," Piane said. "Six of the guys finished together but Scott Milling was right behind them." The Irish next run at the Notre Dame Invitational on held on the Notre Dame Golf Course on Oct. 4. Contact Isaac Lorton at ilorton@nd.edu  

Rapid Reaction: Notre Dame 17, Michigan State 13

The Good: Notre Dame's defense had a strong performance start-to-finish. Junior safety Matthias Farley came down with an interception and returned it 29 yards in the third quarter to give the Irish some much-needed momentum. The entire secondary made their tackles and did not neglect their assignments. Junior defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt notched a sack and Louis Nix impressed, as well, knocking down one pass at the line. KeiVarae Russell made several tackles in space. Offensively, the Irish did just enough to secure the win and deserve credit for that. Kyle Brindza earned the effusive praise of Irish coach Brian Kelly for his performance punting the ball.

Game Wrap: Notre Dame 17, Michigan State 13

Up against Michigan State's top-ranked defense, the No. 22 Irish were able to take advantage of Spartan penalties and a turnover late in the third quarter to hold onto a 17-13 victory on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.

Karnes: Why We Truly Love Sports (Sept. 20)