The NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Tournament is officially under way. The #5 Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish played host to Robert Morris University on a beautiful spring afternoon at Arlotta Stadium. After going 10-6 overall and 5-5 in the ACC, the Fightin’ Irish are on mission. Prior to a COVID shortened season, the Fightin’ Irish want to show what they had to offer last season. The best way for the Irish to do that will be by playing like they did last year and that was DOMIMANT!
First Half
When your coach wants you to start fast, you do just that. Madison Ahern did just that. Twenty Eight seconds into the first half, Ahern put the ball on net assisted by Savannah Buchanan, to put the Irish up 1-0. But Ahern was not done and neither was Buchanan. Ahern and Buchanan teamed up again to score another goal at 27:17, for a 2-0 Irish lead. The Irish offense kept the pressure on Roger Morris as Kasey Choma found the back of the net assisted by Hannah Dorney to go up 3-0. Next up for the Irish was Andie Aldave. Aldave scored goals at 20:41 and 19:45, both unassisted to give the Irish a 5-0 lead.
The next Irish scorer was Madison Mote. Mote scored at 18:40 assisted by Buchanan, to give the Irish a 6-0 lead. Choma follows up fifty two seconds later for her third goal of the (Hat Trick) unassisted to put the Irish up 7-0. After a scoreless drought of just over three minutes, Maddie Howe gets the unassisted goal at 13:33 for an 8-0 lead. Howe racks up another goal at 4:28, this time assisted by Jackie Wolak to put the Irish up 9-0. At the end of the first half, Mote got the unassisted goal at 00:04 left in the half for a tally of 10-0 just before the horn.
To wrap up the first half in which the offense and defense just dominated Robert Morris. Six different Irish scorers scored ten goals. Three different players racked up five assists, the team was on fire. Bridget Deehan turned away all four shots she faced in the half against RMU. The offense actually had sixteen shots on goal and was denied six of those attempts.
Second Half
The second half picked up where the first half left off. Choma gets the opening goal of the half assisted by Buchanan at 26:58 to put the Irish up 11-0. Katie Enrietto got in the scoring action at 24:53 assisted by Choma to put the Irish up 12-0 early in the second half. Mote got ball and put it on net for her third goal (Hat Trick) unassisted to put the Irish up 13-0. Jackie Wolak got a turn in the domination by scoring at 16:26 assisted by Aldave for a score of 14-0.
Coach Christine Halfpenny got Deehan out of the game to save her for the next game. Lilly Callahan got between the pipes for the Irish. With a lead like the Irish had, now the focus turns to ball control. Also, not allowing RMU to score, and they did just that. Keelin Schlateger got the unassisted goal at 3:30 to put the Irish up 15-0 left in the game. Two minutes later, Alison Harbaugh gets the unassisted goal at 1:36 and a final score of 16-0.
Game Summary
Nine different Fightin’ Irish players scored in the match against RMU. Kasey Choma and Madison Mote each notched a Hat Trick. Madison Ahern, Andie Aldave, and Maddie Howe each scored two goals. Alison Harbaugh, Jackie Wolak, Katie Enrietto, and Keelin Schlagater notched one goal a piece. Savannah Buchanan assisted on four goals. Kasey Choma, Andie Aldave, Hannah Dorney, and Jackie Wolak contibuted with an assist as well. The Irish offense also played stellar with clock management as they were not assessed any shot clock violations. The shutout was third shutout in team history and first in their first in an NCAA Division 1 Women’s Lacrosse Tournament. Alison Harbaugh’s goal was her first in her collegiate career.
Next Up
Next up for the Fightin Irish will be Virginia. The game will be at Arlotta Stadium on Sunday May 16 at 1 PM EST, and will be televised on ESPN3. The tournament bracket can be found here.