The No. 14 Notre Dame softball team continues the 2001 season this weekend at the Morning News Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.

The Irish started the season on a high note, sweeping five games at the Holiday Inn Invitational, hosted by the University of South Florida. The 5-0 opening season record is the best start for a softball team in Notre Dame history.

The Morning News Invitational is a doubleheader formatted tournament. The Irish will face Texas Tech twice on Friday, Feb. 23, at 11 a.m., then take on Arkansas twice on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 4 p.m., followed by a double-dip vs. Maine on Sunday, Feb. 25, at 9 a.m.

The Irish also received the highest ranking in school history after their opening weekend.

Notre Dame is now ranked 14th in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25, which is the the highest ranking in school history, due to its opening weekend when it earned the Holiday Inn Invitational title with a 5-0 record.

The highest ranking the team had reached prior to this week's poll was 17th (the 2001 Preseason Top 25 and the 1994 Preseason Top 25).

Notre Dame began its 2001 season in impressive fashion last weekend by posting five victories at the Holiday Inn Invitational in Tampa, Fla.

The 5-0 start to the season is the best opening-season record the team has acheived since the program began in 1989.

Senior Lizzy Lemire and junior Jenny Kriech shared tournament MVP honors for the weekend. Lemire pounded out six hits, including a double and triple over the five games. Kreich led the team with eight hits and four RBIs, including the game-winning single against No. 4 Washington in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Notre Dame's Jen Sharron gave three stellar pitching performances over the course of the tournament as well. Sharron took the mound against Maryland, No. 4 Washington and No. 15 South Carolina, coming away with victories in each contest. She gave up just two runs in the three games and struck out 26 batters.

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