Irish crush Broncos in rematch of NCAA semifinal
By KEVIN BERCHOU
Sports Writer
The rematch was a mismatch.
The highly anticipated clash between the second-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the third-ranked Santa Clara Broncos had all the makings of a classic. After Notre Dame ended then-unbeaten Santa Clara's 1999 season in the NCAA semifinals, revenge was supposed to be on the Broncos mind. The Irish were looking to prove their upset win was no fluke. This one, however, was no classic, just a game Santa Clara will do its best to forget.
The Irish came out firing, looking as if they did indeed have something to prove, as they shellacked the hapless Broncos, 6-1, Friday at Alumni Field. No one thought it would be this easy including Notre Dame head coach Randy Waldrum.
"To win by that margin, it's a real surprise," Waldrum said. "I thought it would be a tight game."
Freshman Amanda Guertin got things started for Notre Dame as she outraced a Santa Clara defender to the corner and threaded a perfect cross to Meotis Erikson who hesitated before sliding a low shot into the right corner.
The Broncos looked as if they might be ready to make a game of it when senior forward Kathleen Cielo notched her fourth goal of the season to tie the score at one.
But that was all Santa Clara could muster. Irish senior captain Anne Makinen, playing as if possessed, sent a perfect through ball to streaking freshman Amy Warner. The first-year speedster wove her way through the Bronco defense, before burying the shot that would prove to be the game winner into the lower right corner of the net.
"I just kept seeing holes behind players," Warner said. "Then when I looked up I saw the net open and that's when I shot it."
Up 2-1, the Irish struck again with Makinen once again leading the way. The Irish senior sprung Guertin with a perfect lead, and the first-year talent did the rest — beating the keeper with a low shot.
Makinen, considered by many as college soccer's best player, enjoyed a good game even by her standards. Her penalty kick goal gave the Irish a 4-1 lead with under 10 minutes remaining and would serve as the proverbial nail in the coffin.
"She's the best player in college soccer," said Santa Clara head coach Jerry Smith. "I have such a high opinion of her."
Makinen was quick to deflect the credit.
"It's a team sport," she said. "I can only do my part."
Indeed Makinen's role was a large one. After watching their leader raise her level of play, the rest of the Irish could not help but step up.
Junior forward Kelly Tulisiak got into the act late in the game, notching two quick goals that seemed to pour salt into Santa Clara's gaping wounds.
The Broncos were without their two top players. Danielle Slaton is playing for the Olympic National Team, while Aly Wagner missed the game with an injury.
Smith was, nevertheless, a man looking for answers after watching his squad lose a second-straight game for the first time in six years, dropping the Broncos' record to 2-2.
"The difference is the depth," he said. "We had 13 healthy players and depth took over late in the game. We just have too many people out."
The six goals scored by the Irish were the most allowed by the Broncos in 20 years.
Though the lopsided win came over a depleted Santa Clara team, it nonetheless showed the nation that this Notre Dame team is ready to pick up where last year's team left off.
"I think we can go all the way," Makinen said.
All Sports Stories for Monday, September 11, 2000
