Sarkesian soldifies herself as clutch performer with another big-game goal
Mike Connolly - Outside
Looking In
You won't find Mia Sarkesian's name in any all-time scoring records. She probably won't earn all-conference or All-American honors. She's probably not even the best midfielder on the 2001 Irish team.
But when it comes to big goals at big moments, the Irish look no further than Sarkesian. She has only scored 10 goals in her career, but five of them have been game winners. She has scored against the best — North Carolina, Stanford and Boston College. Tuesday night she added one more victim to her list: the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
"Mia seems to score the big goals in the big games," head coach Randy Waldrum said. "She scores the goals that beat the Stanfords and the Boston Colleges and now Nebraska."
Sarkesian's goal at 17:30 of the first half gave the Irish more than just a victory against No. 3 Nebraska. It gave the Irish their first complete victory.
Although the Irish are 6-0-1 on the year, they looked less than their best in their last four games. Against four lightly regarded opponents, the Irish tied one game and won the other three games by only one goal.
Waldrum publicly challenged his team to find a leader. He called on them to step up their play and start playing like a team.
His team answered his call Tuesday night with Sarkesian leading the way. Even if she was a reluctant leader.
"I guess I am more of a silent leader," she said. "It's definitely a challenge for me to be more vocal and lead that way."
The entire team knew they were better than they were playing in their last four games, according to Sarkesian.
"Before this game we've had a rough season. We've had moments of good soccer but it hasn't been very complete," she said. "Tonight was the first that we came out and showed everyone how good we can be."
Sarkesian might not fill too many pages of the soccer media guide after she graduates but she does understand Notre Dame soccer. The Irish, especially since Waldrum became head coach two years ago, have traditionally played down to their opponents' level early in the season. At the same time, however, they have always been ready to play when it matters.
"We always seem to show up for the big games," Waldrum said. "It's getting us to show up for the other ones that is the frustrating part."
"We've always showed up for the big games," Sarkesian said. "Nebraska is a huge rivals so we stepped it up."
Notre Dame now leads the Nebraska series 3-0-1. The tie came during the 1999 NCAA quarterfinals. The Irish eventually won in a penalty-kick, sudden death shootout. Sarkesian was on that team as well as the 1998 team that knocked Nebraska out of the playoffs in the third round.
"I definitely think we have their number if we come out and play hard," she said.
If Notre Dame keeps playing as hard as they did last night, they could have everyone's number this year. And when the big game comes, keep your eye on No. 4. Sarkesian just might get that big game winning goal.
And then she will have a place in Irish soccer lore as big as any All-American or 100-point scorer.
Mike Connolly can be reached at connolly.28@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, September 26, 2001
