Notre Dame looks for five in row against Valpo
By KERRY SMITH
Sports Writer
Riding its longest winning streak in two years, Notre Dame men's soccer team hits the road today to take on the Valparaiso Crusaders.
The Irish are coming off a successful homestand, where they swept all four games, marking a turning point in the season.
In the team's first eight games, it managed to score only five goals and produce a 3-4-1 record.
Now, after 12 outings, the Irish have put together a formidable offense and knocked 17 goals in the net en route to improving to 7-4-1.
"We've just started to score some goals," said Irish captain Gerick Short. "Our first focus at the beginning of the season was obviously defense. But now that the offense has taken hold, it's taken some pressure off the defense."
When the Irish take the field against the Crusaders, it will be the team's last non-conference test of the season. The Irish will end the regular season with six Big East games that will provide tough competition.
"We're not looking ahead to this weekend and overlooking Valpo," said Short. "We're seeing this game as one to improve with and then we'll set our goals for the Big East games."
At 3-1-1 in the conference, the fact that some of Notre Dame's most important games are yet to come is good news. The team has finally come together and proven that it can not only dominate offensively, but it also can finish plays and put the ball in the net.
At the beginning of the season, the Irish were left wondering who would step up into a goal-scoring role.
However, now they have plenty of players ready and able to fill that position.
Leading the list of eight goal-scorers is freshman forward Erich Braun with seven. With two game-winning goals, Braun is a formidable force on the Irish front line.
The Irish defense, which anchored the team on the field since the opening game of the season, is a consistent force. Keeping the Irish in close games and setting up the team's patient attack, the backfield was instrumental in the team's recent victories.
"We had our low point on defense when we traveled to California and lost two games there," Short said. "Since then we've come together and played really well. We've got a lot of experience between Matt McNew, Connor LaRose and Steve Maio."
The Irish will need to keep playing with such precision if they plan to extend their winning streak to five games with a victory against Valparaiso.
The Crusaders, plagued by some tough losses, are in the midst of a disappointing season with a 2-8 overall record. Even with key starters returning, the Crusaders have had trouble putting a strong team on the field against Mid-Continent conference opponents.
"There's been a tendency for us to overlook teams without a good record," said Short. "But the highlight of their year is playing Notre Dame. If they could win or even tie us that would make their season."
The Irish and the Crusaders share a long history — one that's been very successful for Notre Dame.
The Irish hold a 26-0 record against the Crusaders. Overall the Irish have outscored the Crusaders 160-19 and only three times have failed to score less than three goals in a single game.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, October 12, 1999
