Women score three second-half goals to top No. 8 Connecticut 3-1
By ANDY TROEGER
Sports Writer
Down 1-0 at halftime, the Irish women's soccer team knew that the second half of their game against Connecticut was crucial in their effort to start a late-season surge.
Their play in that second half might send them on the way toward that goal.
Notre Dame dominated the second half, scoring three goals on nine shots — while holding the Huskies scoreless — for a 3-1 victory.
"Everybody was really focused," said junior forward Amy Warner. "We really played with more intensity and heart today."
"We didn't say much about it before the game, but everyone knew how important this game was to us," said fellow junior Amanda Guertin. "We felt that if everyone does their part individually then the team as a whole will win and do well."
The game marked the return of Irish senior midfielder Ashley Dryer, who had missed the past few weeks with nagging injuries.
"[Dryer is] so composed and brings such a calming effect into our midfield," said coach Randy Waldrum. "She's still not 100 percent, but I think she makes a world of difference. It was nice seeing her on the field again."
The return of junior defender Melissa Tancredi was also crucial to Irish defensive effort, which did not allow a shot by the Huskies in the second half.
"Tancredi stepped up huge today," said Waldrum. "We document our heading battles and she won 18 and didn't lose any. Also Mary Boland did a great job of marking Sarah Popper out of the game, which is one of their key people. It really was a great team effort."
Notre Dame's first score came early in the second half. Warner and Candace Chapman initiated the sequence before Chapman played a lead to freshman Katie Thorlakson. Her shot from the close left wing got by Connecticut goalkeeper Maria Yatrakis for her first goal of the season.
The second goal for the Irish came on a corner kick from Guertin. Guertin played a perfect kick into the box for Randi Scheller whose header gave the Irish their first lead.
Thirteen minutes later the Irish struck again on almost the same play. Guertin placed another kick into the box that this time was headed in by Tancredi for the 3-1 lead.
"Amanda Guertin, on the two corner kick goals that we got, she placed them right where we needed them," said Waldrum. "In the second half when we needed to do it right, she did it right."
Despite out-playing the Huskies in the first half, Notre Dame went into the locker room down 1-0 on a goal by Salla Ranta with just under five minutes left.
"Everyone was still positive at halftime," said Warner of the halftime deficit. "We acknowledged that we were playing better. We were still confident."
The schedule does not get any easier for the Irish, who were playing their third straight ranked team. Next up is a trip to No. 9 Michigan on Thursday.
"We have to take each game one at a time," said Guertin. "Every team we play is good, but we have to take care of business."
Notes:
uThe Irish won their 43rd consecutive home game against Big East opponents.
uDefenders Vanessa Pruzinsky and Gudrun Gunnarsdottir are not expected to return this season due to injury. They join freshman Annie Schefter, who has missed the entire season due to an ACL injury.
uGuertin's two assists added to her team leading total of seven.
All Sports Stories for Monday, October 14, 2002
