Underdog team faces top-ranked Santa Clara
By MIKE CONNOLLY
Associate Sports Editor
Throughout its history, Notre Dame has gained a reputation for knocking off the No. 1 team in many sports.
This Sunday, when the women's soccer team takes the field against top-ranked Santa Clara, head coach Randy Waldrum's squad will have a chance to add to that reputation.
Playing the role of the underdog is unusual for the Irish. Throughout the '90s, they have been one of the top teams in women's soccer. Heading into Santa Clara to take on the Broncos and their 23-game home-winning streak as an underdog is a role the Irish are relishing, senior Irish forward Jenny Heft said.
"It's kind of nice," she said. "It's something different. We don't have the extra pressure going into the game that we have to win. They are ranked No. 1 and have the home winning streak so they have all the pressure on them. We can just go into the game and play our game without worrying about it."
The Broncos, however, are not taking the Irish lightly, according to head coach Jerry Smith.
"We know that they have an awesome team and that they are very capable of beating us," he said. "We know that this game is going to be a top matchup. Santa Clara and Notre Dame are probably the two most talented teams in the country."
After an early season loss to top-ranked North Carolina, Notre Dame has improved offensively and defensively. The Irish are playing better together and have grown more comfortable with Waldrum's system.
Now they are ready to show how much better they are.
"We need to show that we can play with the best," junior forward Meotis Erikson said. "There's no better way to do it."
The Broncos will be a weaker team when they meet the Irish. Santa Clara's attack took a blow this Tuesday as third leading scorer Megan Horvath tore her anterior cruciate ligament and will miss the rest of the season. Horvath started seven of Santa Clara's 11 games and scored seven goals and 20 points.
"You don't want to lose anyone, particuraly not a starter," Smith said. "We are definetly going to miss her. That will be hard to recover from but you know that in a college season you are going to be without a player or two throughout the season. You hope that other players can pick up the slack a bit."
The Irish learned what it is like to lose a player to injury when junior captain Kelly Lindsey went down with a knee injury in the opening game against North Carolina. Lindsey, however, has recovered and is playing at close to 100 percent.
With Lindsey back and Anne Makinen returned to the team after missing a few games while training with the Finnish national team, the Irish are playing some of their best soccer this year. They clinched the Big East Mid-Atlantic Division title last weekend.
With a home game already assured for the Big East championships, the Irish are turning their attention to gaining home-field advantage in the NCAA Tournament.
A win over Santa Clara would do a lot for Notre Dame's postseason seeding.
"We have something to prove," Lindsey said. "We are definetly not the sixth or seventh best team in the country. I think we are in the top four."
The Irish hope to use a win over the Broncos as a springboard to a high ranking.
"We hope that we can get out and show that we are better than that [No. 6 ranking] and that we deserve to be ranked higher than that," Waldrum said. "But more importantly that that, we are taking the approach that a win could help us tremendously in the seeding process."
Even with the postseason loaming on the horizon, the Irish are taking a relaxed attitude into the game.
"We have nothing to worry about," Lindsey said. "I think we have as good a chance as anyone of beating them."
All Sports Stories for Friday, October 15, 1999
