September 16, 2012
SEVENTH HEAVEN
Irish blitz Bearcats 7-0

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Seven different Notre Dame players scored, including three who collected the first goals of their careers, as the Fighting Irish blitzed Cincinnati, 7-0, in a Big East Conference match on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.

Freshman forward Crystal Thomas, junior midfielder Elizabeth Tucker and junior midfielder Rebecca Twining each tallied a goal and an assist, while sophomore forward Lauren Bohaboy dished out two assists for the Fighting Irish.

In addition, freshman defender Katie Naughton, freshman forward Cari Roccaro and junior midfielder Nicole Rodriguez all scored their first career goals, while junior midfielder Mandy Laddish (Lee’s netted her first score of the season in her first weekend of action after she and Roccaro helped lead the United States to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup title on Sept. 9 in Japan.

Sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Voigt, who earned her first starting assignment of the season and registered one save in 68:46. Freshman netminder Naomi Willett made her college debut in the final 20-plus minutes and was not called upon to record a save as the Fighting Irish logged their third shutout of the season. Kristina Utley went the distance in the Bearcat goal, picking up eight saves.

Notre Dame (5-3-1, 2-0 BIG EAST) chalked up a season-high 35 shots and 15 shots on goal, enjoying a 35-9 edge in total shots and 15-1 margin in shots on goal.

“We needed one like this and it felt a lot like we normally have it around here,” Notre Dame head coach Randy Waldrum said. “For the first time since pieces of last year, it felt like the dominance we’re used to seeing. I’m really proud of the kids because with all the (substitutions) we made, we didn’t lose anything. All the players played well and we got to play everybody who was healthy.

“I thought Karin Simonian was really good today, coming into midfield and having one of her better games for us,” he continued. “I thought certainly Sammy (Scofield) and Katie (Naughton) have been much better at center back this whole weekend than they were last weekend, and that was good because we needed to see that. Our goalkeeping continues to be good … we got Sarah (Voigt) some more game time, had a chance to rest Elyse (Hight) a little bit and Naomi (Willett) has been playing well in practice, so it was good to get her some time. (Cari) Roccaro adds a different dimension to us up front — she’s a player that can hold the ball for us and that changes the game — and Rebecca Twining was good today, so there are a lot of players to mention.”

Notre Dame eventually broke the ice in the 22nd minute, starting with a left-side run from Thomas, who nutmegged her defender in front of the Fighting Irish bench and found open space into the attacking third before delivering a cross to the top of the box. Bohaboy one-timed a drop pass for Tucker, who drove her shot off the inside of the left post .

Tucker helped double the hosts’ lead I the 24th minute, picking up the ball 25 yards out. Tucker left a pass for Laddish playing back to the left, and Laddish took one touch before cracking a rising shot that clipped the underside of the crossbar and settled over the line.

The Fighting Irish took all doubt from the outcome with two goals in 45 seconds during the opening seven minutes of the second half. Naughton opened her college scoring account in the 51st minute, going up to re-direct Bohaboy’s corner kick inside the right post, and Thomas followed in the 52nd with her team-high fourth goal of the season, converting from six yards out on the left side off a well-weighted right-flank cross from Twining.

Notre Dame had another two-goal flurry , finding paydirt twice in 41 seconds. A Cincinnati clearance landed right at Twining’s feet and she ripped a low laser inside the left post in the 73rd minute. Moments later, Roccaro gathered the ball in the right channel and charged to the top right of the box before she saw Utley creeping off her line and chipped the Bearcat goalkeeper from 18 yards out into the far left side netting.

In the 87th minute, Simonian lofted a precision service from the right flank and Rodriguez timed her run perfectly, finishing the cross into the right corner of the net.

Notre Dame host Pittsburgh at Alumni Stadium on Friday at 7:30 pm