Opening up their string of five conference games, No.9 Notre Dame fell 14-12 to Georgetown Friday, ending their seven game winning streak, but bounced back with a 5-0 scoring run to beat Loyola (Md.) 16-13 Sunday.
Junior Gina Scioscia paced the Irish with three goals and an assist against the Hoyas, and a career-high six goals versus Loyola. Senior captain Jillian Byers, Notre Dame's all-time points leader, scored four times with one assist in Friday's match and added three goals and an assist Sunday.
Sophomore Shaylyn Blaney had five goals over the weekend, while fellow sophomores Kailene Abt, four goals and an assist, and Ansley Stewart, two goals, also contributed to Notre Dame's offensive effort.
Senior captain Shannon Burke improved to 24 ground balls and 18 forced turnovers on the season to lead the Irish defensively. Sophomore Jackie Doherty finished out the weekend with season totals of 27 ground balls and 10 forced turnovers.
Scioscia opened up Friday night's game with an unassisted goal less than a minute into play to put the Irish in the lead, but the Hoyas answered quickly with a goal of their own.
Scioscia netted another goal, which the Hoyas answered once again, tying the score at two before Byers scored a pair or back-to-back goals to put the Irish back on top.
Georgetown once again matched the Irish attack by slotting two more goals to re-tie the game. The Irish went on a 4-1 scoring run shortly before halftime to go into the locker room with an 8-5 lead.
The Hoyas opened up the second half with a string of six unanswered goals before sophomore midfield Kailene Abt scored for the Irish with 16:00 left to play.
After Georgetown netted two more, Irish sophomore attack Shaylyn Blaney scored her second of the game with 6:00 minutes in the half, cutting the Hoyas' lead to 13-10.
The Hoyas scored their final goal with 3:27 to play to push the Irish deficit to four. Abt and Byers found the net again late in the game, but the Irish were unable to get any closer.
Senior goalkeeper Erin Goodman played all 60 minutes for Notre Dame, recording five saves.
The Irish bounced back from the loss to earn a victory over Loyola behind a 5-0 scoring run in the second half.
Abt put the Irish on the board under a minute into the game, but Loyola promptly answered with a goal of their own. Keena gave Notre Dame a 2-1 lead with 25:14 left in the first half.
Loyola tied the match at 2-2 with 20:50 left, which would jumpstart a Greyhound 5-0 scoring run. Blaney stopped the run with 12:56 left, pulling the Irish to within three. Notre Dame finished the half on a 4-2 scoring run to go into the half down 8-7.
Loyola wasted no time in the second half striking quickly to push the score to 9-7.
With 23:17 left to play, Blaney scored again, sparking a 5-0 Irish scoring run that gave them the 12-9 lead.
After the Greyhounds halted the run with a goal, Blaney, Scioscia and Abt each netted goals to give the Irish a commanding 15-10 lead with 7:47 to play.
Late goals from Loyola tightened the game, but they would come no closer as Notre Dame held on for a 16-13 victory.
Goodman recorded eleven saves in 60 minutes of play.
The Irish improve to 9-2 overall, 2-1 in the Big East after this weekend's split. Friday, they will travel to face another Big East opponent, Cincinnati, for a 4 p.m. game.
