She says it’s just pure luck, but there’s no denying it — August is Lauren Bohaboy’s month.
In the past three years, the senior forward has scored eight goals and notched two assists in just 10 games during that month. Last season, four of Bohaboy’s team-leading seven goals came in August. She also has three scores to start this year, leading the No. 25 Irish (2-2-0).
“I think it’s just a coincidence,” Bohaboy said. “I’m just focusing [so that] in games, when I get good chances, I’m putting them away.”
The Mission Viejo, Calif., native has been one of Notre Dame’s premier goal-scorers since she came to campus in 2011. In her first three seasons, she netted 20 goals, more than any of her classmates. She has ranked in the top two on the squad in goals as well as points.
“She’s a great goal-scorer,” Irish coach Theresa Romagnolo said. “She knows how to find herself in critical areas of the field to put herself in position to score. She’s got a great shot with either foot, and she brings a lot to the table.”
Now, the senior will serve as Notre Dame’s prime offensive threat as she tries to lead the Irish back to the College Cup for the first time since the program’s NCAA title in 2010.
“[I want to get to the College Cup] more than words can really say,” Bohaboy said. “Especially because we’ve never been in my three years here, I’d love to go there, and I know that we can do that.”
Notre Dame’s march to the NCAA tournament hit an early snag over the weekend at the Notre Dame Invitational. The Irish dropped a pair of 2-1 decisions to No. 10 Texas Tech and USC and dropped in the rankings from 11th to 25th. Bohaboy recorded the team’s lone goal against USC and had another score waved off after a penalty.
The road ahead only gets tougher, as Notre Dame travels to No. 16 Santa Clara and No. 4 Stanford over the weekend. Bohaboy said she is confident, however, that the Irish can rebound.
“That’s great motivation for our games to come,” Bohaboy said. “This next weekend is going to be good for us, and we’ll respond well.”
On a Notre Dame squad with 11 freshman and 19 underclassmen, Bohaboy is the sole senior on the attacking line and said she prefers to guide the younger players by the way she plays.
“I’m not the most vocal person,” Bohaboy said. “[My leadership style] is leading by example, working hard in practices [and] working hard in games.”
The Santa Margarita Catholic High School graduate also has a personal connection with the freshman class. Midfielder Taylor Klawunder and forward Kaitlin Klawunder both attended Santa Margarita and also played for the So Cal Blues, Bohaboy’s high school club team.
“We went to the same high school, so I knew them before,” she said.
The Klawunders’ arrival on campus coincided with the start of coach Theresa Romagnolo’s first season at Notre Dame. Despite the departure of Bohaboy's longtime coach Randy Waldrum and the introduction of a new staff, the turnover has been relatively smooth, Bohaboy said.
“Getting the new coaches has been awesome, and they’ve been great with the team,” she said. “Both [Waldrum and Romagnolo] seem like they like to … move the ball around, keep it on the ground [and] focus on possession.”
The Irish will try to snap a two-game losing streak this weekend when they travel to Santa Clara, Calif., to take on No. 16 Santa Clara on Friday, followed by No. 4 Stanford on Sunday.
