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Friday, March 29, 2024
The Observer

Early Eagles goal sinks Irish

After a strong start to the season, the No. 1 Irish hit a road bump Friday when they took on Boston College. Despite playing an aggressive game, Notre Dame lost to the Eagles, 1-0, at Alumni Stadium.

Despite being frustrated with the end result, graduate student defender Andrew O’Malley said the team was not too discouraged by the result.

“The general vibe was a lot of frustration, but at the same time, we knew it was a fluke-type game, and these things happen in soccer,” O’Malley said. “It's a rough sport in that regard and it's the kind of thing you need to learn from and move past.”

Irish senior defender Luke Mishu sprints to the ball during Notre Dame’s 1-0 win against VCU on Tuesday at Alumni Stadium.
Alarisse Lam
Alarisse Lam
Irish senior defender Luke Mishu sprints to the ball during Notre Dame’s 1-0 win against VCU on Tuesday at Alumni Stadium.
The Irish (5-2-2, 2-1-1 ACC) generated far more offensive chances than the Eagles (4-4-1, 1-3-0 ACC), with a 19-3 shot advantage throughout the game. However, the Irish were unable to convert on any of these opportunities, only taking three shots on goal.

The lone goal of the night came in the 15th minute, when Eagles sophomore forward Isaac Normesinu intercepted a pass and floated a shot just over Irish graduate student goalkeeper Patrick Wall. The goal was the first the Irish had allowed in 256 minutes, coming off two straight shutouts against North Carolina and VCU. The last goal the Irish had allowed came in a 1-1 overtime tie against Virginia on Sept. 21.

One of Notre Dame's few good chances came early in the 39th minute of the first half. Freshman forward Jeffrey Farina beat the Eagles defense and fired a shot, only for it to miss wide of the near post.

In the second half, the Irish dominated the Eagles in shots, 11-0. However, Boston College junior goalkeeper Alex Kapp stopped a shot in the 52nd minute by junior midfielder Patrick Hodan, followed by the rebound shot attempt from senior forward Vince Cicciarelli. Kapp ended the game with three saves. In the 74th minute, Irish senior defender Max Lachoweski fired a shot from just outside the penalty box that struck the far post.

“Some games you just aren't hot,” O’Malley said. “You've seen this kind of thing a thousand times, and sometimes you just can't find the back of the net.  Our goals come from everywhere on the field and the whole team needs to step it up in our next game against Michigan.”

Irish freshman forward Jon Gallagher races towards the ball in a 1-0, double-overtime victory against VCU on Tuesday at Alumni Stadium. Gallagher recorded one shot in Friday’s loss to Boston College.
Alarisse Lam
Irish freshman forward Jon Gallagher races towards the ball in a 1-0, double-overtime victory against VCU on Tuesday at Alumni Stadium. Gallagher recorded one shot in Friday’s loss to Boston College.
O’Malley focused on the large number of scoring opportunities the Irish were able to create as an encouraging sign.

“There are a lot of positives amongst the negatives in that game, and most importantly was the ability of the team to create shots,” O’Malley said. “We obviously got a lot off in the game, but just need to hit the target a bit more.  I think our crossing, especially from our [senior defenders] Luke Mishu and Max Lachowecki, was also a strong point for us in the game.

“In the future, we just need to keep our focus.  This is a team that not only has the talent to win a national championship, but also the right work ethic and attitude.  We will keep focused, and we will win that championship, trust me.”

The Irish have a quick turnaround to prepare for a matchup with Michigan on Tuesday. The Wolverines (2-5-2, 1-1-2 Big Ten) are coming off of a 2-1 overtime victory over Wisconsin last Saturday.

The last time the Irish played the Wolverines, they cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory Sept. 17, 2013. Overall, Notre Dame owns the series edge, 7-1-2.

O’Malley said he is confident in his team’s chances again the Wolverines.

“Michigan is a tough game,” O’Malley said. “They have a lot of good players and will definitely provide a good environment to play in at their stadium.  We look forward to the game and are going in to get a good result.”

The top-ranked ranked Irish take a break from ACC play with a match against Michigan on Tuesday. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., in Ann Arbor, Michigan.