SOUTH BEND, Ind. – It was a classic tale of soccer where you can dominate possession, record 25 shots to their seven, but not get the final result you wanted. The No. 3 ranked Notre Dame women’s soccer squad scored two goals in the 2nd half and had a lead with 32 seconds left; however, the Milwaukee Panthers tied it on a one-time ball off a clearance that bounced over the keeper’s hands and in. As a result, the Irish had to settle for the 2-2 tie to kick off the 2023 campaign.
Graduate student Maddie Mercado scored the first goal for Notre Dame. It marked the 18th of her career. Freshman Morgan Roy earned her first collegiate start and had the go-ahead goal at the time. Ellie Ospeck and Kiki Van Zanten respectively had the assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first half witnessed the Irish outshoot the Panthers 10-2, but trailed at the break 1-0. Maddie Mercado and Leah Klenke led with three shots each, but the Irish couldn’t connect on a clean shot as Milwaukee defenders collected block after block.
The Panthers lone shot on goal and lone goal of the half occurred in the 26th minute. Taking advantage of a Notre Dame turnover in their own half, Kan Van Booven launched a left-footed shot from deep that soared over the keeper’s hands and in.
Also important to note that senior captain and Eva Gaetino did not play in the first half, but started the second. The Irish came out with new energy and it resulted in them scoring a goal in one minute and 10 seconds.
Mercado had a great give-and-go sequence around midfield with Ospeck as they worked the ball deep into Milwaukee’s defensive third. Mercado then hit a left-footed liner from just outside the top of the box, tying the game.
In the 66th minute, the Irish got the go-ahead goal. Kiki Van Vanzen, fresh from her venture with Team Jamaica in the World Cup, made an instant impact. Van Zanten stripped a Milwaukee player from the ball at the top right side of the box, then soared past three defenders. Driving the baseline now, she found Morgan Roy dashing through the six-yard box who slid and delivered her first career goal.
What transpired in the final 10 minutes will certainly haunt the Irish. They recorded five near goal-scoring opportunities in that stretch. Mercado had two near chancees in the 80th and 81st minute. Roy nearly notched a brace in the 82nd. Ospeck sent one over the goal in a near miss in the 83rd. Lastly, freshman Charlie Codd nearly tucked one away inside the box in the 87th.
With under a minute remaining, it seemed like the Irish were walking away with a 2-1 victory. With the ball near the ND baseline, the Irish cleared the ball right down the middle of the field. That’s when Milwaukee’s Clara Broecker one-timed the ball back into the Irish box. The ball one-hopped and then went perfectly over a stretched Ashley Naylor in net with 32 seconds left.
Up next, the Irish will host Ball State on Sunday, Aug. 20, at Noon ET.
– ND –