CARY, N.C. – It was a rematch against the same two top-10 ranked teams as No. 9 Notre Dame squared off against No. 7 Clemson, this time in the semifinal round of the ACC Tournament. Unfortunately for the Irish, the results weren’t the same, as the Tigers got the best of this one, advancing with a 3-2 result.
Clemson got on the board first in the 24th minute. The equalizer later arrived in the 50th minute, courtesy of Maddie Mercado, her eighth of the season.
Yet, the score was only tied for three minutes as the Tigers scored off of a deflected shot. Later, in the 65th minute, the Tigers earned some cushion on the scoreboard after earning and converting a penalty.
Much like the end of the first half, the final 15 minutes of the second half was all Irish. In fact, Notre Dame got one back in the 74th minute as Charlie Codd found Morgan Roy in the box. Roy netted her second of the season.
First Team All-ACC selection Kiki Van Zanten had two great looks at net in the final six minutes of the match, but just couldn’t find the late equalizer.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Notre Dame outshot Clemson 8-4 in the first half but trailed at the midway point, 1-0. The Tigers put the pressure on the Irish early and found the back of the net off of a cross and header in the 24th minute.
Yet, one could argue that the second portion of the first half was all Irish as they produced several chances, including three near misses.
The first came earlier on by Kristina Lynch in the 21st minute. Morgan Roy hit a low cross to the middle of the six to Lynch who one-timed it to the far post. However, the ACC goalkeeper of the Year Halle Mackiewicz made a tremendous save.
Later on, ACC All-Freshman Team selection Charlie Codd subbed in and made an instant impact, almost scoring in both the 32nd and 35th minute.
The controversial moment of the half was when Clemson’s Hal Hershfelt wasn’t called for a second yellow when she committed an obvious pull on Mercado’s jersey.
Now let’s go to the 50th minute where Maddie Mercado had a classic rocket shot from outside of the box to equalize it. Mercado dribbled the ball into the middle of the field about 10 yards outside the 18-yard box and launched a shot that tucked inside the right post.
Unfortunately for the Irish, the score wasn’t tied for long. Clemson not only scored on a later counterattack, but also on a deflected shot. In fact, Irish keeper Atlee Olofson chose the right way to dive, but the deflected ball went to the opposite side.
Clemson then earned some wiggle room in the 65th minute when a through ball in the box resulted in an awarded penalty kick; the result – a goal and 3-1 lead.
Yet, the Irish kept fighting and applied plenty of pressure which resulted in the ball living in Clemson’s side of the field. The result there was a goal back in the 74th minute.
Notre Dame’s second goal was a freshman-to-freshman connection. Charlie Codd did a great job holding on to the ball long enough under pressure and then finding Morgan Roy running down the right side of the box. Roy then tucked it far post for the goal, her second of the year.
Then heartbreak twice in the final six minutes of the match where Kiki Van Zanten had two solid looks. First, in the 84th minute, Van Zanten had the ball all alone streaking down the right side of the box. Her shot just clipped the keeper then hit off the near post. Fast forward to the final minute and Sophia Fisher delivered a great cross to the middle of the box where Van Zanten had a touch on it but the shot went high.
UP NEXT
Now, the Irish must wait till Selection Monday when the NCAA Tournament field is announced at 4 p.m. ET. Notre Dame is looking at either a two or three seed, which is the difference between hosting three games or one, respectively.
– ND –