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The observer | WEDNESDAY, march 24, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
nd SOFTBALL
nd men’s Soccer
Squad falls 3-2 to Wake Forest By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS Senior Sports Writer
Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online March 22. In one of its highest profile soccer matchups of the year, Notre Dame nearly pulled off the upset over No. 5 Wake Forest at home Saturday. The Irish (8-6, 4-4 ACC) scored first and set the tone for much of the game, but ultimately conceded a w inning goal in minute 89 in a 3-2 loss at A lumni Stadium. The Irish wasted no time, getting two shots off and earning two corner kicks in the first five minutes of play. W hile junior defender Philip Quinton went dow n w ith an injur y early on, the rest of the team got involved, putting pressure on the Wake Forest (10-2-1, 2-0-1 ACC) defense. In the 8th minute, Notre Dame had a long throw in
Irish win first ACC series, look to first home game
from the left sideline that ricocheted around the 6-yard box before senior midfielder Dawson McCartney drilled a shot into the back of the net. McCartney joined the Irish roster in December as a transfer from Dartmouth, where he was Iv y League Rookie of the Year in 2017. W hile he didn’t play this past fall season due to the Iv y League’s cancellation of all sports, he recorded eight goals over the course of his prev ious three seasons w ith the Big Green. “I think he’s done great. I think he’s really fit into the to the team really well, just as a person,” head coach Chad Riley said of McCartney. “And then I think we certainly knew what he could do as a player and I think we’ve been really happy w ith the way he’s been play ing.” see M SOCCER PAGE 14
Observer Staff Report
ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer
Irish junior pitcher Paton Tidd winds up a pitch during Notre Dame’s win over IUPUI on April 2, 2019 at Melissa Cook Stadium.
This past weekend, t he Irish (12-8, 6-6 ACC) t raveled to At la nta, Georg ia, for a fourga me weekend series, look ing to close out a long road t rip t hrough t he Sout heast w it h t heir f irst conference series w in of t he season. They k icked of f t he series aga inst t he Georg ia Tech Yel low Jackets on Friday, in what quick ly beca me a duel bet ween t he sta r t ing pitchers. Junior Pay ton Tidd was solid t hroughout. She pitched 6.2 innings whi le scattering just f ive hits a nd ea rning her f if t h w in of t he season. Entering t he last inning w it h t he score sitt ing at 2-2, f if t h-yea r senior a nd second basema n see SOFTBALL PAGE 12
ND WOMEN’s Swim
ND Women’s Lax
Irish grab pair of victories ND takes on NCAA Championships over Liberty, Louisville Observer Staff Report
By SEAN KELLEY Spor ts Writer
Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online March 22. The No. 4 Fighting Irish (4-2, 1-2 ACC) earned some redemption this past weekend w ith a pair of v ictories over Libert y and No. 15 Louisv ille. The Irish had suffered back to back losses to the No. 2-ranked Sy racuse Orange (5-0, 3-0 ACC) the week before. The Irish hosted the Libert y Flames (4-4, 0-0 ASUN) Friday at Arlotta Stadium and were able to handle them steadily in a 19-5 v ictor y. Graduate student Samantha Ly nch and senior Maddie Howe paced the Irish w ith four goals apiece in attack. A ll four of Howe’s goals came during the first half, which helped cushion Notre Dame’s lead to 9-4 by halftime. see W LAX PAGE 14
Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online March 22.
Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics
Irish graduate student attack Jessi Masinko looks to pass up field during Notre Dame’s 19-5 home win over Vanderbilt on Feb. 19.
As the last hand hit the wall at the Greensboro Aquatic Center for the NC A A Women’s Championships, the Universit y of Notre Dame Women’s Sw imming and Div ing team left the arena w ith a sense of accomplishment that no personal record or medal can compare w ith. The team was represented by first-year sw immer Megan Deuel; sophomore sw immer Coleen Gillilan; junior sw immers Sammie Eyolfson, Madeline LaPorte, Bayley Stewart and Luciana Thomas; and senior diver Kelly Straub. Head coach Mike Litzinger said his studentathletes ex ited the pool know ing that they competed fiercely during the strangest year in
recent histor y, something each indiv idual w ill carr y w ith them for the future. “[They blocked] out the noise of COV ID and the ‘We can’t get it done this year’ attitude, and they went around and decided that they were going to get something done,” he said. Beyond the overarching aspects and connotations of the meet, great successes occurred in the pool and on the deck. Litzinger said that while the scener y was different, there was still plent y of energ y for the Notre Dame sw immers to feed off of. “You could tell when a Notre Dame sw immer was up on the block because you could hear the rest of the girls,” he said. “It was just as exciting as the meet see W SWIM PAGE 14
