Pair of First-Half Goals Doom Wolverines at No. 13 Notre Dame

Sunday, September 13

South Bend, Ind.

5:00 PM

Michigan

5-3-0

Notre Dame

7-0-1

Michigan

Notre Dame

Abby Kastroll

Pair of First-Half Goals Doom Wolverines at No. 13 Notre Dame

9/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Whitney Dixon

» Notre Dame scored the game's only two goals in the first half at 24:14 and 34:09.
» Michigan allowed just nine shots by Notre Dame, which was averaging 23 shots per game.
» Notre Dame, which was U-M's first ranked opponent of the season, was the first team to outshoot the Wolverines, 9-3.

Site: South Bend, Ind. (Alumni Stadium)
Score: #13 Notre Dame 2, Michigan 0
Records: U-M (5-3-0), UND (7-0-1)
Attendance: 1,237
Next U-M Event: Friday, Sept. 18 -- vs. Nebraska (U-M Soccer Stadium), 7 p.m. (TV: BTN)

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- In its final non-conference match of the season, the University of Michigan women's soccer team conceded two first-half goals to its first ranked opponent of the season, No. 13 Notre Dame, as the Irish prevailed, 2-0, on Sunday (Sept. 13) at Alumni Stadium.

Notre Dame, which was averaging 23 shots per game prior to today's match, got off just nine shots but was the first team to outshoot the Wolverines this season, limiting U-M to three shots.

The Fighting Irish notched their first goal in the 25th minute, as U-M sophomore goalkeeper Megan Hinz made the stop on the initial header by Notre Dame's Katie Naughton, but Natalie Jacobs was there to knock in the rebound inside the six-yard box.

Ten minutes later, UND's Anna Maria Gilberston cut the ball back to her left foot just inside the right side of the penalty box and fired a low shot that graced the inside of the right post and went into the goal to put Notre Dame up, 2-0 (34:09).

UND held a 2-0 lead at the break and also owned a 6-2 advantage in shots.

Sophomore/freshman goalkeeper Sarah Jackson came in to replace Hinz at the half and made two saves to help keep the Irish scoreless in the first half.

The second half was an evenly matched affair, but Notre Dame dropped and played more defensively, not allowing Michigan quality chances in the attacking third. Notre Dame fired three shots, including two on goal, while junior/sophomore Ani Sarkisian put U-M's only shot attempt in the second half over the cross bar in the 87th minute.

"As the game went along I thought our backs did a great job or possessing and playing in the midfield," said head coach Greg Ryan. "I thought our midfield played fantastic today and did a great job of possessing and knocking the ball, but we weren't able to get anything going up top."

After going 5-3-0 in non-conference play, the Wolverines will open Big Ten Conference action next Friday (Sept. 18), when they welcome Nebraska to U-M Soccer Stadium for a 7 p.m. matchup.

"We have to put this one behind us and start focusing on Nebraska. They're a very good team so we'll have to prepare specifically for them. They're a good attacking team that will put four on our back line, and they will also counterattack well, so we'll have to prepare for that. And we just need to keep improving our play and creating chances for ourselves."