The Notre Dame Lady Irish went head-to-head with local rival Boyd Buchanan's Lady Bucs. Both sides having an ideal start to their season and hoped to keep that going after this match. For most cases, one team would walk away with the win and their heads held up high. However, both teams left the field full of emotion and accomplishment and striving for more after they tied 1-1.
Despite there not being any goals to give shoutouts in the first half, there was plenty to acknowledge from the effort and skill shown on the pitch. The first of many, and likely the most notable, was the powerful throw in executed by Boyd Buchanan’s Kate Wood. Wood had been using this throw all season and it had been heart stopping to watch. She lined up about five yards away from the field, would get a running start, and do a front flip that launched it more than halfway across the field.
Neither team seemed to lack any ability to score or to get in front of goal. The main factor that kept the scoreline to zero in the first half was the hardworking defense from both teams. Both the Lady Bucs and the Lady Irish were fast on offense. This made it look like there would be plenty of goals for everyone. Yet, the defenses refused to allow anything to get close to the goal.
There was a change in momentum in the second half that led to several opportunities, and even a few goals. Lady Bucs’ midfielder 8 would finally find the net after winning the ball at the top of the box. Looking for any solution they could to score, Riley Reese stepped up and smashed to ball into the net from distance to give Boyd Buchanan the lead. This would last only a few minutes when Notre Dame forward Jenna Sullivan, after a beautiful through ball from Saylor Schalk, would run in and pass one past the keeper. This kept the score all tied up again at 1-1.
Notre Dame’s Jenna Sullivan was available after the match to share some of her thoughts on the game and her goal as well, “I was really excited, and all my teammates really helped me,” said Sullivan. “They really cheered me up. I was excited because I wasn’t expecting that. The goal was left footed, and I am naturally right footed. I was definitely just trusting the process. Especially at halftime, we were all talking about how we could bring the intensity and really focus on getting a goal and winning. I think we have the potential to win state this year.”
Later in the game, the Lady Bucs’ Kate Wood would do something else to change the direction of the game, unfortunately for her and her team, it would be receiving her second yellow card and being sent off. The rest of the match, Boyd Buchanan would have to play a man down. This allowed for Notre Dame to get more comfortable on the ball and have more attacking chances. Nevertheless, the game would remain tied 1-1 until the very end. Saylor Schalk, Notre Dame goalkeeper and midfielder, spoke about the team and the rivalry.
“We always fight through to the end because we are the Fighting Irish,” Schalk expressed. “We always start off with good intensity throughout the game. Sometimes when our intensity is following, other teammates help push each other to exceed the expectations. That’s how we got the goal tonight. By exceeding expectations and giving one-hundred and ten percent. I really love playing goalkeeper. I have played goalkeeper for my club and high school soccer has let me play on the field and I love playing on the field as well. Being able to play on both ends really helps me understand what each player on the team is going through. Knowing that helps be to push players to do better and have better intensity.”
Game Summary
Boyd Buchanan 0 1 --1
Notre Dame 0 1 --1
Goal Scorers:
Boyd Buchanan- Riley Reese; Notre Dame- Jenna Sullivan.
Assists:
Notre Dame- Saylor Schalk.
(Contact Alex McElyea at alexmcelyea26@gmail.com)