SOUTH BEND, Ind. — When the NCAA Tournament bracket was
unveiled, the Notre Dame women’s soccer team could not have
been happy about the draw it received. A second-round clash with
Michigan was staring them right in the face. This was the same
Michigan team that had given Notre Dame its first loss of the
season less than three weeks ago. Notre Dame’s presumed
concerns became a reality yesterday as Michigan upset the Fighting
Irish again 1-0. Michigan is now slated to play Connecticut in the
Sweet 16, while Notre Dame will go home much earlier than
expected.

Stephanie Chavez scored the game-winning goal early in the
second half, and No. 24 Michigan (11-7-6) held on to make the goal
stand. With 39 minutes remaining, Michigan was rewarded with its
only corner kick of the game. Junior Robyn Vince sent the kick into
the mass of players in front of the net, and after a scramble,
Chavez found the ball at her foot. She blasted it past Notre Dame
goalie Erika Bohn for her sixth goal and her fourth game-winner of
the season.

“We’ve been real successful against Notre Dame on
our corner kicks,” Chavez said. “I got it on my foot
and saw an opening.”

In the first half, No. 4 Notre Dame (20-3-1) controlled the pace
of play and kept the ball in Michigan’s end for a huge
majority of the half. The Irish had numerous scoring opportunities,
but were stifled again and again by freshman goalie Megan Tuura and
the Michigan defense. While Notre Dame attacked, Michigan defended
and defended some more. In fact, Michigan could not even manage a
shot on goal in the first half.

“We walked into the lockerroom at half relieved to be tied
0-0,” coach Debbie Rademacher said. “I told them we
needed to do more possessing of the ball in the upcoming
half.”

But in the beginning of the second half, Notre Dame kept the
pressure on. After five more frantic minutes in the Michigan end,
the Wolverines were able to work the ball up and force the corner
kick that resulted in the goal.

“We knew that if we had numbers in the box and balls were
bouncing around, something good would happen,” Rademacher
said.

After the Michigan goal, the Fighting Irish added even more
pressure, but Michigan defenders Whitney Kjar, Brenna Mulholland
and Rachel Rothenbach repeatedly turned the prolific Notre Dame
strikers away. On the rare occasions when the defense failed, Tuura
was there to grab or deflect any balls that came her way. Just
three minutes after the goal, Notre Dame forward Melissa Tancredi
sprinted toward the goal on a breakaway. Tancredi took a shot, but
Tuura made a diving save to her right to preserve the lead. All in
all, Tuura saw 13 shots while under constant duress.

“I had fun,” Tuura said. “But it was tough and
a lot of work.”

Notre Dame’s stellar season ended earlier than they
expected it would.

“I’m disappointed for our kids,” Notre Dame
coach Randy Waldrum said. “I hate to say it, but I thought we
were the better team. Credit to them though, they jumped on their
chance. They’re tough to play because they play real ugly,
dump the ball out, have a good goalie and are very
organized.”

Michigan had confidence going into Notre Dame because of its
previous victory over the Irish. Just two-and-a-half weeks ago,
Michigan beat then No. 2 Notre 3-2 on the same field.

“That was a huge win, but this was so much bigger,”
Rademacher said. “This was the biggest win ever in Michigan
history.”

On Friday, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Michigan
avenged a loss against Oakland earlier in the season. Katie Kramer
scored a second-half goal, and the Wolverines advanced to the
second round of NCAAs with a 1-0 win.