SOUTH BEND, Ind. – A new week, a new ranking and a new Atlantic Coast Conference season awaits. The now No. 6 Notre Dame women’s soccer team (7-0-0) looks to continue its hot streak when they take their undefeated record into ACC play starting with a matchup at No. 24 Clemson (4-1-2). First touch is scheduled at 8 p.m. ET and will air live on the ACC Network with Jenn Hildreth on the call.
A 7-0 START
The Irish are 1-of-4 remaining undefeated teams in the country alongside Harvard, Rutgers and UCLA. With the 7-0-0 record, the Irish posted a perfect non-conference slate for the first time since 2008 –> that same year the Irish went 26-1 and made the NCAA title game.
The Irish already have two ranked wins on the season and have an opportunity for a third on Thursday. Prior, they knocked off No. 19 Saint Louis 2-0 on the road and then No. 22 Wisconsin 4-1 at home.
OFFENSIVE FLURRY
Notre Dame has tallied a 21-3 goal aggregate during the 7-0 record. Ironically enough, the last time ND tallied 21 goals through seven games was also back in 2008 (21-3 aggregate as well). Even more impressive is the fact that Notre Dame has scored multiple goals in all seven matches this season.
Out of the 21 goals – it’s come from nine different players: Wingate (6), Mercado (5), Klenke (2), Albert (2), Van Zanten (2), Fisher, Ospeck, Coyle and Gaetino.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
The Irish continue to climb the United Soccer Coaches weekly polls, going from No. 16 to No. 12 to now No. 6 in the week 4 poll. The last time ND was as high as No. 6 (and the last time they climbed as high as a single-digit ranking) was the 2016 season. The last time ND boasted a single-digit ranking for multiple weeks in a season – the start of the 2015 campaign.
In addition, Notre Dame’s strength of schedule ranks 10th in the country.
DOMINANT DEFENSIVE START
Notre Dame’s four shutout victories to start the year tied its second best shutout victory streak to start a season. The other instances and streaks included: 1995 (8), 2008 (4), 2010 (4).
The Irish defense surrendered its first goal of the season after 439 minutes of play in game five vs. Wisconsin. All-in-all, they’ve only allowed three goals through seven games, as their 0.429 GAA ranks 17th in the country.
The ND backline has been stout, only allowing 13 total shots on net, which equates to less than two per game. On the season, ND owns an 82-13 SOG advantage.
Total shots-wise, they’re up 175-31…