9. Irish Look For Second Ever Win In Charlottesville – Notre Dame Fighting Irish – Official Athletics Website

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 16 Notre Dame women’s soccer team has had some time to rest and gear up for ACC showdown number two of the 2024 season. In that time, they’ve also received their Canadian U20 World Cup reinforcements in Clare Logan and Annabelle Chukwu. This hungry and young Irish squad will now travel to Klockner Stadium for a ranked battle against No. 14 Virginia (8-1-0, 1-1-0).

If you are a Fighting Irish fan than Saturday is the day for you. The football team kicks off against Miami (Ohio) at home at 3:30 p.m. on NBC/Peacock. Then immediately after, you can catch the Irish vs. Cavaliers at 7 p.m. ET on ACCNX.

UVA SERIES

If this year’s young Irish squad wants to make a splash in the ACC, look no further than the opportunity presenting itself on Saturday in a ranked matchup against No. 14 Virginia. The Cavaliers were off to a red-hot 8-0 start on the year until they hit a roadblock via Wake Forest in a 3-0 shutout. UVA is 1-1 in league play, defeating Miami previously.

The  Irish trail in the overall series, 2-7-1. They are 1-4-1 in Charlottesville. That lone win was a 2-1 double-OT victory back in 2015.

The Irish did win their last encounter with Virginia — a 1-0 victory in South Bend during the 2022 season. Maddie Mercado scored off of a corner kick from Korbin Albert.

ELLIE HODSDEN – THE COMEBACK STORY

Several freshmen have dominated the season storylines for the Irish thus far and yet another star has emerged in Ellie Hodsden. The Texas native missed the first several games due to working herself back into game shape, wrapping up a year-long return from an ACL injury.

Hodsden has subbed in late in each half in the past two games and has been a nightmare for opponent defenses. She’s played a total of 46 minutes and has scored three goals. That means she’s scoring every 15 minutes on the pitch. Against Marquette, she scored in the 43rd minute. At BC, it was in the 37th and 88th minute.

Hodsden played the hero at Boston College. The Irish were down 2-0 and she willed them back to a 2-2 draw with her first career brace. Her second goal, which came in the 88th minute, was a beautiful header off a cross.