Final: Pitt 1, Notre Dame 1 – ND wins 4-2 on PKs

NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament – Quarterfinal Round

No. 5 Pitt vs No. 4 Notre Dame, 5 p.m.

Saturday, December 3, 2021

South Bend, Indiana | Alumni Stadium
TV: ACCNX | Live Stats: Click Here

Follow PSN’s Jordan Smith and Mark Goodman on Twitter for updates/takeaways

 

Match Day Updates

The NCAA Quarterfinals are underway at Alumni! Here is your ND Starting XI.

📺: ACCNX#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/fCsLVxuRjJ

— Notre Dame Men's Soccer (@NDMenSoccer) December 4, 2021

Locked in. NCAA Elite Eight up next.

Pitt 🆚 Notre Dame#H2P pic.twitter.com/2hbxKYtyPW

— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) December 4, 2021

Look for starting lineups to post here shortly before the match, along with in-game updates, commentary and post-match reaction to follow.

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12/3/2021

7:30 a.m. — Good morning!  This is John Krysinsky.   I’ll be on the road, spending time with my family in New York City this weekend, so I will not be on coverage of this big match, but PSN contributors, Jordan Smith and Mark Goodman will be providing updates and will have post match reaction and recaps to follow on Saturday night and Sunday.

This should be an exciting match with the ultimate contrast in styles with two great coaches.  Thanks to Chase Brooks, Duquesne’s Head Coach, who joined me yesterday to talk about this and all of the NCAA tournament Elite Eight matches yesterday.

In the meantime, here’s a link to an excellent piece on Notre Dame’s long-time Head Coach Bobby Clark, who current head coach Chad Riley played for and would replace in 2017 and be sure to get caught up on our coverage from this past week as we preview Pitt vs Notre Dame Part III.

Also, here’s an article in this morning’s South Bend Gazette on Notre Dame.

PSN’s Pitt-Notre Dame Coverage

NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament: Previewing the Elite Eight with Duquesne’s Chase Brooks

Confident and mindful Panthers banking on third time to be the charm vs impenetrable Notre Dame

NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament: Previewing Pitt-Notre Dame on 412 All Pittsburgh Podcast

Pitt’s Raphaël Crivello, Filip Mirkovic Named to TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week

Pitt Game Notes

THE SERIES – NOTRE DAME

–        The Panthers and Fighting Irish meet for the third time in a month and a half span and sixth time in the past two seasons. Notre Dame has won each of the last two contests, while Pitt won all three during the 2020-21 season.

–        Notre Dame leads the all-time series 20-7-3. Notre Dame leads the series 6-4 since the 2016 season, Jay Vidovich’s first season as the Panthers’ head coach.

–        Vidovich holds a 7-8-1 all-time record versus the Fighting Irish.

SCOUTING THE FIGHTING IRISH

–        Notre Dame enters the match with an overall record of 14-5-3 and a home mark of 10-2-1. Notre Dame is one of four teams in the ACC this season to finish with 10+ wins at home (Pitt, Clemson, Wake Forest).

–        The Fighting Irish as a team are sixth in the country in total goals (50), eighth in total points (143) and own the 13th-best scoring offense with 2.27 goals per contest. Notre Dame is also second in the country in shutout percentage (.591) and sixth in goal differential (33).

–        Jack Lynn leads the offense with nine goals. He has four assists to total a team-high 22 points. His 64 shots and 28 shots on goal are also a team best.

–        Dawson McCartney and Matthew Roou each have seven goals, while McCartney is tied for the team lead with five assists.

–        Notre Dame has shutout its opponent in six-straight matches, including all ACC postseason and NCAA Tournament matches. The Fighting Irish’s last conceded goal came Oct. 29 on the road vs. Chapel Hill.

–        Goalkeeper Bryan Dowd has 39 saves and a .696 save percentage on the season. He is fourth in the country in shutouts with 10.

2021 NCAA TOURNAMENT SO FAR

–        Pitt’s path to the Elite Eight has included a first round bye, a 5-2 victory over Northern Illinois in the Second Round and a 4-0 shutout of Hofstra in the Third Round. Both victories have been at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

–        Of the remaining eight teams, Pitt is tied for most goals scored in the tournament with nine (Saint Louis).

–        The Panthers entered the Sweet 16 as one of three teams to score five or more goals in the Second Round (Hofstra, Saint Louis). Hofstra, who entered the matchup versus Pitt with the most goals of any team in the Tournament, was shutout by Pitt’s defense.

–        Seven Panthers have scored in Pitt’s two tourney games, led by Frenchman Bertin Jacquesson and Raphaël Crivello, who each have two. Jacquesson leads all Panthers with seven points (2 goals, 3 assists).

–        Jacquesson tallied three assists against Northern Illinois, tying an NCAA Tournament single-game record. He became the first player since 2018 to record three assists in a tourney match.

–        Pitt is outshooting its opposition 37-16 while holding a 14-6 advantage in corner kicks.

CAMPUZANO WITH THE STOPS

–        In just two seasons as Pitt’s goalkeeper, Nico Campuzano has etched his name atop of the goalkeeping records but has made his name known come postseason play.

–        The Cantabria, Spain, native stopped three shots in Pitt’s 5-2 NCAA Second Round victory over Northern Illinois Sunday, Nov. 21.

–        Campuzano earned his sixth shutout of the season in Pitt’s 4-0 victory over Hofstra Saturday, Nov. 27. He ranks sixth in program history with 12 career shutouts

–        In six NCAA Tournament games played, Campuzano has 22 saves, including a career-high 10 against UCF in the NCAA Third Round last year, and three shutouts.

–        Between all postseason play (NCAA Tournament and Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament), Campuzano has 45 saves. That total accounts for 39% of his career saves (114).

–        The keeper owns a 7-3 postseason record with a 4-1 mark this year.

JACQUESSON EN FEU

–        Sophomore Frenchman Bertin Jacquesson has been a major contributor on offense this season, totaling seven goals, 11 assists and averaging 1.32 points per game.

–        The forward converted his lone shot into a goal against Clemson (Sept. 25) and followed that match up with two assists in a home victory vs. Syracuse (10/1).

–        He registered four points in Pitt’s shutout victory over Cleveland State (10/5) with a goal and two assists and aided Pitt in its 3-2 victory over No. 3 Duke (10/9) with a goal.

–        Jacquesson earned his fifth assist of the season against Virginia on Valentin Noel’s first goal of the match.

–        He followed the Virginia match up with his sixth assist of the season vs. UMass.

–        Jacquesson scored Pitt’s first goal against No. 21 Virginia Tech, helping Pitt record three goals in less than seven minutes in the first half in a 4-1 victory.

–        The Frenchman recorded two assists in Pitt’s 2-1 double-OT ACC Quarterfinal win over Virginia Tech, his fifth multi-assist game of his career.

–        Jacquesson delivered a career-high match against Northern Illinois in the NCAA Tournament Second Round Sunday, recording one goal and three assists. His assist total tied an NCAA Tournament single-game record and he became the first player since 2018 to tally three assists in an NCAA Tournament contest.

–        His efforts against Northern Illinois earned him a spot on College Soccer News’ Team of the Week Nov. 22.

–        The forward etched his name into the record book after the Northern Illinois victory, tying Eric Prex’s (1994) single-season assist record of 11 assists. In two seasons at Pitt, Jacquesson is tied for third all-time with 18 assists.

–        Jacquesson scored his seventh goal of the season in Pitt’s 4-0 shutout of Hofstra in the NCAA Tournament Third Round.

–        Jacquesson leads the team in points (25), is tied for first in goals (7) and first in assists (11).

–        His total assist count is ranks fifth in the country, while his .58 assists per game mark is eighth in the nation.

Notre Dame Game Notes

THE IRISH IN THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

• Notre Dame is playing in its 23rd NCAA Championship in 2021 and have played in the tourney in 19 of the last 21 seasons.

• The Irish have an overall record of 21-20-3 in the NCAA Championships.

• The Irish have advanced to the round of 16 on 11 occasions and have made five quarterfinals.

• Notre Dame won the College Cup in 2013, defeating Maryland by a score of 2-1 to capture the title. It was the program’s only trip to the College Cup.

• Notre Dame is 15-8-3 when playing at home in NCAA Tournament play in program history and has advanced to the next round 17 times.

• The Irish are 12-8-2 in their opening NCAA Tournament matches in program history and have advanced to the next round 14 times.

• Notre Dame’s No. 4 national seed is the highest the program has earned since being the top-seed during the 2014 season.

THE PITT SERIES

• The Irish and Panthers will meet on the pitch for the 31st time on Saturday.

• Notre Dame holds a decisive lead in the all-time series with a record of 20-7-3.

• The Irish were victorious in both matchups earlier this season, defeating the Panthers in double overtime by a final score of 1-0 in the regular season at Alumni Stadium and 2-0 in the ACC semifinals in Pittsburgh.

• Pitt has only been shutout twice this season, both coming in matches against the Irish.

KEEP IT CLEAN

• The Notre Dame defense has come into form in the second half of the season, entering Saturday’s match posting 10 clean sheets in its last 12 matches.

• The Irish have totaled 13 shutouts on the season, with Bryan Dowd in goal for 10 and Thomas Deslongchamps recording three.

• The 13 clean sheets are tied for third most in program history and the most since recording 13 during the 2006 season.

• Notre Dame has eight clean sheets against ACC opponents, the most by any team in the conference this season (Pitt x2, Duke, Clemson, Wake Forest, Louisville, NC State x2)

• Opponents have scored multiple goals in just four of 22 matches this season.

• Despite playing some of the top teams in the country, the Irish have allowed just five goals in the last 14 matches.

FINISHING STRONG

• The Irish have made it a habit of dominating the second half of matches, outscoring the opposition 30-7 in the final 45 minutes of regulation.

• Notre Dame’s defense hasn’t allowed a goal in the second half in the last 12 matches, outscoring the opposition 17-0 in the second half during that stretch.

• The last time the Irish allowed a goal was in a 2-1 win against Virginia on October 1.

LYNN LEADS THE LINE

• Lynn was Notre Dame’s representative on the ACC Preseason Watch List and was ranked No. 33 in TopDrawerSoccer’s midseason top 100 players rankings.

• Lynn paces all active Irish players in career goals with 30.

• Lynn became the 12th player in program history to reach the 30 career goal mark.

• The senior leads the team in goals (9) and points (22) on the year.

• The forward has nine goals and four assists on the season.

• Lynn was named All-ACC First Team for the second straight year by the league coaches.

• The forward enjoyed a breakout 2019 campaign, scoring a career-high 10 goals to lead the Irish attack.

• Lynn has led the Irish in goals and points in each of the last two seasons.

BALANCED ATTACK

• Nineteen different Irish players have registered at least one point this season, as the team has totaled 143 on the season.

• Fifteen players have scored a goal through 22 matches, with 11 scoring multiple goals.

• Dawson McCartney and Paddy Burns are tied for the team lead in assists with five each while Jack Lynn, Ethan O’Brien and Daniel Russo are tied for second with four each. Matthew Roou, Ben Giacobello and Matthew McLaughlin each have three.

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT

• The Irish have received significant contributions from the 2021 freshman class.

• Fourteen of Notre Dame’s 50 goals have been scored by freshmen.

• Matthew Roou ranks tied for second on the team in goals scored with seven while Eno Nto is fourth on the squad with five goals to his name.

• Michael Rossi scored two goals in his debut season.

• Josh Ramsey has played in all 22 games, including 21 starts for Notre Dame this season at the center back position.

• Nto and Roou both scored goals in their first career starts, coming in the 2-0 win over NIU.

• Kyle Genenbacher has also logged minutes in 20 matches this season.

ACC CHAMPIONSHIP REWIND

• The Irish captured its first ACC Championship title in program history with a 2-0 win over Duke in Cary, North Carolina.

• Dawson McCartney scored a brace in the title game and totaled three goals over the four tournament matches to earn ACC Championship MVP honors.

• Jack Lynn, Bryan Dowd and Philip Quinton joined McCartney on the ACC All-Tournament Team.

• The Irish didn’t allow a goal over the four games, becoming the first team to accomplish the feat when playing in four games and the sixth to ever finish the ACC Championships with no goals allowed.

• Notre Dame advanced past NC State (1-0), Louisville (0-0, 3-0 penalties), and Pitt (2-0) to get to the title game.

• The Irish snapped Pitt’s 19-match home winning streak with the 2-0 win in the semifinal round.