SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The Golden Grizzlies took a trip to South Bend to take on the no. 7 ranked Fighting Irish, falling 8-0 on the road.
Oakland's defense was tested early as the University of Notre Dame applied pressure, resulting in a goal by Laney Matriano at the 14-minute mark. Matriano added a second goal, assisted by Grace Restovich, at the 19th minute, followed by Morgan Roy's goal in the 22nd minute, bringing the score to 3-0.
Norah Schmidt, Oakland's goalkeeper, made multiple saves throughout the first half, notably stopping shots in the 14th, 24th, and 36th minutes to help keep the score within reach.
The second half saw consistent attempts by Oakland to penetrate the Fighting Irish's defense, with
Ella Shapiro firing a shot on goal in the 48th minute. Schmidt continued to fight in goal despite the score, saving multiple shots including one from Abby Mills in the 49th minute and another from Lily Joseph in the 62nd minute. Despite the offensive efforts, Notre Dame capitalized on their opportunities, scoring additional goals at 57', 74', 77', 79', and 86' to secure a commanding lead.
Schmidt recorded 11 saves over 90 minutes of play.
Thai Quallich,
Mallory Anderson, and
Shannon Brown each recorded a shot, with
Ella Shapiro registering the only shot on goal for the team.
The Golden Grizzlies struggled to find quality looks over the course of the game, taking just four shots total.
The next challenge for the Oakland team is a home game against Kent State University. They will face off on September 7 at 1 p.m. at the Oakland Soccer Field in Rochester, Mich.
