DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Faces Daunting Task in No. 7/11 Notre Dame
9/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S SOCCER
Sept. 16, 2010
CHICAGO - There comes a time or two in every season when a soccer team like DePaul wants to play out of this world.
The BIG EAST Championship tournament would be one such occasion.
Another comes at 4 p.m. on Friday when the Blue Demons go header-to-header with No. 7/11 Notre Dame in the new Wish Field at Cacciatore Stadium.
Make no mistake about it---this will be DePaul's toughest game of the season as the Blue Demons open play in the BIG EAST.
The Fighting Irish's 5-1-0 start includes a 1-0 victory over No. 8 Santa Clara. The loss (2-1) came in overtime to No. 13 UCLA.
"Playing Notre Dame is awesome," said Callie Hemming, who leads DePaul with eight points. "We know they're great players---it's no surprise. Their whole team is made up of great athletes.
"We have to surpass their energy and come out with a little chip on our shoulders.
"We're still not a big name yet in women's soccer. We always play like we're the underdogs. We want to do well against the top programs and see how we stand on our way up."
DePaul (4-2-2) lost 4-0 at Notre Dame last year.
In 2008, Notre Dame was ranked No. 1 in the country and needed a Kerri Hanks goal in the 78th minute to leave Wish Field with a 1-0 victory.
"That game showed we took some pride in our home field," Hemming said. "We played more defensively. I remember our back line playing just outstanding."
Notre Dame took 24 shots to two for DePaul and had 11 shots on goal to one for the Blue Demons.
But DePaul goalkeeper Kelsey Hoinkes made 10 saves and only the game-winner got past her.
"The way our back line has been playing the last couple of weeks, I just know they'll come out strong on Friday," Hemming said. "Our whole team has to play hard and really come together against an extremely good Notre Dame team."
Hemming and Lauren Pagone are off to the best starts of their careers with three goals each. Tara Strickland has one goal and two assists while Kelly Blumberg and Rebekah Roller each have one goal and one assist.
Notre Dame has outscored its opposition 9-2 and has 23 points to seven for its opponents. Rose Augustin has four goals and one assist while Melissa Henderson has three goals and two assists.
Irish goalkeeper Nikki Weiss has five shutouts and a goals-against average of 0.33.
"This is a huge game because of the rivalry and how Notre Dame is ranked No. 7," said Casey Mercurio, the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week. "I look at it as an opportunity to play the best team in the BIG EAST.
"If our team plays well together and the defense remains disciplined, we'll have a good chance."
Cross-town rival Loyola (2-6-0) comes to Wish Field on Sunday for another rivalry game. The Ramblers lost their five matches of the season before successive victories over Northern Illinois and Iowa State.
Last Sunday, Loyola fell 3-0 to Michigan State in East Lansing. DePaul had come away with a 0-0 double-overtime tie two days earlier.
Kristin Papierski has tallied three of Loyola's four goals this season as the Ramblers have been outscored 17-4.
