No. 19 Louisville Hosts No. 4 Notre Dame on Sunday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - No. 19 University of Louisville women's lacrosse hosts their second top-5 opponent of the week when they take on No. 4 Notre Dame on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET. The game will broadcast live on ACC Network.

The Cardinals are 4-3 overall and 0-2 in conference play. The Fighting Irish, who were second in the ACC preseason poll, enter Thursday's game at 3-2 on the season and 0-2 in the league.

Caroline Blalock leads the team in assists (8), points (23), and draw controls (19), and is second in goals (15) and ground balls (13). The senior co-captain was named to the 2021 Tewaaraton Award watch list earlier this month.

Ally Hall tops the roster with 16 goals after seven games and had a team-high two goals in the loss to North Carolina on Thursday. Hall netted a career-high five goals on just eight shots in the win over Marquette on March 14 and also ranks second on the team with 19 points.

Hannah Morris has tallied 14 goals this season and her 15 points ranks third on the team. Her 13-game scoring streak came to a close against North Carolina on Thursday.

Goalkeeper Rachel Florek has recorded 74 saves throughout the 2021 campaign, which ranks first in the ACC and second in the NCAA. Her .493 save percentage ranks fifth in the conference, while her 10.6 saves per game leads the league.

Louisville is seeking its second win over a ranked opponent this season.

ABOUT THE FIGHTING IRISH

Taking the second spot in the conference's preseason coaches poll, No. 4 Notre Dame enters Sunday's game with a 3-2 record and 0-2 in ACC action. The Fighting Irish concluded the shortened 2020 campaign with a 7-0 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2019. Samantha Lynch leads the team with 15 goals and 18 points after five games, while Madison Ahern has a team-high seven assists. Savannah Buchanan has recorded 11 ground balls, and Andie Aldave has tallied 18 draw controls. Goalkeeper Bridget Deehan, the 2020 Inside Lacrosse Breakthrough Player of the Year, has registered 43 saves for a .478 save percentage. Notre Dame had a nation-leading seven players earn Preseason All-America accolades, including two First Team honorees in Aldave and Deehan. Aldave and Deehan were also tabbed US Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-Americans, with Deehan named the Preseason Goaltender of the Year. Head coach Christine Halfpenny, who owns a 103-57 record in her 10th year at Notre Dame, has led the Fighting Irish to seven NCAA appearances.

Series History - Louisville will look to get their third win in program history against Notre Dame, who own a 2-10 all-time series record. The Cardinals are 1-4 at home. The Cardinals' last win over the Fighting Irish was a 10-9 overtime victory at UofL Lacrosse Stadium on March 5, 2016.

Last Meeting (March 2, 2019) - Louisville fell 16-4 in South Bend, Ind. Alex McNicholas was the first Cardinal to get on the board, and Caroline Blalock, Hannah Morris, and Shayla Scanlan all scored. Ally Hall recorded the lone assist for the Cardinals, while Rachel Florek played the first 45 minutes in net and recorded six saves.

Date: Sunday, March 21
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Site: Louisville, Ky. | UofL Lacrosse Stadium
Video: ACC Network Extra
Last Meeting: L, 16-4 (March 2, 2019 at Notre Dame)
Series History: 2-10 (1-4 Home, 1-5 Away, 0-1 Neutral)
Next Game: Friday, March 26 at No. 6 Boston College

For the latest information on Louisville lacrosse, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Twitter account @LouisvilleLax or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLLacrosse.

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Players Mentioned

Caroline Blalock

Rachel Florek

Ally Hall

Alex McNicholas

Hannah Morris

Shayla Scanlan

University of Louisville Athletics