Usually, the wetter the pitch, the harder a soccer ball is to control.
Notre Dame ignored science on Thursday – it took the Pandas just 54 minutes to eliminate 13th Region champion South Laurel in a 10-0 mercy-rule win at Buenger Sports Complex.
“I think we defied physics,” Pandas coach Brian Woeste said. “We just, honestly, played really hard. We’re a talented group, and I think maybe playing the regionals in this kind of (rainy) weather helped us a little bit.”
Which means, Notre Dame meets Sacred Heart (a 2-0 winner over Bowling Green) in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at Lexington Lafayette. In the first semifinal at 4 p.m., Bardstown Bethlehem takes on Boyle County.
Notre Dame hasn’t been this far since winning the state title in 2021, but senior Eva Dozier said there’s no pressure.
“Honestly, I don’t think that’s what’s on our mind right now,” Dozier said. “I think that if we win state, we’re winning state for our year, our team.”
Dozier had scored just one goal before Thursday – she tripled her total with scores in the 28th, 34th and the game-ending 54th. It was her first three-goal game this season.
Seven more Pandas scored – Cam Kirtley, Kimmie Woeste (penalty kick), Carlyn Tranter (who was credited on the Cardinals’ own-goal), Scarlet Cogswell, Ellie Heyob, Kaileigh Brueggemann and Hannah Renaker.
Renaker’s goal was maybe the most memorable – she’s usually a goalkeeper, and her score in the 44th minute was the first of her high school career.
“This is maybe the best night of my life,” she said. “I haven’t scored a goal in maybe five years.”
Almost as varied as Notre Dame’s scoring was the assists, Woeste, Brueggemann, Maya Tully, Jane Schuh, Chloe Fullenkamp and Heyob each had one.
Renaker, Joelle Hentz and Adilynn Melton combined for the shutout.
Notre Dame (21-3-2) needed just seven minutes to start the scoring when Kirtley converted Woeste’s pass. After Woeste’s PK in the 11th, there was a lull – the Pandas didn’t reach 3-0 until Dozier converted Brueggemann’s pass in the 28th.
“We knew that Notre Dame was going to be a really hard team,” South Laurel (14-7) coach Lora Rison said. “We’re just proud of our girls for making it this far. We know the caliber of play in this area is a lot higher than where our girls are.”
There was no temporary inactivity late in the first half – Dozier (34th minute) Cogswell (36th), Heyob (36th) and Brueggeman (40th) put Notre Dame ahead, 8-0.
Renaker scored in the 44th minute, and Dozier ended the evening in the 54th.
Sacred Heart defeated Notre Dame, 4-1, on Aug. 12 in Park Hills.
In the postgame huddle, Coach Woeste reminded his team of the preseason training sessions – and how he thought Notre Dame would be playing in late October.
“Who knew?” he said. “I saw it.”