Come for the Pat Kavanagh spectacle. Stay for the Wheaton Jackoboice special.

Sixth-seeded Notre Dame took its first punch of the postseason, surviving a spirited second-half rally by CAA champion Drexel to win 10-8 in an NCAA tournament first-round game Saturday at Denver’s Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.

The Fighting Irish (8-3) are hosting the quarterfinals next Sunday in South Bend, Ind., and advanced past the first round for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons. They’ll play the winner of Sunday’s game between Vermont and third-seeded Maryland.

Drexel (10-3) almost denied Notre Dame that opportunity. The Dragons scored two late third-quarter goals and tied the game at 8 early in the fourth quarter. Goalie Ross Blumenthal ensured it stayed that way, making seven of his 15 saves in the final frame — including two that nearly trickled over the goal line.

“We had three layups in that fourth quarter that he made spectacular saves on. Two of them were dancing on the goal line,” Fighting Irish coach Kevin Corrigan said. “Unfortunately, they didn’t dance on the right side.”

An interference call gave Notre Dame the ball back with less than two minutes left. And instead of Kavanagh — the Tewaaraton Award finalist who had his moments but shot just 2-for-10 — the Fighting Irish turned to Jackoboice. The lefty midfielder dodged down the right alley, dropped his shoulders and used a head fake to get Blumenthal thinking low, only to beat him high for the game-winning goal with 1:19 remaining.

Morrison Mirer scored on an empty net 38 seconds later to seal the win, one in which Notre Dame midfielders accounted for seven of its 10 goals — including four from the second midfield line. The Fighting Irish needed all of them.

“I don’t know many teams in my memory that have won a championship without getting challenged,” Corrigan said. “We certainly were challenged today.”

Corrigan was critical of his team’s shot selection and its inability to adjust against a Drexel defense that opted not to pursue Kavanagh behind the goal and clogged up the interior.

Notre Dame was able to keep the Dragons at bay on the other end thanks largely to a 17-save performance by goalie Liam Entenmann.

Blumenthal was just as good. With the game tied at 8, he used the instep of his left foot to make his seventh save of the fourth quarter, denying Will Yorke with 1:55 left.

Blumenthal recovered the ball behind him before it spun over the goal line and then clamped it to set up the clear. But Drexel’s Peter Rayhill was called for interference, checking multiple Notre Dame players after Blumenthal already had possession.

“I’m not sure you should make that call then, but I’m not the referee,” Dragons coach Brian Voelker said.

“It’s not a questionable call,” Corrigan said. “The goalie had the ball and their guy was still clearing bodies across the crease.”

The turnover set the stage for Jackoboice’s game-winner. He sprinted past Rayhill down the alley, froze Blumenthal with the head fake and stuck an overhand shot for his team-high third goal of the game.

Kavanagh, a Tewaaraton finalist as a sophomore, was mostly quiet, though he did score a behind-the-back goal and caused two turnovers riding near the midfield line that led to transition goals in the first half.

Notre Dame faceoff specialists Charlie Leonard and Kyle Gallagher combined to go 15-for-22.

Reid Bowering scored a game-high four goals for Drexel, finishing his career tied with Jeff Miller (1974-77) for first on the school’s all-time list with 147.