US Lacrosse Magazine released the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Preseason Top 20 on Jan. 2. Team-by-team previews will be unveiled on uslaxmagazine.com through the end of the month and will also appear as part of the magazine’s NCAA preview edition in February. 

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No. 19 Notre Dame

2018 Record: 10-9 (3-4 ACC)
Coach: Christine Halfpenny (8th year)

All-Time Record: 228-150
NCAA Appearances: 12
Final Fours: 0
Championships: 0

The Fighting Irish have turned the page on a frustrating 2018 season.

Left in the wake are injuries, untimely scoring droughts, and for the first time in seven seasons, a missed NCAA tournament. Nevertheless, the takeaway remained positive leading into the fall, which coach Christine Halfpenny expects to turn into a successful 2019.

“We were really proud of the strides our young squad made, especially down the stretch in ACC play with some good, hard fought victories,” Halfpenny said. “We saw a glimpse of the future and the style we’d like to play.”

Halfpenny has reason for being positive. The Irish return all but three starters from last year’s team, including most of a tough and experienced defense that frustrated opponents. 

Anchoring that defense is All-ACC standout goalie Samantha Giacolone, whose steady presence has given Notre Dame freedom to concentrate on other areas of the field. Add in the expectations of a senior season and Giacolone is primed for a final curtain call.

“She’s an incredible competitor,” Halfpenny said. “She has such high lacrosse IQ. She shares that passion and in the moment has been remarkable for us. She’s impressive at her position, understanding the tempo, feel of the game and momentum swings. … I’m excited to see her in that senior year with that natural sense of urgency.”

In front of Giacolone are stalwart defenders like Hannah Proctor and Kathleen Roe, along with midfielders Savannah Buchanan and Andie Aldave. Buchanan garnered IWLCA All-Region first-team honors as a sophomore in 2018, while Aldave, Proctor and Giacolone gathered second-team recognition. Roe’s 28 caused turnovers led the team last season.

Buchanan’s play was felt all over the field as she ranked in the top three among the Irish in every major statistical category. Halfpenny attributed Buchanan’s improvement to her work ethic and academic regimen as a pre-med major.

“She’s one of the hardest working athletes I’ve ever coached,” said Halfpenny. “She’s one of the most underrated players in the game in the ACC and Division I level. You don’t notice what she does unless she’s not on the field. She’s been remarkable.”

In the circle, Aldave led the Irish with 98 draw controls while potting 31 goals as a freshman. There’s just one word her coach used to describe her – special.

“You don’t often come across a player like her,” Halfpenny said. “You get to coach a player like her once every 10-20 years, if you’re lucky.”

Up front to join Aldave is fellow sophomore Maddie Howe (40 goals), the 2018 team scoring leader. 

“Maddie’s a fabulous scorer, a great one-on-one threat,” Halfpenny said. “She’s growing her game without the ball and distributing. Now as a sophomore, she’ll be targeted. Everyone knows their role. She needs to score.”

How the likes of presumed X-factor Nikki Ortega and Jessi Masinko up their scoring output will determine the team’s fate in the eminently difficult ACC.

“I’m excited to see Nikki Ortega quarterback the offense,” said Halfpenny. “She’ll have that sense of urgency. She’s played outstanding lacrosse this fall. She gets beat up but she gets back up. I’m excited at X with her and Jessi Masinko. They put a lot of extra time on their game in the offseason.”

The Case For Notre Dame

Notre Dame’s mature offense should help the team keep pace in the ACC, while its stout defense is expected to hold its own for a return to the postseason. The Fighting Irish still feel the sting of last year’s missed opportunity and return plenty of firepower eager to deploy. Notre Dame has the look of a dark horse squad that could win a couple games in the NCAA tournament, especially with the hot hand of a senior goalkeeper.

The Case Against Notre Dame

Two things could derail Notre Dame’s aspirations: a step back on defense and its offense failing to flourish as projected. The margin for error in the ACC is so thin that it could set the Fighting Irish back and pin them on the NCAA bubble once again. Stumbles in the non-conference slate must also be avoided to avoid another May at home.

Path to the Playoffs

The formula for Notre Dame is simple. Take care of business in non-conference play by avoiding bad losses, while logging a few ACC victories to reach the NCAA tournament. Sometimes a two-win season in the ACC is enough, but hovering around .500 in the ACC should stamp another spot in the final bracket.

Players To Watch

Andie Aldave, M, So.
31 G, 98 DC

Aldave was a force during her inaugural campaign. She set the school record for draw controls in a game (11, vs. Stetson) and the single-season record in the category (98). On top of it, she poured in 31 goals. The sophomore duo of Aldave and Maddie Howe (40 goals) will be key to Notre Dame’s success.

Savannah Buchannan, Jr., M
27 G, 67 DC

Buchannan fills such a vital role for Notre Dame, producing in every area. She was second on the team in assists (16), draw controls (67) and ground balls (38), while posting the third-most goals (27), points (43) and caused turnovers. She was incredibly accurate, firing in 55.1 percent of the shots she attempted. 

Samantha Giacolone, GK, Sr.
46.4 SV%, 43 GB

The 2018 All-ACC first-team goalie kept the Irish in many games last season when its offense couldn’t. Giacolone has been a steady presence in net, posting a save percentage above .460 in her first three seasons. What type of senior magic does Giacolone have with a more experienced team in front of her?

National Rankings

Power Ratings (Scale of 1-5)

Offense
⭐⭐⭐

Defense
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goalkeeping
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Draw
⭐⭐⭐

8.67

A trend in Notre Dame’s losses last year was a lack of offensive firepower. In the nine losses, the Irish averaged 8.67 goals per game, three goals fewer than their season average (11.47). In the 10 victories, the Irish were averaging 14 goals per game, a 5-goal spike from the losses. Moreover, Notre Dame went 1-7 when scoring fewer than 11 goals. A more experienced and cohesive offense should see those numbers improve and turn some of those close, low-scoring losses into wins.

5-Year Trend
Caused Turnovers

Coach Confidential
Christine Halfpenny

“Missing a [NCAA] tournament is never good, not to have that experience. At the end of the day, we’re not focused on it at all. Is there a wound there? Yes, absolutely. We went through it. We reflected it on it. We all decided that we’re going to make positive changes and small changes so we can get back to where we want to be. We want to control what we can control. That’s the consistency piece. You go six straight years and there’s an expectation, but you miss it. You beat perennial powerhouses, but you didn’t win enough games. That’s a good reality check. [Last year is] not our focus anymore.”

Enemy Lines

"Returns most of their offensive scorers. Andie Aldave returns to the draw after an impressive freshman campaign."