The bar is set high for 2021, at least internally.
Over the course of an hourlong group interview, a relaxed confidence emanated from everyone who spoke. While the expectation is for their season to stretch to Memorial Day weekend, they’re steadfast in trusting both each other and the work that’s going on behind the scenes.
Plus, they’re still riding the momentum from last year.
If there was a singular turning point in 2020, it was probably a 17-15 triumph in a slugfest against Northwestern on Feb. 14.
Ahern completed her second five-point game to start her college career. Howe scored four goals for the second consecutive game. Lynch netted her 100th career goal. Choma tallied a hat trick. It was the first instance of that now enviable depth stepping up during a game in which Aldave was held to one assist.
After Northwestern’s Izzy Scane punctuated a four-goal run by tying the score at 12, Notre Dame netted three straight goals for a 15-12 lead. That was enough to stave off another comeback attempt.
“Since Savannah and I came in as freshmen, we had never beaten them before,” Roe said. “Honestly, when we scrimmaged them in the fall, we didn’t keep score, but I don’t think we ever beat them. That was a huge game for us. Even though that was the second game [of the season], we were like, ‘Yeah, this is legit.’”
Other coaches took notice of Notre Dame’s rise. Once a team that could be shaken and taken advantage of over the course of a game, Notre Dame now has the depth and mental fortitude to cause those same problems for others.
“They’re very, very talented, from front to back, particularly on the defensive side of the ball,” one rival coach said. “They can score, but they have a lot of experience on their defense. And they have kids who can run in transition, and if you fall asleep on them, they’ll score on you. I think they will be right up there, 1, 2, 3, 4, knocking on the door with UNC for sure.”
Some other Division I coaches were less sure that the Irish would position themselves to take that next step — perhaps supporting the notion behind writing this story.
“I’d like to see how tough they are,” one coach said. “Can they take a punch and respond? They’re a team that was off to a nice start, and they have great recruiting classes every year. The talent is there. It’s just a matter of them finding the right recipe.”
Seven of last year’s seniors believe in the recipe. They returned for graduate years, using the NCAA’s eligibility relief. Nobody transferred out of the program. Emma Schettig, a high-profile defender as a freshman at Maryland, entered the portal and joined Notre Dame, adding to a defense already considered one of the nation’s best.
Even with Deehan back between the pipes, that defense could’ve taken a big hit had those players — namely Roe, Buchanan and Donnelly — chosen not to come back for an extra year. They embolden Notre Dame’s deep and dangerous offense that is made even stronger with Aldave strutting back to take the draw after a score.
“Without a doubt, we feel really confident in being able to go for it,” Halfpenny said. “When I watch these women play, they play with no hesitation and no restraints. There’s a freedom about the way they play.”
That freedom is what Deehan and others hope will catch on to those outside of South Bend. Not just the rankings-makers or the analysts, but to the next generation of women’s lacrosse players who Halfpenny hopes will expand upon the culture she’s helped nurture. Long after the likes of Buchanan, Roe and other members of their class are gone, Notre Dame expects to ride this momentum to future successes.
“People will just look at us and say, ‘Wow, that’s something I want to be a part of,’” Deehan said.
Howe said there will be a noticeable “wow” factor. Buchanan chose the word “special” to describe their chemistry. Roe opted for the word “fun.”
Perhaps summarizing it all best, Aldave said that Notre Dame won’t be overlooked any longer.
“By the end of next season, they’ll be saying that Notre Dame is a women’s lacrosse school,” she said.
This is all to say that the phrase “don’t poke the bear” doesn’t really apply to this Notre Dame team. By not poking the bear, the implication is that it will remain harmless. But Notre Dame isn’t a sleeping bear.
It’s already a force to be reckoned with — whether it’s poked or left to its own devices.