Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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50 SEPT. 30, 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED ND SPORTS BY TODD D. BURLAGE N otre Dame junior Eva Hurm doesn't take too kindly to losing, mainly because she essentially never has. Hurm was a standout soccer for- ward at Northern Highlands Re- gional High School in northern New Jersey and went 90-1-4 during her four years there, which included a state-record 65-game winning streak and an 88-game unbeaten streak. So when the Irish finished last sea- son only 8-10, Hurm took it upon herself to change her approach, the climate of the team and the results. "We all realized we wanted this to be a comeback year," Hurm ex- plained. "I have taken on this year with a different attitude because of the way we ended last year. "That wasn't a season anybody wants to go through again." And so far, Notre Dame hasn't. Through the first eight games of this season (as of Sept. 19), the Irish won six, outscoring those eight opponents 16-6 and leaving the team just two victories shy of already matching the win total for all of 2018. Notre Dame won its first six games this season, matching its best start since 2008, a year that ended with a national championship. So what has aided the early suc- cess? Balance and depth, Irish head coach Nate Norman said. Ten different Notre Dame play- ers have scored at least one goal this year and three others have assisted on them. Hurm was tied with soph- omore midfielder Luisa Delgado for the team lead with three goals through eight contests. "We have a lot of dynamic players, which I think makes it hard for op- ponents to prepare for you," Norman said. "We can spread teams out. We have a lot of different ways we can hurt them." And one of those ways is through Hurm, who because of her amazing speed is equally adept at creating her own scoring chance on a breakaway (run) or drawing defensive attention then dishing to an attacking teammate. "There's probably not a faster player in the country than Eva," Nor- man said. "She's a great athlete, an exciting player to coach. "I'm so proud of her because I have seen her grow a lot in the last couple of years." As a freshman in 2017, Hurm ad- mits to playing reckless and "frantic" at times, perhaps trying too hard to maximize her speed instead of letting the game come to her. "I was very overwhelmed," Hurm said. But through her sophomore year and now about half of her junior season, the game has slowed down, even as her game has sped up. "I've become more comfortable again and gotten back to how I used to play in club," said Hurm, who in- terestingly has 13 family members who graduated from Notre Dame between 1951 and 2004. "It's just nice because making those runs again this season, that's something that I al- ways did." And Norman couldn't be happier to have her as part of his team. "Eva's skill set allows us to stretch teams' back line, which makes us dangerous in terms of getting in be- hind teams," he said. "She's a con- stant threat." ✦ The Game Is Slowing Down For 'Fastest Player' In Women's Soccer Junior Eva Hurm was tied for the team lead in goals with three through the first eight games for the 6-2 Fighting Irish. PHOTO COURTESY FIGHTING IRISH MEDIA Irish Roundup MEN'S SOCCER (3-1-1, 0-1-0 ACC) No. 16 Notre Dame fell 4-2 to No. 7 Clemson in its ACC opener Sept. 13, and then played a 1-1 double-overtime draw against No. 4 In- diana Sept. 17. Sophomore midfielder Ben Giacobello scored his first career goal in the tie versus the Hoosiers. The Irish take to the road for a clash with No. 11 North Carolina Sept. 20 and head to Michigan State Sept. 24. WOMEN'S SOCCER (6-2-0, 0-0-0 ACC) The Fighting Irish suffered a 2-1 loss at No. 7 South Carolina Sept. 12 and then dropped a 3-2 decision to an 8-0 Iowa squad at home Sept. 15. Junior midfielder Sammi Fisher tal- lied an assist and a goal in the loss to the Hawkeyes. Notre Dame returns to action Sept. 20 when it opens ACC play at No. 20 Clemson and then returns home to face Pitt Sept. 26. VOLLEYBALL (6-2, 0-0 ACC) Notre Dame fell to Cincinnati 3-1 Sept. 13, but bounced back to defeat Northern Ken- tucky (3-1) and Ball State (3-1) Sept. 14 to finish 2-1 at the NKU Invitational. Sophomore outside hitter Charley Niego and sophomore setter Zoe Nunez both earned a spot on the all-tournament team. The Fighting Irish continued the positive momentum with a 3-2 home victory versus Michigan Sept. 18. The two teams were set to square off again Sept. 22 in Ann Arbor, Mich. — Vince DeDario