Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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50 NOV. 23, 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED ND SPORTS BY TODD D. BURLAGE I f turnabout really is fair play, then the Notre Dame men's cross country team learned that the hard way at the ACC Champi- onships Nov. 1 in Blacks- burg, Va. In what was essentially a two-team race between Notre Dame and Syracuse, the Orange exacted its pent-up revenge this year by knocking off last year's ACC champion Irish by just five points, 68-73. Last season, Notre Dame made some history when it narrowly edged Syracuse, the five-time defending champion, by four points, 57-61, to claim the first-ever ACC title for the Irish. "Last year, we won a very close meet and this year we are on the other side of it," Notre Dame head coach Sean Carlson said. "Syracuse ran a great team race and my hat is off to them." The difference this year was that Notre Dame's five scoring runners in the 8K race were separated by 46 sec- onds, while the five Syracuse scorers were separated by just 14 seconds. "I think we were a little upset," said Irish junior Yared Nuguse, who was satisfied with a second-place in- dividual finish in this competitive field but plenty disappointed his Irish weren't able to repeat as league champions. "We felt going in we had all the pieces to win, but it's cross country so all the little things have to go right for you to win it." Notre Dame sophomore Dylan Jacobs finished fifth and junior An- drew Alexander was 14th to round out the three Notre Dame runners to earn All-ACC honors. Jacobs said that even with his top- five run, there is still plenty of room for improvement, especially this late in the season when the stakes be- come the highest. Notre Dame competed in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Cham- pionships Nov. 15 in Madison, Wis., and then will likely take part in the NCAA Championships Nov. 23 in Terre Haute, Ind. "At the end of the year," Jacobs said, "you really cut back on the training and you make sure you're feeling fresh going into those races, and I think that is actually when you see the biggest improve- ments." Led by a third-place run from Nuguse at the region- als last season, Notre Dame parlayed its second-place team finish in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional into an eighth-place showing at the NCAA Champion- ships. Nuguse — who Blue & Gold Illustrated named its 2018-19 Male Athlete of the Year after he added a win in the 1,500 meters at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships — believes the Irish are primed to make another run at a top-10 national fin- ish, especially with the added incen- tive of not defending their ACC title two weeks ago. "On that day, it wasn't there," Nu- guse said. "But I think that is really going to help us and serve as some great motivation going forward." ✦ Men's Cross Country Motivated By ACC Runner-Up Finish Notre Dame finished second at the ACC Cross Country Championships behind strong showings from junior Yared Nuguse (second; right), sophomore Dylan Jacobs (fifth; middle) and junior Andrew Alexander (14th; left). PHOTO COURTESY FIGHTING IRISH MEDIA Irish Roundup HOCKEY (7-0-1 OVERALL, 3-0-1 BIG TEN) No. 3 Notre Dame has opened the season unbeaten through the first eight games for the first time in program history while competing at the NCAA Division I level, after notching a pair of one-goal victories against No. 11 Ohio State Nov. 8-9. The Irish rallied past the Buckeyes for 3-2 overtime win in the opener and then posted a 2-1 triumph the following evening. The Irish will be on the road the next two weekends, at Wisconsin Nov. 15-16 and at Michigan State Nov. 22-23. MEN'S SOCCER (10-7-1 OVERALL, 3-5-0 ACC) The Irish were eliminated from the ACC Tournament with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of top-seeded and No. 2-ranked Clemson in the quarterfinals Nov. 10. The 48-team field for NCAA Championship will be announced Nov. 18. WOMEN'S SOCCER (10-7-2 OVERALL, 4-4-2 ACC) Notre Dame received a bid to the NCAA Championship for the 26th time in program history. The Irish opened with a home match against Saint Louis Nov. 17. MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING (3-3 OVERALL, 2-1 ACC) The No. 18 Irish cruised to a 222-130 victory at Pittsburgh Nov. 8-9. Next up for Notre Dame is the Ohio State Invitational Nov. 21 in Columbus, Ohio. WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING (3-3 OVERALL, 2-1 ACC) No. 23 Notre Dame notched 223-125 victory at Pittsburgh Nov. 8-9. The Irish have a weekend off before taking part in the Ohio State Invitational Nov. 21 in Columbus, Ohio. VOLLEYBALL (17-7 OVERALL, 10-4 ACC) The Irish picked up a 3-0 victory at Florida State Nov. 8 before getting edged 3-2 at Miami Nov. 10. Notre Dame hosts Syracuse Nov. 17 and then travels to Louisville Nov. 22. — Steve Downey