Notre Dame girls soccer team claims season-opening win in shootout

Whatever happens, happens.

That's what the Notre Dame girls soccer team's mindset was before its first game of the season, and what happened was a 2-1 defeat of St. Pius X in penalty kicks Monday night.

"Coach really just kind of told us that whatever happens, happens," Notre Dame junior forward Jordan Nelson said. "Because it's our first game, we were going to be a little rusty, we're going to have nerves, it's going to be crazy. We just play how we always play. Play as a team."

Nelson scored the Bulldogs' lone goal in a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation, and the teams battled through two scoreless 10 minute overtime periods before going to penalty kicks at Notre Dame Regional High School.

"I just tried to stay calm," Notre Dame senior goalkeeper Madison Buelow said. "I've gone through this before. I've prepared for it some. It's just I have to stay calm and just try my best, and whatever happens, happens."

Notre Dame forward Abby Boyer works the ball against St. Pius’ Samantha Loucks during the first half Monday.

Notre Dame senior Kaitlin Welter sent the first penalty shot into the top-right corner out of the goalie's reach.

Buelow then saved the first attempt from the Lancers.

"I know as a goalkeeper that I'm not expected to make the saves," Buelow said. "I just try my best to ... I don't try to pick but I just go my best on instinct, and I did it right the first one.

"I almost had the second one. From then, I was just happy, and then once my teammates started scoring for me I was just really excited and tried to stay calm and get through it."

Senior Shelby Beussink scored the next PK for Notre Dame before St. Pius' Alexandra Linderer sent her shot to the low-right corner of the net, just past Buelow's hand.

Notre Dame’s Karsen Powers attempts a shot against St. Pius in the second overtime Monday at Notre Dame Regional High School. (Fred Lynch)

Both teams missed before senior Abby Boyer scored the third PK for the Bulldogs.

St. Pius answered with a shot to the upper-left corner, but Nelson gave Notre Dame the victory when she scored to make it 4-2.

Penalty-kick situations weren't something that the Bulldogs had practiced this early in the season, but Notre Dame coach Jeff Worley was confident in his players, and gave them a little advice before his team's five shooters went out.

"I told them, what I really believe is when you start thinking about the moment, then you forget about what you're supposed to be doing, and that's when you start making mistakes," Worley said. "But if you really concentrate on the technique and focus on what you're supposed to be doing, the moment doesn't become as big."

The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead with 12 minutes, 8 seconds left in the first half on Nelson's goal.

The Notre Dame soccer team celebrates with Jordan Nelson after she kicked the winning penalty kick in a shootout against St. Pius on Monday, March 24, 2014 at Notre Dame Regional High School. (Fred Lynch)

"I think it was Abby Boyer who played a ball in and I had a glance at the net, and without looking I kind of just swung and it happened to lay in the corner," Nelson said about her goal.

The Lancers responded quickly with the equalizer when Linderer broke through Notre Dame's defense and sent a low shot that skimmed off a diving Buelow's hand into the back of the net with 8:13 left in the half.

Neither team scored throughout the rest of regulation, although both had several strong chances, and it took 100 minutes before the game was decided in PKs.

"They really competed," Worley said. "And that was really what we wanted to talk about was we were going to play a really good team and they were going to get some chances, and we want to really make it as hard for them as possible, and I thought we did that."

The Lancers (0-1) won the Class 1 state title two years ago and finished second last year.

Notre Dame midfielder Maddie Baumgart battles St. Pius’ Olivia Basler in the first half Monday at Notre Dame Regional High School.

Worley expected the game to be tight between two evenly matched teams, and felt that his senior-led squad's experience would be a factor.

"From last year, we looked at their record, and they beat us 1-0 and that was kind of terrifying coming into it, so we wanted to show them what our team could do," Nelson said. "And I think we did. We made a statement for our first game."