Notre Dame girls soccer team rallies past St. Vincent at home showcase

There wasn’t much going right for the Notre Dame girls soccer team when it headed into halftime facing a 1-0 deficit against St. Vincent on Friday.

The Bulldogs managed only two shots on goal in the first 40 minutes while their speed was neutralized by a team effort from the Indians’ midfield.

Notre Dame coach Ryan Schweain said the lopsided half was the result of a lack of effort, so Megan Heisserer steadied the team herself.

Notre Dame's Alaina Baumgart, right, and her teammates celebrate their second goal of game against St. Vincent during the second half Friday, April 22, 2016 in the Notre Dame Showcase at Notre Dame Regional High School.Fred Lynch ~ flynch@semissourian.com

The freshman forward accounted for both of the Bulldogs’ second-half goals, as Notre Dame held on for a 2-1 win over St. Vincent in both teams’ first game of the Notre Dame Showcase.

“We really had to work hard for this win,” Schweain said. “In the second half, I felt that we picked it up, and our effort was there more so than the first. We were able to create some opportunities, which we really didn’t have in the first half. Fortunately we capitalized.”

Heisserer connected on the equalizer in the 60th minute when senior Breanna Westrich sent a cross from the right side 10 yards in front of the net. Heisserer settled the ball and used a subtle touch to draw her defender out of position and gain an edge. With plenty of space in front, she placed the ball into the left side of the net for an easy goal that tied the game at 1-1.

“We’re rotating outside mids constantly, trying to keep up with them,” Indians coach Caitlin Pistorio said about the Bulldogs. “They’re a good team, and they’ve got a lot of speed on the outside. They’re going to be good for a few years here.”

It didn’t take long for Heisserer to give Notre Dame (9-4) the lead for good.

St. Vincent's Abby Buchheit, right, looks to control the ball against Notre Dame's Emma Sievers during the first half Friday, April 22, 2016 in the Notre Dame Showcase at Notre Dame Regional High School.Fred Lynch ~ flynch@semissourian.com

In the 68th minute, Alaina Baumgart provided the assist when her pass in front of the net was deflected to Heisserer, who showed off some precision and power by blasting the ball across the net into the right side from 15 yards out to give her side a 2-1 advantage.

“She has good placement of the ball when she’s in front of the goal,” Schweain said about Heisserer. “She doesn’t try to overpower. She just looks for a corner and tries to place it in. It’s working well.”

Heisserer accounted for five of the Bulldogs’ six shots on goal, including two quick chances in the opening minutes of the second half.

She nearly evened the game in the 49th minute with a hard blast from 20 yards out that sailed toward the right post but was deflected wide by a diving save from Indians goalkeeper Courtney Brewer.

“That was an incredible save,” Schweain said. “... I had heard even before we played them the first time that their keeper’s really good, so she definitely proved it tonight that she is a quality keeper.”

St. Vincent teammates celebrate after scoring a goal against Notre Dame during the first half Friday, April 22, 2016 in the Notre Dame Showcase at Notre Dame Regional High School.Fred Lynch ~ flynch@semissourian.com

Brewer finished with four saves in the net for St. Vincent (8-5).

“She’s got nerves of steal, that kid,” Pistorio said. “She’s only a sophomore, and she plays like a senior. I don’t get too nervous whenever there’s a shot on goal, but that was pretty amazing.”

It didn’t take long for the Indians to generate something tangible from their early pressure in the first half.

Emily Welker delivered a diagonal cross several feet in front of the net, a pass that trickled by Kalli Seabaugh but landed at the feet of teammate Sara Kapp, who tucked the ball into the left corner to give St. Vincent a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute of play.

St. Vincent finished the game with 11 shots on goal, including a 5-2 advantage over the Bulldogs in the first half.

“Our offense was just going at it,” Pistorio said. “We started off with three forwards, which always gives us a little bit more of an offensive opportunity, but our shots were much better tonight. It seemed like every single time we were putting something behind the ball.”

The Indians had 13 corner kicks, including three consecutive chances in the final minutes of the opening half. The third attempt rattled around in front of the goal for several seconds before it was finally cleared by a Notre Dame defender.

St. Vincent had another golden opportunity from the corner inside the final minute of the game when Welker’s kick was deflected 20 yards out to teammate Lauren Carron, who delivered a steady shot on goal that was scooped up by Bulldogs goalie Claire Landewee.

“The fact that they came out and just gave it everything they had up until really the last minute when we had another opportunity there, I like that,” Pistorio said. “I like to see that they’re not quitting, no matter how much they may be hurting.”

Landewee finished with 10 saves for the Bulldogs, who defeated St. Vincent earlier this season in a 2-1 decision on April 12 in Perryville.

“They’re a fast team,” Pistorio said. “We had some difficulty in the second half, especially as we started getting tired, in keeping up with them, but overall I think we played much better this game than the last time we met them.”

Schweain was encouraged by his players’ effort in the second half but said he wants to see them improve their possession moving forward.

“Really being there for your teammates and opening up and finding that space, we’re still struggling in that aspect,” Schweain said. “... They had a lot of chances in the second half. They really played hard for 80 minutes, and our defense held strong. And we were fortunate a couple times, too.”