CHARLOTTE, N.C. – No. 3 seed [No. 10/10] Clemson Lacrosse (14-4, 7-3) defeated No. 6 seed [No. 16/14] Notre Dame (12-5, 6-4), 12-9, in the ACC Championship Quarterfinals at American Legion Memorial Stadium on Wednesday night. The Tigers move on to face No. 2 Seed Stanford in the ACC Championship Semifinals on Friday night at 8 p.m.
The victory marked the Tigers' 11th straight win, further extending their program-record streak. Several performers surpassed individual milestones as well. Freshman defender Tegan Scott (team-leading five caused turnovers) now holds the program single-season caused turnovers record with 63. Freshman attack Alexa Spallina (two goals, one assist, three points) surpassed the 100-point milestone with 101 points and counting. Junior Midfielder Natalie Shurtleff (three goals) surpassed the 150 career point milestone and now has 151 points on her career.
Sophomore attack Brooke Goldstein led Clemson with four goals on four shots and a single ground ball. Freshman midfielder Emma Penczek and freshman midfielder Aubrie Eisfeld dished out three assists each. Sophomore defender Kira Balis recorded eight of Clemson’s 11 draw controls.
FIRST QUARTER | 2-1, Clemson
At the eight-minute mark in the opening stanza, Notre Dame scored the first goal of the contest. Spallina evened the score, 1-1, with the Tigers' first goal of the day. Goldstein scored Clemson’s second straight goal at the 9:44 mark of play.
SECOND QUARTER | 5-5, Clemson & Notre Dame Tied
In the second frame, the Fighting Irish outscored the Tigers, 4-3. Goldstein scored her second goal of the day, followed by a score from freshman attack Marleigh O’Day. Shurtleff scored Clemson's 5th goal of the night, sandwiched evenly between Notre Dame’s offensive attack.
THIRD QUARTER | 10-6, Clemson
In the third quarter, Clemson outscored Notre Dame, 5-1, to take a four-goal lead. The Tigers saw goals from four different performers: Spallina, junior attack Regan Byrne, Goldstein, Penczek and Shurtleff.
FOURTH QUARTER | 12-9, Clemson
In the final stanza, the Fighting Irish outscored the Tigers, 3-2, but goals from Goldstein and Shurtleff helped cement Clemson’s victory.
STATS RECAP
- The victory marked the Tigers' 11th straight win, further extending their program-record streak.
- Scott (team-leading five caused turnovers) now holds the program single-season caused turnovers record with 63.
- Spallina (two goals, one assist) surpassed the 100-point milestone with 101 points and counting.
- Shurtleff (three goals, six points) surpassed the 150 career point milestone and now has 151 points in her career.
- Clemson evened its record in the ACC Tournament to 3-3 overall.
- The Tigers also evened their record in the ACC Tournament Quarterfinals to 2-2.
- Goldstein | Four goals, four shots, one ground ball
- Shurtleff | Three goals, four shots, one draw control
- Spallina | Two goals, one assist, eight shots
- Penczek | One goal, three assists, one shot, four ground balls, three caused turnovers
- Pfundstein | Three ground balls, one caused turnover
- Masaracchia | One caused turnover
- Babcock | One assist, one ground ball, two caused turnovers, one draw control
- MacLeod | One assist
- Balis | Eight draw controls
- Scott | Two ground balls, five caused turnovers, one draw control
- DeLuca | Six ground balls
- Byrne | One goal
- O’Day | One goal, one shot
- Eisfeld | Three assists, two shots, one caused turnover
- Byrne (B) | One ground ball
- Hilsabeck | One ground ball
- Mooney | One assist
UP NEXT
Clemson moves on to face No. 2 seed Stanford in the Semifinals of the ACC Tournament on Friday, April 24. Opening draw is slated for 8 p.m. and the action will air live on the ACCN.
TICKETS
Fans can purchase lacrosse tickets at ClemsonTigers.com/Tickets/.
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