The following is from Notre Dame Athletics:
Notre Dame opened the 2021 campaign at home at Alumni Stadium on Friday evening in front of a packed house, hosting No. 2 Indiana in a rivalry match. The Irish dropped a tough decision in overtime by a final score of 3-2.
The Irish attack wasted little time opening the 2021 season, scoring in the 10th minute to take an early 1-0 lead. Tyler Shea found space down the right channel and whipped in a low cross, connecting with Dawson McCartney on a diving header that the Indiana keeper made a point-blank save on. Jack Lynn cleaned up the rebound, knocking the ball into the roof of the net to put Notre Dame on top 1-0.
Just six minutes later the Irish nearly doubled their lead, as Eno Nto created space and had his shot parried away. Matthew Roou’s attempted volley on the rebound went just over the bar to keep the Notre Dame lead to one.
The Hoosiers answered back in the 34th minute with a goal from Tommy Mihalic to even the scoreline at 1-1, which is what the score was heading into the halftime intermission.
Notre Dame came out of the break locked in, putting Indiana on the back foot for much of the final 45 minutes. McCartney put the Irish back on top in the 57th minute when he fired a loose ball in the box into the left of the goal to give Notre Dame the 2-1 lead.
The Irish looked to be headed to a season-opening win until they were whistled for a hand ball in the box in the 88th minute. Notre Dame goalkeeper Bryan Dowd saved the initial attempt but the Hoosiers scored on the rebound to level the match at 2-2 and send it to overtime.
In the third minute of overtime Indiana’s Ben Yeagley connected on a shot from outside the box that found the back of the net to give Indiana the victory.
Highlights from the thriller can be seen below.