BALTIMORE, MD - Notre Dame of Maryland dropped a 14-6 decision to Eastern on Saturday afternoon in Baltimore, falling to 0-5 on the season despite a balanced offensive effort and a strong showing in goal.
Eastern set the tone early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first quarter behind a pair of goals from Natalia Willoughby and Gracie Horton. Notre Dame struggled to find rhythm offensively in the opening frame, managing just five shots while turning the ball over seven times.
The Gators responded in the second quarter with their best stretch of the game. After Eastern extended its lead to 4-0, Notre Dame rallied with three goals in a span of just over six minutes.
Madison Miller got the Gators on the board off an assist from
Leah Acri, before Acri added a free-position goal to cut the deficit to two.
Cailyn Motta later capitalized on a man-up opportunity, bringing Notre Dame within 5-3 heading into halftime.
However, the third quarter proved decisive. Eastern erupted for six unanswered goals, with Willoughby leading the charge as she finished with a game-high six goals. The surge pushed the Eagles' advantage to 11-3 and put the game out of reach.
Notre Dame showed resilience in the fourth quarter, matching Eastern with three goals.
Yasmine Rode found the back of the net off a pass from
Adrienne Villa, and Miller added two more late goals to complete her team-high three-goal performance.
Miller led the Gators with three goals and one assist, while Rode, Acri, and Motta each contributed a goal and an assist. Rode also controlled a team-high five draws, helping Notre Dame stay competitive in possession.
Defensively, goalkeeper
Leah Hasberry kept Notre Dame within striking distance for much of the contest, recording 24 saves against 47 shots faced.
Despite the loss, Notre Dame showed flashes of offensive cohesion and fight, particularly in the second and fourth quarters. The Gators will look to build on those positives as they continue their early-season schedule as they next travel to Bryn Mawr on Wednesday, March 25 at 4 PM.
