The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Champions, Winners, Title-Takers

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: Very, very happily, the no. 9 Irish (25-12-3, 21-8-3-2) claimed the final CCHA title on Sunday with a 3-1 win over Michigan in Detroit. A 3-1 victory over Ohio State on Saturday got them there.

Against Ohio State in the semifinal game, the Irish played extremely well but were locked in a 1-1 tie until T. J. Tynan netted the winning goal on a power play in the third period. ND goals came from Tynan, Peter Schneider, and Jeff Costello in an empty net, on a barrage of 44 shots. Ohio State was held to just 17 shots. Assists came from DiPauli, Gerths, Calabrese, and Rust.

Sunday afternoon, the Irish claimed their third Mason Cup (all in victories over Michigan) and their fifth win over the Wolverines this season in a great game that saw goals from Anders Lee, Austin Wuthrich, and Jeff Costello in another just-barely empty net. You know what I'm talking about.

(Hat tip to First Down Moses for that.)

The Irish had 33 shots on goal and ND goaltender Steven Summerhays made 20 saves on 21 shots, including two great and crucial saves in the third period. After dominating the first period and putting 18 shots on goal to Michigan's 6, the Irish lost momentum late in the period, surrendering a short-handed goal. Wuthrich's goal 29 seconds into the third gave Notre Dame a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Assists came from Costello, Johns, Tynan, and Lucia.

Three Irish players were named to the CCHA All-Tournament Team: center Tynan, right wing Wuthrich, and defenseman Stephen Johns.

The Irish begin NCAA playoff competition as the top seed in a mid-west regional match against St. Cloud State in Toledo this Saturday (1:30 p.m. EST, Fox Sports North and ESPN syndication). If they win, they'll play in the regional final at 4:00 p.m. EST on Sunday (ESPNU).

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Lacrosse: Happily, despite uninspired play, the newly-no. 1 men's team (6-1, 1-0) claimed a close victory over Rutgers in the team's Big East opener on Sunday.

They face St. John's this Saturday at home and Marquette on Tuesday in Wilmette, IL.

The no. 7 women's team (8-0) earned wins this past weekend over both no. 19 Rutgers, 9-6, and Villanova, 14-2, against whom they opened Big East play.

The undefeated Irish next face no. 20 Louisville on April 5^th and Cincinnati on April 7^th.

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Baseball: The no. 15 Irish (15-6), went 3-1 over the last weekend, dropping their first match to Seton Hall, 4-3, Friday in Covelski Stadium, but besting the Pirates in Saturday's double-header, finishing both games with a 3-2 win. Tuesday night, the Irish beat Kent State, 8-1, at the U. S. Steel Yard in Gary, IN. Basketballer Pat Connaughton made his season debut, throwing 32 pitches with one strikeout in two scoreless innings.

The Irish face Louisville tonight (Thursday), Friday, and Saturday in Louisville. They then play UIC on Tuesday evening and Valparaiso on Wednesday evening, both at home.

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Softball: The Irish (22-7, 3-0) swept Seton Hall this past weekend, 3-0, with 10-2 and 10-1 wins to open Big East play on Saturday, followed by a 10-2 victory Sunday.

The Irish face Green Bay this evening (Thursday) then Georgetown in a double-header next Wednesday.

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Swimming and diving: Last weekend, the women's team competed in the NCAA championships in Indianapolis, finishing in 16^th place overall in a 43-school field, the best in program history.

Sophomore Emma Reaney claimed fifth in the 100 breaststroke at the tournament and senior diver Jenny Chiang received Honorable Mention All-America honors. Chiang finished 12^th in the 3m springboard. Reaney was just the third Irish swimmer in program history to claim a top-five NCAA event victory. Her seven All-America citations are tied for fifth most in school history. Reaney came in fifth place swimming the 200 breaststroke, impressively lowering her school record and clocking the ninth-fastest time for a female swimmer in a 25-yard pool in the event's history.

The Irish men's team heads to the NCAA championships today (Thursday) and will compete through the weekend.

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Fencing: The Irish took home second place overall with 175 points, falling just seven points behind Princeton, in the 2013 NCAA Championships in San Antonio, TX. Two ND fencers, Lee Kiefer (foil) and Courtney Hurley (epee) won women's weapon crowns and nine earned All-America honors. Foilist Gerek Meinhardt put up an impressive 22-1 bout record but fell in a thrilling but ultimately heart-breaking semifinal match with Olympic teammate Alex Massialas of Stanford.

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Golf: The no. 23 women's team claimed first at the Briar's Creek Invitational this past Monday and Tuesday in Charleston, SC, and sophomore Ashley Armstrong claimed the tournament title in a field of 96 with a one-over-par 217.

The Irish next compete in the DAC/SMU Invitational in Dallas, April 5-7, before the Big East Championship near the end of the month.

The men's team competed in the C&F Bank Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday in Williamsburg, VA, but weather shortened the tournament to 18 holes. In the 160-player field, Irish freshman Cory Sciupider was named co-champion of the event after tying an Eastern Michigan player for the overall lead, 3-under par. Junior Andrew Lane tied for third. The Irish tied for fifth overall.

The Irish next play at the Irish Creek Collegiate in NC on April 6-7.

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Tennis: The no. 16 women's team (11-5) was idle this past week until they faced no. 10 Michigan yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon in a match which the Wolverines won, 5-2.

Notre Dame faces Tulsa on Saturday and Marquette on Tuesday.

The no. 27 men's team (11-7) won out over William & Mary, 6-1, in Williamsburg, VA, this past weekend.

The Irish will face Ball State on Monday in Muncie.

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Track & Field: The Irish opened their outdoor season this past weekend in Houston, TX, at the Victor Lopez Invitational. There, they claimed six first-place finishes, five runner-up finishes, and 23 top-five finishes. Roughly 20 participants competed in each event, though some had up to 60. ND earned first in the women's 100mH, 400mH, triple jump, and 4x400m, and the men's 200m and 4x400m.

The Irish continue the newly-arrived outdoor season at the Oliver Nikilof Open and the Stanford Invitational this Friday and Saturday.

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Rowing: The no. 14 Irish were idle last week, but head to East Lansing for a four-team competition this Saturday, when they'll battle Michigan State, Michigan, and Iowa.

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They're not in season, of course, but women's soccer will host the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League next Wednesday in Alumni Stadium for a match at 7:00 p.m. EST. The national teams of Mexico and Haiti will compete at Notre Dame just prior to that match at 4:30 p.m. EST.

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Basketball: The no. 2 women's team (32-1) kicked off NCAA tournament play vs. UT Martin in Iowa City on Sunday, where they rolled to a 97-64 victory behind Jewell Loyd's 27 points. Tuesday, the Irish beat Iowa, 74-57, in Iowa City to reach the sweet sixteen; Kayla McBride led ND with 28 points.

The Irish face Kansas in the NCAA regional semifinals on Sunday at noon (12:00 p.m. EST, ESPN). If they win, they'll compete in the regional final Tuesday night (7:00 p.m. EST, ESPN). Best of luck to the women's team as they make their way towards a shot at the championship.

As you surely know, the no. 24 men's team (25-10) finished the season with a first-round tournament loss to Iowa State last Friday.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.