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Brookfield's Hodan scores twice as Notre Dame advances to NCAA final

12/14/2013, 7:30am CST
By ERIC ANDERSON
Patrick Hodan

As Notre Dame made its debut on college soccer's biggest stage Friday, Patrick Hodan (Milwaukee Marquette) played a starring role.

The sophomore midfielder scored both goals as the third-ranked Fighting Irish blanked No. 25 New Mexico 2-0 in an NCAA College Cup semifinal at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. (Video highlights below)

Notre Dame (16-1-6) will take on fourth-ranked Maryland, a 2-1 winner over No. 9 Virginia in the other semifinal, in Sunday's national championship game. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. on ESPNU.

Hodan gave the Irish the lead just 7 minutes in Friday, running on to a great ball from senior standout Harrison Shipp on the right side, cutting across the box past two defenders  and firing a left-footed shot past Lobos goalkeeper Michael Litsch – it was the first goal allowed by New Mexico (14-6-2) in four NCAA tournament matches.

"It's obviously great to get ahead from the start," said Hodan, who has scored in each of the past six matches. "It gave us a little cushion and gave us some confidence during the game. We've been doing well on the offensive end in these NCAA games. We've moved the ball well, and everyone's finding the open guy."

Shipp was involved in the second goal, too, as Vince Cicciarelli shot first time from 8 yards out off another fine pass. The quick shot clanged off the crossbar, but Hodan was in position at the top of the 6 to head in the rebound past Litsch for his 11th goal of the season – second on the team behind Shipp's 12 – and a 2-0 lead in the 65th minute.

"He's a little guy," Notre Dame coach Bobby Clark said of Hodan, a Brookfield native who is listed at 5-foot-9 and 145 pounds. "But he's Superman when he puts on a uniform ... He's a special talent and a special kid."

The Irish, who started their NCAA tournament run with a 4-0 victory over the University of Wisconsin in a second-round match Nov. 24, tied Maryland 1-1 in an Atlantic Coast Conference match back on Oct. 8 in South Bend, Ind.

Senior forward Patrick Mullins scored twice, and freshman goalkeeper Zack Steffen came up with a huge save in the 88th minute to preserve the Terrapins' 2-1 victory over Virginia – another ACC program – in the second semifinal Friday.

Maryland (17-3-5), coached by Sasho Cirovski (UW-Milwaukee), will move to the Big Ten Conference next season.

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