Champions of the Horizon League, the Valparaiso women’s soccer team will make its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2005 in close proximity to campus, as the Crusaders have been sent to Notre Dame for the first round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament.  The game will be played Friday evening, November 14 at 6 p.m. CT.

The Crusaders earned the Horizon League automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament after claiming the league’s tournament title Saturday night with a 1-0 win over Detroit.  Valpo enters the NCAA Tournament on an 18-match unbeaten streak and a 12-match winning streak, and carries a 14-1-4 mark into the tournament.  Tournament MVP April Cronin leads the Crusaders with nine goals on the season, including both match-winners in the Horizon League Championship.

Notre Dame earned a number-four national seed and an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament following a 12-5-2 campaign.  The Irish went 7-2-1 in ACC play, but were eliminated in the semifinals of the ACC Championship by Florida State.  Notre Dame is led offensively by sophomore Morgan Andrews (six goals, five assists) and senior Lauren Bohaboy (seven goals, two assists), while sophomore Kaela Little has seen most of the action in goal, posting a 0.70 GAA and 11 shutouts.

Notre Dame and Valpo had one mutual opponent on the season – both the Irish and the Crusaders defeated Oakland by a 3-0 final.

The winner of the Valparaiso-Notre Dame game is slated to match up against the victor of Texas-Rice in second round action on Friday, November 21.  More coverage of the Crusaders’ trip to the 2014 NCAA Tournament will be available on ValpoAthletics.com and on Valpo Athletics social media throughout this week.