IU beats No.1 Notre Dame in Sweet 16

SOUTH BEND – Indiana found redemption in the form of an Eriq Zavaleta header in double overtime for a 2-1 win in the third round of the NCAA tournament.

The No. 16 Hoosiers picked up the win against No. 1 Notre Dame following a 1-0 defeat from the Irish at home during the regular season.

The first half was all Hoosiers as they put eight shots on goal while the Fighting Irish had just two. The Irish chances came late in the first half with the first coming with only 6:30 left to play.

Juniors Nikita Kotlov and A.J. Corrado continued the offensive pressure they started in the second-round opener against Xavier on Nov. 18. With two shots each they led the offensive effort in the first half.

Kotlov came out early with the first shot of the game in the tenth minute. He continued with a header opportunity in minute 15. The ball was given to him on a cross, and he continued with his momentum and took a leap toward the ball. He appeared to receive a nudge in the back as he collapsed on the way down.

The Hoosiers players and fans looked for a whistle signaling a penalty kick, but none came.

The only real opportunity the Fighting Irish had followed some fancy footwork from Harrison Shipp. He dribbled in a small circle twice before splitting two Indiana defenders.  

He played the ball to Max Lachowecki who took three dibbles toward Luis Soffner and placed his shot wide and high left.

The Hoosiers walked into the locker room tied at halftime for the second time in as many games this postseason.

Coming out for the second half the Hoosiers wasted no time in attacking the goal. Zavaleta almost reached a header in the six then Harrison Petts followed with a shot that required a diving save. Both chances came in the first three minutes of the second half.

The first goal of the game came from Notre Dame substitute Kyle Richard in minute 53. Harrison Shipp grabbed his sixth assist of the season with a pass to Richard at the top of the 18-yard box. Richard tucked the shot into the lower right corner of the goal and put the Irish up 1-0.

Indiana came back right away scoring 56 seconds later with a header from Nikita Kotlov.

A.J. Corrado played a goal line cross across the box to Kotlov who was waiting with an open head right in front of the goal.

The equalizer was Kotlov’s fourth goal in just two games of the postseason.

Both teams were held scoreless the rest of regulation and went into the golden-goal overtime period tied at 1-1.

Each of Indiana’s five overtime matches this season has been decided in the second 10-minute period. This tournament game was no different.

After being held scoreless in the first ten minutes of overtime, the Hoosiers found their answer in whom else but Eriq Zavaleta. The sophomore-leading scoring recorded his 17th goal of the season and his first in NCAA tournament play this year.

Matt McKain played a cross into the box that found the head of Kotlov just outside the six. Kotlov flicked his header far-post where Eriq Zavaleta was waiting. He placed his header just to the right of Walsh and just inside his near post for the win.

The Hoosiers will play the winner of No. 9 North Carolina and Fairleigh Dickinson. If North Carolina gets the win, the Hoosiers will play in Chapel Hill. If Fairleigh Dickinson gets the win, they will travel to Bloomington.

— Justin Shockey