The 2013 Notre Dame Academy girls soccer team outscored opponents 99-9, posted 22 shutouts, and captured a KHSAA state championship. Now the Park Hills school has earned another distinction: a spot on LINK nky's list of the 50 greatest prep sports teams in Northern Kentucky history.
LINK nky sports editor Evan Dennison and a panel of NKY sports fans selected the Pandas as Day 24 of the outlet's "50 greatest NKY prep sports teams in 50 days" countdown, published Wednesday, July 15.
Coach Sara Raaker-McSorley's squad finished 24-2-3, defeating top-ranked Sacred Heart 2-0 in the state championship match at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington. It was the program's third state title, according to LINK nky's report.
Notre Dame allowed just nine goals all season, an average of 0.3 per game, and closed the year with 11 consecutive shutouts. Nine of those came in the postseason, where the Pandas outscored opponents 38-0. In Ninth Region play, Notre Dame dominated 67-6 and avenged its lone regional loss by beating Highlands 3-0 in the region championship.
Mandy Arnzen led the attack with 22 goals and nine assists, finishing her career with 50 goals before playing at Ohio University. Team captain Maddie Tierney paced the squad with 16 assists, set school records for career and single-season assists, and earned State Tournament All-Tournament Team honors before continuing at Xavier University. Ellen Combs scored eight goals, including one in the state title game, and was named Ninth Region Tournament MVP.
Christin Sherrard added 14 goals. Taylor Watts contributed 13 before playing at Belmont University, and Carissa Dyer scored nine before heading to the University of Southern Indiana.
Goalkeepers Courtney Hansel and Maddy Kim combined to allow those nine goals, while defender Libby Greenwell earned State Tournament MVP honors and later played at the University of Cincinnati.
Notre Dame's 24 victories that season were tied for the fifth-most wins in a single season in KHSAA girls soccer history, according to LINK nky's report.
The countdown series began June 22 and continues daily at linknky.com.
