SOUTH BEND, IN  – The Chicago Red Stars, in their second match of the 2014 National Women’s Soccer League preseason, defeated the University of Notre Dame 2-0 at Alumni Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, Wednesday night. Red Stars forward Adriana Leon and midfielder Alyssa Mautz netted the team’s goals of the evening, both coming in the second half of the match. Canadian international Karina LeBlanc earned the shutout in goal.

The Red Stars dominated much of the first half, with the first shot of the night coming at the 3^rd minute mark by Chicago forward Jen Hoy. Hoy and midfielder Zakiya Bywaters connected several times up top, forcing Notre Dame keeper Sarah Voigt to make several saves throughout the first 20 minutes.

In the 26^th minute Notre Dame had their best opportunity of the night when Chicago keeper Karina LeBlanc illegally picked up a ball played back by defender Julie Johnston inside the 6-yard box.  The Red Stars pulled all players into a goal-line wall, forcing a Notre Dame direct kick over the cross bar.

The teams went into halftime tied up at 0-0.

The second half of the match started with the Red Stars on the offensive. Just 2 minutes into the second half, Leon scored the team’s first goal of the night, a bending ball from 18-yards out into the upper 90. Just ten minutes later substitute Alyssa Mautz, who entered the game in the 65^th minute, tallied the second goal of the night, and her second of preseason, with a one-touch shot assisted by Bywaters in the 66^th minute.

The next big chance between the two teams came in the 74^th minute, when Notre Dame slipped past the Red Stars back line, scoring a goal that was then called back for an offside penalty. Notre Dame kept battling for the remainder of the match, but the Red Stars would hold steady for the 2-0 win.

“We started a very young lineup in the first half, which I think showed,” said Red Stars head coach Rory Dames. “We made some adjustments in the second half, worked on some things we’ve been focused on in training the last few weeks and the game started to change. Overall, I’m pleased with how we played.”

The Red Stars close out their preseason schedule at home on Sunday, April 6 at 4pm CT in a split-match against DePaul University and Oakland University at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex.

The Red Stars open their NWSL 2014 home schedule against Western New York Flash on April 19 at 5:45pm CT at Toyota Park, following a match between MLS sides Chicago Fire and New England Revolution.

GOALS                                               1          2          F

Chicago Red Stars                               0          2          2

Notre Dame                                           0          0          0

SCORING SUMMARY

Goal   Time    Team                                            Goal Scorer                         Assist

1             47        Chicago Red Stars                 Adriana Leon                       Unassisted

2            66        Chicago Red Stars                 Alyssa Mautz                        Zakiya Bywaters