EVANSTON, Ill. -– Julie Sierks (Edina, Minn./Edina) scored one of the quickest response goals in Northwestern history, but it was a first half penalty kick that made the difference, lifting No. 7 Notre Dame to a 2-1 victory over the Wildcats Sunday at Lakeside Field.

Sierks’ goal came in the fifth minute, after Notre Dame had already opened a 1-0 lead. Northwestern goalkeeper Carolyn Edwards (Lincolnshire, Ill./Stevenson) came off her line to challenge Melissa Henderson, but the senior was unable to completely smother the ball and it bounced to Elizabeth Tucker who finished by driving it into the open net.

Following the Notre Dame goal, Northwestern head coach Stephanie Foster subbed Sierks into the game – a move that would pay off just 36 seconds later. Leigh Jakes made a long run down the far sideline and into the corner, where the senior served the ball into the box. The cross was headed out by a defender right to Sierks, and the freshman headed a rocket into the upper left corner for the first goal of her career.

Sierks’ goal ranks as the sixth-fastest answer to an opponent’s goal in Northwestern history.

The tie didn’t last long, as Notre Dame was awarded a penalty kick in the 21st minute after Edwards and Henderson collided in the box. Henderson converted her shot into the lower right corner, giving the Fighting Irish a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish.

“I thought we played well against one of the top teams in the country,” Foster said after the game. “When you have lapses against teams like that they take advantage. For a lot of the game I thought we defended well and at the end we had some urgency and courage, took some risks and had some looks at the goal.  I’d like to see us play with that intensity for longer periods of the game.”

The Wildcat attack created several scoring opportunities in the second half, with Caroline Dagley (San Rafael, Calif./The Branson School) and Kate Allen (Whitehouse, Ohio/Anthony Wayne) each recording shots in the match’s final 15 minutes.

Northwestern opens Big Ten play on the road next weekend, with a Friday game at Indiana and Sunday match at Purdue. Sunday’s game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.