CARY, NORTH CAROLINA – Stanford is great but there’s no denying that Notre Dame is a deserving national champion.

The Fighting Irish, actually seeded 4th in their bracket when the event started despite a 15-2-2 regular season record, played an excellent match all over the field in defeating the previously undefeated Cardinal 1-0.

Adriana Leon scored the winning goal in the 63rd minute on an assist from Melissa Henderson, but there was no shortage of heroines for Randy Waldrum’s team.

Leading the list has to be midfielder Courtney Barg. The junior standout seriously considered taking a redshirt for the season after missing more than half of the year with an injury, but she capped her comeback Sunday with a commanding performance in midfield. Barg battled like a bulldog for possession with Stanford’s great ball-winner Mariah Nogueira, and kickstarted the offense repeatedly with probing passes to all reaches of the Notre Dame forward third of the field.

Barg is part of a terrific Texas trio along with Henderson and top defender Jessica Schuveiller. I asked the three players about their earliest shared soccer memories, and then about Barg’s great play on Sunday.

Waldrum congratulated the Stanford team on a great season, but also expressed his satisfaction at the team’s accomplishment.

Other standouts on the day for Notre Dame included Mandy Laddish with her running in midfield, Schuveiller and fellow central defender Molly Campbell for their solid work against Christen Press and the Stanford attack, fullbacks Julie Scheidler and Kecia Morway for protecting the flanks and getting forward at the appropriate times in attack, Leon for her excellent attacking play after coming on as a sub and Rose Augustin for active work, also in the attack. It really was a total team win.

Stanford coach Paul Ratcliffe was left to contemplate how the match might have gone differently.

Stanford forward Christen Press, whose fantastic college career ended on a disappointing note, felt the emotion as she talked about the team's fortunes going forward.

The first half-chance came in the 9th minute when Stanford’s Rachel Quon put in a good serve from the right, but Christen Press’ header flashed just wide of goal. In the 17th minute, Stanford defender Courtney Verloo made a dribbling run from the back line and hit a 30-yard drive that crashed against the upright.

Notre Dame nearly went up in the 22nd minute as Rose Augustin chased a ball down on the right, hit an exquisite cross that Melissa Henderson met with a powerful header. Stanford goalkeeper Emily Oliver kept the  match scoreless with a brilliant reflex save, palming the ball off the crossbar to avert the danger.

Fighting Irish fans were calling for a penalty in the 30th minute aas Henderson went down in the area while dribbling in, but TV replays showed an inch-perfect tackle made by Stanford fullback Rachel Quon.

Stanford had a free kick just 25 yards out after a Camille Levin shot was blocked with an outstretched Irish arm, but Teresa Noyola’s shot was wide.

The game slowed down a bit as the half wore on, but Notre Dame’s Augustin and Adriana Leon combined for a chance in the closing seconds, with Oliver coming out bravely to block a shot from close range in the area, closing a half in which Notre Dame definitely had the better of the play.

Early in the 2nd half, Courtney Barg won a ball and chipped a pass to the edge of the 6-yard box. Henderson outfought Annie Case for possession, but stabbing at the shot as Oliver rushed out, sent it just wide. A minute later, Friday night heroine Mandy Laddish made a run through the middle but her drive went over the bar.

Stanford had its first chance of the 2nd half as the previously-quiet Christen Press dribbled across the front of the area and rolled a ball that Taylor dummied and it went into the path of Nogueira, who blasted a shot well wide from 20 yards.

Notre Dame answered immediately as Leon rolled the ball across to Henderson, who created some space for herself and fired a shot that Oliver again came up big to stop, palming the ball away. A minute later Leon dribbled into the area but her cutback pass was intercepted by Oliver.

In the 62nd minute, Notre Dame made a hash out of clearing their lines and it resulted in a free kick for Stanford 30 yards out. Taylor drilled in a serve that Alina Garciamendez met with a bullet header, but after a brief bobble, Nikki Weiss made the save.

Notre Dame then scored the opener. Henderson settled a clearance, ran in on goal from the left, played a ball across the area and the unmarked Leon ran onto it to drill  a left-footed shot off the underside of the crossbar and in for a 1-0 lead in the 63rd minute. It was the first time the Cardinal had trailed in a match since Sept. 10

Showing that the team’s intent would not be to bunker in protection, Notre Dame’s Laddish attempted to double the advantage minutes later, running through the middle and firing a shot, but the effort sailed over.

After the TV timeout, it was still Notre Dame getting forward, keeping the ball mostly wile not creating any great chances as time wore on.

A handball call in the 77th minute gave Stanford a chance. Taylor sent in a serve trying to find Garciamendez and it was cleared for a corner. The resulting set piece found the head of Courtney Verloo, but the effort was off target and it remained 1-0.

Nogueira drew a foul just outside the area in the 81st minute. Taylor curled a shot around the wall but Weiss was on hand to made a stretch save. Press made a run toward the area in the 83rd minute but her shot bounced safely into the arms of Weiss.

On the other end, Leon dribbled into the area nad looked certain to put the game away, but Oliver held her ground remarkably to catch and hold the rocket launch. Moments later Laddish put Henderson in on goal but Oliver was there again to stop the shot struck across the Notre Dame striker’s body.

With knuckles whitening by the minute, Press dribbled into the area and the ball was poked away for a Stanford corner, but it came to nothing.

Henderson played a great ball from the left for Leon with 2 minutes left, and Leon hit a strong volley, but Oliver made another remarkable save with an outstretched arm to keep her team alive, but time ran out on the Cardinal and the Fighting Irish commenced a wild celebration at the center of the field.

STANFORD LINEUP
GK: Emily Oliver
D: Annie Case, Courtney Verloo, Alina Garciamendez, Rachel Quon
M: Allison McCann, Mariah Nogueira, Teresa Noyola,
F: Christen Press, Lindsay Taylor, Camille Levin
SUBS: Sydney Payne, Marjani Hing-Glover

NOTRE DAME LINEUP
GK: Nikki Weiss
D: Julie Scheidler, Molly Campbell, Jessica Schuveiller, Kecia Morway
M: Mandy Laddish, Courtney Barg,  Elizabeth Tucker
F: Melissa Henderson, Lauren Fowlkes, Rose Augustin
SUBS: Adriana Leon, Ellen Jantsch

All-Tournament Team
GK: Emily Oliver, Stanford
GK: Katie Baumgardner, Ohio State
D: Hannah Cerrone, Boston College
D: Jessica Schuveiller, Notre Dame
M: Courtney Barg, Notre Dame
M: Mandy Laddish, Notre Dame
F: Rose Augustin, Notre Dame
F: Camille Levin, Stanford
F: Christen Press, Stanford
F: Adrianna Leon,  Notre Dame
F: Melissa Henderson, Notre Dame
Most Outstanding Offensive Player: Melissa Henderson, Notre Dame
Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Jessica Schuveiller, Notre Dame