[WASHINGTON] Washington improved to 7-0-0 -- its second best start ever -- with a 3-0 win over Notre Dame on Sunday and looks set to challenge the best of the Pac-12 this season, but the Huskies will be tested. They embark on a five-game road beginning this week with games at Utah State and red-hot BYU.

The Huskies, who are off to their second best start ever, got first-half goals from Lindsay Elston and Jaclyn Softli and cruised to the win over Notre Dame.

“This game meant everything to us,” said Softli. “We were looking forward to this game since we found out they were on our schedule. They are a great team so it was really important for us to get the win.”'

Elston scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season when she dribbled down the right side, cut in and beat Notre Dame keeper Elyse Hight to the upper left corner. Softli made it 2-0 in the 38th minute when she took a shot that bounced off Hight, won the ball back and buried the rebound. The third and final UW goal came from freshman Falon Miller, her first career goal, in the 89th minute.
 
“I think there are turning points in a game and to be up 2-0 at the half took so much pressure off of our team,” said Huskies coach Lesle Gallimore. “To be able to get a good start on a Sunday and get ahead in a game helps you with the fatigue from Friday’s game and the travel [1-0 win at Gonzaga].”
 
After finishing non-conference play at Utah State and BYU next week, UW will remain on the road for games at USC, Colorado and Utah to open the Pac-12 season.
 
“There are things in our season that are starting to show as a result of our team staying mentally prepared," added Gallimore, "so I’m hopeful these seven games can give us the fortitude to fight through the tough stretch that is coming up.”
 
Sept. 9 in Seattle
Washington 3 Notre Dame 0. Elston 29, Softli 38, Miller (Farrell) 89.
Washington -- Davidson, Farrell, Archer, Bos, Archer, Schoening, Sittauer, Elston, Beahan, Zevenbergen, Boyd. Subs: Fawcett, Brahs, Page, Softli, Miller, Dufka.
Notre Dame -- Hight, Scofield, Von Rueden, Hall, Naughton, Williams, Simonian, Schneider, Tucker, Thomas, Bohaboy. Subs: Voigt, Campo, Gilbertson, Twining, Schwappach.
Att.: 1,000.