Notre Dame midfielders Danielle Ciabattone and Gaby Gurrola didn't need to be working as hard as they did in the first half of the Lady Irish's 6-0, Class A/AA state quarterfinal victory over Dyersburg.

They just didn't know it.

"That was one of the things they said as they were coming off the field at halfime," Notre Dame coach Jim Schermerhorn said. "It was due to their passing -- they weren't doing a good job of possessing the ball; they would get it, but give it away too easily. We talked about it and made adjustments at the half, but I was happy with how they were defending."

The two center midfielders combined for three goals and two assists in the win, due to their ability to control the middle of the field and get the ball to the outsides.

"I think this was a game in which we needed to switch the ball," Ciabattone, who had two goals, said. "We needed to keep possession and play the ball quickly.

"Gabby and I are the ones that win the ball in the air, so it was important to get the ball back and attack."

Added Gurrola, who had a goal and two assists: "Switching the ball helps. You have everybody on one side, and if you switch it, it's hard to keep up."

Gurrola had four opportunities in the first few minutes to score, but missed either high or wide. She finally got a goal in the second half.

"Finally!" the sophomore said of her thoughts. "I kept shooting that shot so many times -- and we work on that shot in practice -- so it felt good to see it go in; I knew it was."

"Dyersburg was really packing it in tight on Carey (Leiper) and Kathryn (Healy), so they were laying it off to Gabby, and she had some really good shots outside of the 18," Ciabattone said.

The win puts Notre Dame back in the state semifinals, which is familiar to them as they've been in this spot the past five seasons -- although they're searching for their first trip to a state final since moving to A/AA.

"I think that if we're over our nerves, we'll be ready," Ciabattone said. "The team is ready as long as nerves don't get in the way."

Said Schermerhorn: "We move on and I'm happy with that. There are no easy teams from here on out -- they're here because they earned the right. A win's a win and we move on to tomorrow, so I'm good with that."