The Fighting Irish (12-5-3) notched its first league title since capturing the 2012 Big East Championship. Duke (13-4-1) made its first championship-game appearance since 2006.

Duke out-shot Notre Dame, 13-11, although the Fighting Irish put seven shots on goal to just one for Duke. Blue Devils goalkeeper Eliot Hamill made five saves, while Notre Dame’s Bryan Dowd stopped the lone shot on goal he faced in recording the clean sheet. The Fighting Irish did not concede a goal in 380 minutes during the tournament.

The first player to record a brace in the championship game since North Carolina’s Ben Speas in 2011, McCartney was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He was joined on the All-Tournament Team by teammates Jack Lynn, Philip Quinton and Dowd. Duke’s Shakur Mohammed, Peter Stroud and Thor Ulfarsson also earned spots on the team.

Notre Dame led for most of the match after striking quickly with a goal in the fifth minute. After taking control of the ball just inside midfield, McCartney worked to the center of the pitch and then drove to just outside the box before launching a rocket and finding the upper right corner of the net.

McCartney added to the Irish’s lead in the 77th minute. After his first shot was stopped at point-blank range by Hamill, McCartney collected the rebound and tapped it home for his seventh goal of the season.

Notre Dame became the fifth different school to win the ACC Championship in the last five years, joining Wake Forest, Louisville, Virginia and Clemson from 2017-20, respectively.

2021 ACC Men’s Soccer All-Tournament Team