South Bend, Indiana, is the picture-perfect image of a college town. It is home to a historic campus and several beloved restaurants. However, no matter how long you spend scouring their menus, you’ll never come across the one dish the Tigers were after Saturday — revenge. Then-No. 17 Clemson (4-0, 1-0 ACC) upset then-No. 11 Notre Dame (2-2, 0-1 ACC) in overtime, 12-11, tying for the highest-ranked win in program history, and the first-ever victory against the Fighting Irish.

Last year, Clemson played Notre Dame twice and suffered heartbreak both times. The Irish took the first matchup in double overtime, and the second ended the Tigers’ season in the ACC Championship quarterfinals. This time around, the team was able to pick up its highest-ranked win in program history.

Though Clemson had yet to beat Notre Dame, it seemed it was always painstakingly close, never losing a contest to its ACC rival by more than 3 points. The Tigers marched into South Bend this past weekend, intending to finally pluck the largest thorn from their side. They did just that.

Determination was the name of the game for Clemson. The Tigers’ zone defense gave the Notre Dame offense fits, forcing countless turnovers and grabbing 14 ground balls. Senior goalkeeper Emily Lamparter made up for any defensive lapses, standing tall in the net with 10 saves and allowing only one goal on five free-position opportunities.

On the opposite end, the Clemson offense capitalized. The Tigers scored on seven of 10 free-position shots, with five Tigers scoring at least two goals. Sophomore midfielder Natalie Shurtleff recorded her second hat trick of the season with her game-winning goal in overtime.

The second half was as cinematic as a lacrosse game can be. The Irish took the lead after halftime with three unanswered goals before Clemson tied the game, 8-8, late in the third. The two teams then traded goals for the rest of regulation.

And then it was overtime. Notre Dame had possession early in the period, featuring a shot opportunity from the eight-meter. Lamparter locked it down, making the save on the doorstep and providing a scoring opportunity for Clemson.

Now on the offensive, the Tigers were provided with an eight-meter opportunity of their own, and Shurtleff didn’t miss. The sophomore scored the eventual dagger with 1:04 left to play, and her defense did the rest. Clemson forced a turnover with less than 20 seconds in overtime, and the celebration was on as soon as the final whistle blew.

It was a tale of two halves at Loftus Sports Center. The Tigers flew out the gate to an early 3-0 lead. Despite Notre Dame’s persistence, Clemson led for the entirety of the first half, heading into halftime up 7-5.

The Tigers have now started every season in program history with four straight wins. They have a tall order to get to that elusive 5-0, with a matchup against No. 5 Syracuse on Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome.