Theres a quiet but distinct air of confidence about Filip Holosko this A-League season.It could be that Sydney FCs Slovak marquee is finally getting used to Australias hard pitches.Maybe too that his family is settled and his language skills improved to the point that the softly spoken 32-year-old swore in English after missing a header in Saturdays 4-0 win over Central Coast.But its perhaps Sydneys reinvented attack thats contributed most, unleashing an element of Holoskos game that lay dormant last campaign despite his 10 goals.Where Holosko previously operated solely on the right wing, his new tendency to drift into the centre as a second striker has already yielded him a league-high three goals in the opening two rounds.The clubs decision to reunite him with newly recruited Brazilian striker Bobo has been a revelation, their rekindled Besiktas partnership already bearing the kind of fruit championship contenders are made of.Its a relationship Holosko feels has allowed him to play with more freedom.Last year I played more wide but this year I am more like a second striker with Bobo, I feel this is better for me, Holosko said.I played with Bobo three or four years in Besiktas (in Turkey), so I know what to expect from him and he knows what to expect from me.Add to the fray the contributions of Milos Ninkovic, the fulcrum of the Sky Blues increasingly clinical attack.The skilful Serbian was superb at Allianz Stadium, anticipating Holoskos run with an inch-perfect pass that allowed the Slovak to score the opener before netting a second from the penalty spot for his 100th career goal.Holosko feels something is different about this season compared to the disappointment of the last.Im more settled, Holosko said.And Im used to the pitches in Australia... but we also have a better team than last year.Ninkovic felt most foreigners need a season to gel with new teammates and adjust to Australias physical league.Apart from Bobo, that is, who he was shocked to see excel straight away to the point coach Graham Arnold said the squad were still catching up to their new target man.Bobo makes probably 20-25 forward runs in behind per game and were not seeing them, Arnold said.Ninko and Brosquey can see them because theyre on that level of being switched on that way.But the young boys in midfield, Brandon (ONeill) and Joshy (Brillante), every week were looking at video showing them the runs Bobo is making. 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SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The tenaciousness of top-ranked Notre Dames defense, the speed of its offense and a crowd of 8,106 overwhelmed No. 17 Washington early in the Preseason WNIT final on Sunday and the Huskies never recovered.The Fighting Irish jumped to a 12-0 start and led 25-8 at the end of the first quarter en route to a 71-60 victory on Sunday as Arike Ogunbowale led Notre Dame with 17 points and Kathryn Westbeld added 14 points and eight rebounds. Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey had four steals each as Notre Dame forced 17 turnovers, leading to 19 points.Transition is our game. We want to get out and run, Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said. I think thats one of the things were known for.Washington coach Mike Neighbors said the male players who the Huskies normally practice against werent available the past few days so it made it tougher to prepare for Notre Dames speed.Wow are they fast, he said.After trailing by as many as 20 points early in the second quarter and 19 late in the third quarter, the Huskies (3-1) closed to 63-53 on a basket by Chantel Osahor with 5:53 left. But Ogunbowale hit a basket inside and Turner hit a free throw and scored on a rebound as the Irish regained control.Turner added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Irish (4-0).Kelsey Plum, who entered the game averaging 30 points, finished with 22 points on 7 of 19 shooting, including 2 of 6 from 3-point range. Plum credited Notre Dames defense.They sat on my left hand the entire game. They made me take a step back, fadeaway jump shots, and I didnt knock as many down as I should have, she said.The Huskies entered the game shooting 48.2 percent from 3-point range, but only shot 32 percent on Sunday.Washington, which hadnt trailed by more than seven points in its first three games, missed their ffirst five shots and had four turnovers while the Irish hit 5 of 8 shots.ddddddddddddI think once we got punched in the mouth we just settled down, and said, `Thats OK. Thats why theyre No. 1 in the country. Lets start playing basketball now. So I think that initial punch, it was cool to see our team battle throughout and play them even, Plum said. I think that will help us in the tournament and future big games. I think well be a little bit more prepared from the jump.BIG PICTUREWashington: The Huskies, playing on the road for the first time, struggled shooting early and couldnt hit consistently from 3-point range as they usually do. ... They fell 0-7 all-time against teams ranked No. 1.Notre Dame: After struggling both offensively and defensively in a four-point win against Green Bay, the Irish played much better at both and in extending their home winning streak to 34 games.POLL IMPLICATIONSWashington: The Huskies outscored the Irish 52-46 after a slow start so the loss shouldnt hurt them in the poll and could help them.Notre Dame: The win over a ranked team might be enough to keep hold of the top ranking, although the Irish could be hurt by the way they struggled to a four-point win over Green Bay on Thursday.HE SAID IT:Were not used to playing in front of 8,100 people. So that had a lot to do with it, Neighbors said.UP NEXTWashington: The Huskies host Idaho on Tuesday and Seattle on Saturday before playing at Portland on Sunday.Notre Dame: The Irish play Louisiana-Lafayette in Houston on Tuesday, a neutral-site home game for the Irish so Turner can play near her home in Pearland, before returning home to face TCU at home on Saturday. ' ' '