White-hot
Falcons 6-0 after win over Cedarville
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SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – Notre Dame defeated Cedarville Tuesday, 82-73, to continue their hot start to the 2007-08 season.  The Falcons are now 6-0, which represents the best six-game start in program history.

Both Notre Dame and Cedarville came into the season on the fringe of the nation’s top-25 in the pre-season National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) coaches’ poll.  The Falcons are stating their case six games into the season that they merit a move up.  Their six-game winning streak is their longest since the 2005-06 season (Dec. 18 – Jan. 14).  The sixth win, however, comes against the five-time defending American Mideast Conference (AMC) champions, and is a feather in the cap of an NDC team that features several newcomers in its rotation.

“This is a great win for us,” said Head Coach Dick Deasy after the game.  “That’s a quality program year in and year out, but we played well in most phases of the game tonight.  Several girls stepped up for us.”

Notre Dame (6-0) opened a 21-13 lead by the 11-minute mark, as the defending AMC champion Lady Jackets connected on just six of their first 20 attempts (30.0 percent) from the floor.  Cedarville (3-3) would go on to shoot 36.6 percent (15-for-41) in the first half.

The Falcons controlled the tempo throughout much of the first frame, playing a strong transition game and taking advantage of several fast break opportunities.  For an eight-minute stretch beginning at 16:47, NDC outscored Cedarville, 21-2.

Junior guard Molly Baker (Avon Lake, OH), freshman center Yvette Hunter (Jamestown, NY), and junior guard Ashley Carney (Solon, OH) paced the Falcons in the first half.  Baker poured in 15 points on six field goals which included a pair of threes.  Hunter came off the bench and went 6-of-6 to score 12, while Carney added 11.  NDC, which came into the game with a conference-best shooting percentage (50.9), shot 54.1 percent (20-for-37) in the opening period and took a 46-32 lead into halftime.

In the second half, Notre Dame maintained their double-digit lead behind the Falcon frontcourt of Baker and Hunter.  The pair of NDC newcomers kept the home team in front through what was a much slower pace of play.  When Baker hit a trey at 11:40, Notre Dame held a 68-49 lead.  Carney followed with a three of her own moments later, as the Falcons continued to trade baskets with the Lady Jackets, who had found their shooting touch after the break.

Lydia Miller (Fr/Berlin, OH) hit a 13-footer at 5:38 to bring CU within 12 for the first time since the first half.  But the Falcons continued to answer against a Cedarville defense which came into Tuesday’s game holding opponents to a 34.0 percent mark from the field (fourth, AMC).  Baker was the Lady Jackets’ chief nemesis on the floor Tuesday – the junior transfer from Ohio Wesleyan continued to hit shots from the paint and beyond the arc.  She finished with a season-high 28 points on the strength of five 3-pointers.  Baker also collected a team-high seven rebounds and dished out four assists.

The Falcons, as a team, shot 42.3 percent (11-for-26) in the second half, but Baker and Carney were able to hit key 3-pointers to preserve the home court victory for NDC.  Notre Dame made five 3-pointers, in 10 attempts, in the second half.

Hunter, playing in just her sixth collegiate game, scored a career-high 21 on 9-of-9 shooting from the field.   Carney poured in 19.  Senior point guard Sarah Dia (Parma, OH) added 10 points and six assists.

The Lady Jackets, who shot a blistering 68.0 percent (17-for-25) in the second half, were led by Aubrey Siemon  (Fr/Springfield, OH), who scored 14 points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.

Notre Dame’s next game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 1, when they host Rio Grande. First tip is scheduled for 2:00pm as the opener of a women's-men's doubleheader. Saturday's game will be the Falcons last game on College Road for six weeks. Their next home date after Saturday is slated for Jan. 16.

Notes from the Nest...

Home again, home again: Notre Dame's win Tuesday runs their 2007-08 home hardwood record to 3-0. The Falcons are now 40-6 (.870 winning percentage) over their last 46 games on College Road.

Stinging back: Notre Dame had been 0-1 all-time against Cedarville before Tuesday's win. The Lady Jackets advanced to the NAIA Final Four last year when they earned a 27-7 record. CU also advanced to the NAIA Final Four in 2004 and 2005.