NDC ropes Mustangs
Falcons net 93 in season opener
| Box |

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – Notre Dame won their season opener Saturday, racing to a 93-50 victory over the Mustangs of Marygrove College.  The Falcons controlled the tempo of play, dominating each half, and playing most of their roster in the win.

Notre Dame (1-0) got out of the gate early against the Mustangs, sprinting to a 7-0 lead by the 17:21 mark when junior guard Ashley Carney (Solon, OH) scored on a drive from the left short corner.  By the midway point of the first half, the Falcons had built a 22-10 lead on the strength of excellent defensive pressure and a 50.0 percent (8-for-16) mark from the floor. 

NDC would go onto shoot 54.5 percent (18-for-33) in the first half, with nine Falcons finding their way into the scoring column.  With that well-balanced attack, the Falcons took a 50-31 lead into their locker room at halftime, holding Marygrove (2-2) to 12-for-29 shooting (41.4 percent).  Carney scored 12 first half points to lead the Falcons, who forced 11 first half turnovers.

Notre Dame went on a 23-7 run to start the second period.  That stretch gave the Falcons some breathing room, with a 73-40 lead midway through the half.  Carney and the NDC frontcourt of Molly Baker (Jr/Avon Lake, OH), Jamie Henry (Jr/Garfield Heights, OH), and Yvette Hunter (Fr/Jamestown, NY) fueled the NDC surge, which allowed Head Coach Dick Deasy and his staff to work in several reserves over the game’s final 10 minutes.

In all, 14 Falcons saw action Saturday.  Thirteen scored, as NDC shot the ball well and played good defense.  For the game, the Falcons shot 54.5 percent (38-for-75), while holding the Mustangs to 41.4 percent (18-for-62).

“This was a good effort for us,” said Deasy.  “We executed well on the offensive end and played a strong transition game.”

Ashley Carney finished as the game high scorer, with 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting.  NDC out-rebounded Marygrove, 55-39, Hunter, Henry, and freshman forward Jackie Patterson (Cuyahoga Falls, OH) each hauled down seven rebounds to lead the Falcons.  Hunter, a freshman post player from Jamestown, New York, added 10 points in her first collegiate game.

Notre Dame’s next game is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 13, when the Falcons host Temple Baptist.  Tip-off at NDC’s Murphy Gymnasium is slated for 7:00pm.

Notes from the Nest…

Home improvement:  With Saturday’s win, NDC’s starts the season 1-0 on their home court at Murphy Gymnasium.  That’s nothing new for the NDC Women’s program of recent vintage.  The Falcons sported a 10-5 home record (.667 win percentage) a year ago.  Over their last 44 contests on College Road, Notre Dame is 38-6 (.864). 

Fast start:  Saturday’s 93-point performance marks the fourth year the Falcons have won their season opener.  NDC has scored 90-plus points in their last two openers, both of which have been at home.  Notre Dame defeated UM-Dearborn, 90-73, to open the 2006-07 season.