Undefeated NDC
Falcons net another victory in campus home match

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – NDC Women's Soccer continued its assault on the program's own record book with a victory over St. Francis (IL) on Saturday. Playing the second half of back-to-back days - one match on the road, one at home - the Falcons scored two goals in the match's final eight minutes to seal the victory.

The win, on the heals of 3-0 shutout of Franciscan University of Steubenville Friday, runs the Falcons record to an undefeated 4-0-1 on the season. That mark represents the best five-game start to a season in NDC Women's Soccer history.

The win Saturday was likely harder earned than others the Blue & Gold have enjoyed this season. Several Notre Dame players came into the game nursing injuries, the game would be played less than 24 hours after a road win in Steubenville, and the Falcons would find themselves knotted at 1-1 with the Lady Saints 82 minutes into the contest.

"St. Francis came out and played us hard," said Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Shiels. "We had to make some adjustments with personnel and with our attack, so it's good to come out with a 'W'."

Kelly Brown (Sr/Parma, OH) opened the scoring Saturday, with a 22-yarder that sailed past the USF goalkeeper into the left corner of the goal. The goal was short-handed due to injury and was Brown's first goal of the season.

The Falcons would take that goal into halftime with the NDC defense shutting down USF and not allowing a shot in the first frame.

In the second half, the Lady Saints' Chelsea Wagner (Jr/Tinley Park, IL) tied the match with a goal at 29:15.

The match would remain even for 20 minutes before the Falcons surged ahead with a pair of goals late - one at the 8:02 mark and an insurance tally at 3:33.

Holly Joseph (Jr/Lapeer, MI) banged a 12-yarder over the keeper's left shoulder at 8:02 on a fine cross pass Jessica Mazzorato (So/London, ONT) to give NDC the advantage, 2-1.

Then four-and-a-half minutes later, Notre Dame's Caley Prendergast (So/London, ONT) scored a gutty 5-yarder by weaving through traffic and taking contact before booting in the Falcons' third score of the afternoon.

The second-half goals by Joseph and Prendergast were held up by a staunch NDC defense and by Falcon netminder Emilie LaMarche (Fr/Rockland, ONT). Jessica Skoien (Jr/Rowland Heights, OH) and Jackie Winkel (Sr/Parma, OH) each made several key plays for the Falcons down the stretch.

NDC will put it's unbeaten record on the line again Wednesday, when the squad travels to Canton to take on the Malone Pioneers. Kick-off in the Falcons' American Mideast Conference opener is set for 5:00pm.


Notes from the Nest...

411 on USF: The U. of St. Francis is located in Joliet, Ill. and is a member of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. USF is a fellow NAIA institution. The USF men's squad is slated to face Notre Dame at Korb Field on Sunday (Sep. 9).

Falcon firsts on College Road: Saturday's match was played on NDC's grass field on campus, not at the Falcons customary nest down the road at Korb Field in Lyndhurst. In Saturday's match against the Lady Saints, Kelly Brown and Holly Joseph notched their first goals of the 2007 season.

Sure-shots: The Falcns outshot the Lady Saints 22-3 in the match. NDC put 12 kicks on target to USF's two. The Falcons have outshot their opponents in four of five games this season, and for shots on goal, have an aggregate 54-18 advantage.