LYNDHURST, Ohio – Notre Dame moved first place in the American Mideast Conference (AMC) Tuesday with a 2-0 victory over Cedarville. The win keeps NDC unbeaten in the league, with 7-0-1 AMC mark. Junior forward Jessica Mazzorato (London, Ont.) scored both Falcon goals, as NDC remained unbeaten (6-0-1) over their last seven matches.
The wins over the Lady Jackets marks the first in program history and extends the Falcons' unbeaten win streak on home turf. This season, No. 21 ranked NDC posts a 5-0 record at Korb Field and has outscored their visiting opponents, 17-0. With the win, the Falcons notched their eighth shutout of the season and marks their 19th since the start of the 2007 season.
Notre Dame struck early, scoring off a corner in the seventh minute of the match. Senior forward Natalie Bernot (Mentor, Ohio) took the corner and lofted an in-swinger to Mazzorato who landed a far post header from point-blank range. The goal, her second of the season, gave NDC a 1-0 lead. The Mazzorato score marked the eighth time this season the Falcons have tallied the first goal in a match.
The Falcon defense made that goal stand up in the first half with solid play across the back line. The NDC defenders intercepted a number of Lady Jacket crosses throughout the opening frame. Cedarville did not put a shot on goal until the final five minutes of the first. In that opening stanza, the Falcons outshot the Lad Jackets, 10-4, putting six shots on goal to CU's two.
In the second, the Falcons scored in the 58th minute when Mazzorato corralled a shot that sophomore Ashley Rucker (Westlake, Ohio) had rocketed into the sliding save of Cedarville goalkeeper Amber Laing (Sr./Waminster, Pa.). The ball squirted out to Mazzorato at the top of the 18-yard box. She booted a shot into the right side of the net to put NDC up, 2-0.
Notre Dame out shot Cedarville, 21-9 over 90 minutes of play and had 13 shots on goal to the Lady Jackets' five. Mazzorato lead all scorers with two goals while Bernot and Rucker dished out one assist apiece.
Sophomore goalkeeper Emilie Lamarche (Rockland, Ont.) earned her eighth win of the season making five saves. For Cedarville, Amber Laing played all 90 minutes turning away 11 Falcon shots.
Notre Dame moves into a tie for first place in the AMC with Houghton (N.Y.) with a 7-0-1 record. Houghton, who NDC defeated on Sep. 16, is 7-1-1 in the conference and both teams have 22 points total based on total wins and ties. Because of NDC's victory over the Highlanders, Notre Dame would win in a tie-break situation. The Falcons have five games left on their conference schedule, including key matches with Walsh and Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.).
Notre Dame will be in action again Saturday, when they travel to North Canton to take on Walsh. The match figures to be key in determining the contenders for the AMC crown down the stretch – Walsh and Notre Dame came into Tuesday's action tied for second place in the 14-team circuit. The kickoff at Walsh is slated for 4 p.m.
NOTES FROM THE NEST...
MAZZ MOMENT: Jessica Mazzorato's two scores mark the third time this season a Falcon player has scored multiple goals in a match. The London, Ontario, native came into Tuesday's game with one goal on the season. Her three scores in 2008 now matches her total in the 2007 season.
SHOTS IN THE DARK: In outshooting Cedarville, 21-9, Notre Dame has now outshot their opponents in three straight matches and five of their last six. The Falcons came into Tuesday's tilt averaging 13.4 shots per contest while allowing 10.9
