COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Falcons are working overtime in trying to stay near the top of the American Mideast Conference standings this season. On Friday, Notre Dame earned a 1-1 tie in double overtime, in a road match at Ohio Dominican, to remain unbeaten in league play (4-0-1).
The two teams traded blows late in regulation play, after reaching the 70-minute mark scoreless. Neither squad managed to find nylon in the two 10-minute overtime period, and the match ended with each team earning their first tie of the 2008 season.
After allowing a Lauren May (Dayton, Ohio) goal at 70:48, NDC returned fire with an Anic McKay (Fr./Orleans, Ont.) score to even things at 1-1, the eventual final. Ohio Dominican (4-3-1, 3-0-1 AMC) outshot the Falcons, 6-3, in the two overtime periods. The Panthers put three of those shots on target, but NDC keeper Emilie Lamarche (So./Rockland, Ont.) turned away all three to protect the tie. Lamarche did not make a save in the 90 minutes of regulation.
For the 110-minute match, the Panthers outshot the Falcons, 10-9. For the game, NDC put five shots on goal. Four were saved by Aimee Simonet (So./New Albany, Ohio) and Becky Williams (Parma Heights, Ohio) who split time in the Panther goal.
“This was an evenly played match between two teams who really wanted it,” said head coach Mike Shiels, whose Falcons new lead the AMC with 13 points in the standings. “We had some newcomers step up at both ends of the field today, and we hung in there on the road, which is always important.”
With the tie, the Falcons are now 5-2-1 on the season. Both Notre Dame and Ohio Dominican came into the match on a roll – each had earned victories in their previous three contests. Both teams now appear to be confirmed contenders for the 2008 AMC crown, with about a month remaining in the regular season.
With Friday's result, Notre Dame is now 1-2-1 all-time against ODU. The tie in Columbus marked the first meeting between the two programs since Sept. 16, 2002.
Notre Dame's next match is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 30, when they host the Daemen Wildcats. The AMC tilt is slated to kick off at 4 p.m.
NOTES FROM THE NEST...
GAME-SAVERS: Anic McKay has now scored two goals this season and both have been key netfinders in big matches. In addition to her late game-tying score on Friday, McKay also scored the game-winning first goal in NDC's Sept. 12 AMC-opener against Mount Vernon Nazarene. … The freshman from Orleans, Ont., has played in each of the Falcons' eight matches this season, scoring two goals and notching four assists.
WE AND THEY: Through eight matches, Notre Dame has now scored 16 goals and allowed four. The Falcons' 0.50 goals-against average ranks second in the AMC. … Last season, NDC scored 35 while yielding 14, with their plus-21 margin being a Falcon program record.
