SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Playing a special on-campus game, Notre Dame ran their record to 4-0 with a 20-6 victory over Union Christian on Thursday.

Quarterback #Kyle Shaffer# tossed two touchdown passes, placekicker #Andrew Carr# kicked a pair of field goals and Notre Dame's defense bent without breaking in a well-played game against a talented Union Christian squad.

Notre Dame (4-0) scored on their first series, in a spirited drive led by Shaffer, who completed three of four passes on the 65-yard march. Shaffer also used his feet on the drive - on a third-and-13 play from the Crusaders' 33, Shaffer picked up 15 yards to keep the drive alive. Moments later, he hit #Karl Jean# on an 8-yard touchdown strike; that put NDC up, 7-0.

The Falcon defense then forced a three-and-out, but Shaffer made what would be a rare miscue when NDC got the ball back; he threw an interception, giving UC a short, 53-yard field to work with.

Notre Dame's defense rose to the occasion after the Crusaders had marched down within the shadow of the Falcon goal line. Safety #Derrick Smith# forced a fumble that that the home squad recovered, thus preserving the 7-0 lead.

The Blue & White took that touchdown lead into the second frame. The Crusaders started off the second with a long drive, but it was thwarted on downs at the Falcon 28.

A 23-yard field goal by Carr at 2:31 gave Notre Dame a 10-0 lead. That chip shot was set up by a 32-yard pass play, with Shaffer hitting tight end #Alex McKinley# between the hash marks. McKinley bullied his way down to the 13-yard line before being wrestled to the muddy turf.

The NDC defense again allowed the Crusaders to pick up chunks of yardage on pass plays and an interference call before a successful goal line stand closed out the second period.

Union Christian came out after halftime and moved the ball effectively, again through the air as quarterback Broderick Thomas and the Crusaders moved the chains despite NDC putting pressure on the signal caller from Texas (Houston). At one point in the drive, back-to-back sacks by linebacker #Freddie Lenix# and defensive end #Bob Hansen# forced a third-and-long. A defensive holding call, however, got Union Christian off the hook.

On the next play from scrimmage, Thomas connected on an apparent 40-yard touchdown bomb to Lydell Williams. That play was negated by a holding penalty, however. Two minutes later, Thomas would close out an eight-minute drive with a 25-yard touchdown strike to Levon Williams, who beat NDC's #Sylvester Flowers# into the left corner of the end zone. A failed conversion left the score at 10-6, with NDC holding the lead.

At that point in the game, Union looked to be exposing NDC's pass defense and a tough Thomas was effectively leading the Crusaders despite being under near-constant pressure from Lenix and a host of other Falcons.

Then, after UC's eight-minute drive, momentum shifted in a two-minute return-volley touchdown drive orchestrated by Shaffer. A reverse on NDC's kickoff return set up #Adam Howard#'s crew with excellent field position. That field position got even better moments later on a strong 27-yard run by #Ricky Stevens#. Notre Dame would get down inside the 5-yard line before a personal foul left them with a daunting third-and-goal from the 19.

The NDC offense turned that third-and-long into an 11-point lead on the next play, when the Falcon line gave Shaffer time to throw and he answered with a great throw to wide receiver #Marlon Gillis#, who made an even better catch while battling near-perfect coverage on a sideline pattern. When Gillis came up with the ball, the 328 fans in attendance at the Green Road field erupted with a cheer for the home Falcons, who had just answered a challenge in a home game for the first time in the 2009 season.

Thomas and the Crusaders continued to find success in the passing game in a drive that saw the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth. Union marched down to the NDC 6-yard line before NDC's defense again came up big. Notre Dame held when their backs were at their own goal line, forcing the Crusaders into a fourth-and-goal from the five. On that key play, pressure from a charging Bob Hansen forced Thomas into throwing an errant pass, ending the drive.

The two sides then traded possessions, with NDC's #Zach Trumble# forcing a fumble which was recovered by NDC to set up their final score, a 24-yard field goal by Carr.

With the 20-6 final score, Notre Dame remains undefeated this season and they have now outscored their four opponents, 163-47.

The Falcons will look to run that unblemished mark to 5-0 in their next game, Sunday, Oct. 11, at Wooster.