CINCINNATI -- Notre Dame scored 30 points in the first half and for the game, tallied four touchdowns of 25 yards or more in a 40-14 win at Xavier on Saturday night. The victory for the Falcons closes out their 2009 season - NDC finishes the year at 8-0, having outscored foes, 312-116.

NDC scored 30 points in a 17-minute stretch in the first half of play, getting scores on both sides of the ball, on special teams and on the right leg of placekicker #Andrew Carr#. All 30 of those points went unanswered by the host Musketeers, a club team at Xavier University. 

Carr got things rolling at 4:38 in the first when he put the Falcons up, 3-0, on a 25-yard field goal. NDC would tack on two more scores in the balance of the first, one on a 33-yard fumble return by linebacker #Gary Briggs# and another on a 42-yard pass play from #Kyle Shaffer# to #Derek Paster#. The Falcons' point-after on the second of those touchdowns was blocked, and NDC led, 16-0, at the end of the first quarter.

In the second, a #Shane Friend# blocked punt returned by #John Stolarski# and another Shaffer-to-Paster strike put the Falcons up, 30-0.

After Carr added another short field goal at the beginning of the third quarter, the Musketeers got on the board with back-to-back touchdowns to cut the NDC lead to 33-14. A 68-yard scamper in the fourth by sophomore running back #Brandon Goodall# closed out the scoring. 

"I thought we played solid defense in the first half tonight," said Head Coach #Adam Howard#. That really allowed our offense to take advantage of good field position."

With their 40-point output, Notre Dame finishes its 2009 season having scored 40 or more points five times in eight games. 

"This season has been a great learning experience for everyone involved," said Howard.  "We built a strong foundation for this program, and we look forward to our first intercollegiate season next year."