LYNDHURST, Ohio. – Notre Dame fought off a late scoring run from Allegheny, to secure a 12-10 win at Korb Field on Monday. The Falcons (6-3) improved to 2-0 at home this season and earned their second consecutive win over the Gators (5-7).

Notre Dame got scores from seven different Falcons, including a hat trick from senior #Molly Merrill#, who also dished out an assist in the win. The Gators were powered by freshman Kiah Voyer-Colbath, who knocked back five scores and an assist.

The Blue & White got on the board first on a fast-break goal from freshman defender #Vanessa Scott# at 27:24. Over the next three minutes, NDC built the lead to 3-0, when junior attacker #Jen Morse# received a pass from freshman #Jen Hrobuchak# from the top of the fan and snuck the ball over Gator goalkeeper Rachael Coons. Merrill answered again 40 seconds later from behind the crease with an unassisted goal.

Allegheny broke the run at 21:39 when Voyer-Colbath tallied her first goal of the game. Voyer-Colbath was responsible for three of four Allegheny first-half scores. The freshman attacker got the Gators within one, setting the score at 4-3, but Scott, coming in full speed in prime scoring position, received a pass from freshman #Katie Christensen# to put the Falcons up, 5-3, with just over two minutes left in the opening half.

Voyer-Colbath wasn't quite finished with her first-half scoring barrage and rocketed one past Falcon goalie #Ally Phillips#, with just 55 seconds remaining, leaving the score at 5-4, headed into intermission.

The Falcon defense got caught flat-footed on a missed-shot rebound, when Voyer-Colbath fed junior Emily Hoar at 28:08 for the equalizer.

The 5-5 stalemate lasted only 120 seconds before the Falcons went on a 6-0 run over two minutes. Merrill kicked back another two goals and was helped out by Hrobuchak, Christensen, sophomore #Marisa Rainieri# and junior #Sarah Hutchison#, who all pitched in a point to take an 11-5 lead by the 23:44 mark.

The comfortable Falcon lead slowly began to dwindle away when freshman #Aleisha Matsuura# was issued a yellow card inside the 8-meter for a dangerous check against the Gators' Christina Zanic. Zanic capitalized on the free-position shot and got her second goal of the day to bring the score to 11-6, with just over 20 minutes left to play. Allegheny's Jensen Peterson, Caitlin Fearon and Voyer Colbath each picked another goal apiece to come within two goals with 4:35 left in regulation.

Using the Gator goalie, Becca O'Shurak, to help double team proved costly for Allegheny, as Hutchison beat the frantic Gator defense to take a 12-9, lead with 30 seconds remaining. Allegheny found the back of the net one last time as time expired but Notre Dame's patient offense had built a study enough lead to secure their sixth win of the season.

Defensively, Notre Dame was led by junior #Staci Myrup# who closed the night out with a team-high six groundballs and two interceptions. Allegheny's defensive charge came from Erin Foster who picked up five caused turnovers, all from Falcon offensive charging calls.

Overall, Notre Dame outshot Allegheny, 26-24 and picked up 32 groundballs to the Gators' 21.

Between the pipes, Phillips made six saves but was only 3-12 in clears. AC's Coons played for 46 minutes making five saves. O'Shurak played the final 14 minutes, turning away four NDC shots.

Notre Dame returns to the field on Tuesday when they travel to Slippery Rock, Pa., to take on Slippery Rock University. The Falcons previously defeated the Rock this season, 11-6, in Hilton Head, S.C., back on March 3. First draw is slated for 7 p.m.

NOTES FROM THE NEST….

GUILTY AS CHARGED: Notre Dame suffered costly turnovers as the offense was called for a season-high eight charges. The NDC defense earned one drawn charge from the Gators but the Falcons had trouble fighting through Allegheny's low defense line all night. Jenn Morse and Jen Hrobuchak were the biggest offenders with three charges apiece. Molly Merrill and Jo Bauswein each tried to crack through once. Hrobuchak and Merrill finished the night with six turnovers apiece on the offensive end.