RIO GRANDE, Ohio -- The Falcon offense peppered Rio Grande goalkeeper Kaitlyn Schultz with 10 unsuccessful shots in the first half on Saturday afternoon. Notre Dame then broke through with a pair of netfinders in the second half to defeat the host Red Storm, 2-0. (Box Score)

With the win, Notre Dame (3-3) has now won back-to-back matches for the first time this season.

“We had a good first half,” said Head Coach #Mike Shiels#, “but we just didn't finish when we put together a scoring chance. In the second half we finished of our chances and we defended well.”

In the match, the Falcons outshot the Red Storm, 10-1 in the first half and 6-1 in the second. With the loss on their home turf at Evan E. Davis Field, the Red Storm falls to 1-3-1 on the season.

The Falcons' second-half scores came from #Anic McKay# (47th minute) and #Lauren Kobylik# (59th). McKay's goal, on a #Katie Christensen# feed, was her first this season and the fourth of her career. Kobylik's goal marked the first of her collegiate career.

Sophomore keeper #Brittany Cruz# went the distance in goal, making one save. She is now 2-0 this season. Fellow goalkeeper #Emilie Lamarche# showed her versatility in the 2-0 win; she played in the field, tallying three shots and two on goal.

With their 16 shots, the Blue & White hit a single-match high for the season. NDC put six of those on goal. Coming into the match, the Falcons had been outshot, 88-37.

All three of Notre Dame's wins this season have come via a shutout. After the 2-0 victory, the Falcons have now scored seven goals this season while allowing eight.

NDC will look to build on their two-match streak on Tuesday, when they begin their American Mideast Conference season, with a 5 p.m. match at Walsh.


NOTES FROM THE NEST …

SEEING RED: The match in Rio Grande marked just the second between the Red Storm and the Falcons despite the fact that URG and NDC were AMC foes from 1998-2008. The two programs were in different divisions (South and North) when the AMC was split into two circuits throughout much of the last decade. Notre Dame bested URG, 4-0, last season (Oct. 25, 2008).

SHUTTING THE DOOR: With Notre Dame blanking the Red Storm, the Falcons collected their third shutout of the 2009 season, with all three coming on the road. Last year (2008), NDC had 10 shutout wins, three of which came on the road.

SHOT SHOW: Lauren Kobylik's goal came after having not landed any shots over her first four career matches. The freshman midfielder from Lapeer, Mich., had a team-high 10 shots coming into the match. … McKay's goal marked the third game-winner of her career. The sophomore midfielder from Orleans, Ont., now has four goals and seven assists in 23 career matches.