NORTH CANTON, Ohio -- Head Coach #Mike Shiels# termed it a flat effort. The American Mideast Conference now shuffles NDC toward the bottom of the deck. However you cut it, Notre Dame lost to Walsh, 2-1, in what was a disappointing conference opener on Tuesday. (Box)

The Falcons (3-4, 0-1 AMC) managed just one goal against a Walsh (1-3-2, 1-2) squad that had yielded six goals over their previous two matches and that had come into the day winless overall and in the league. The match marked the AMC opener for Notre Dame, who went 10-2-1 in circuit play a year ago (2008).

“They outworked us,” Shiels said of the host Cavaliers. “They played harder and they wanted it more. We got what we deserved.”

Notre Dame, which had won its two previous matches, tallied the first goal of the match when #Morgan Lichtinger# scored at 40:40. NDC would take that goal into halftime, leading the Cavaliers, 1-0.

Walsh, however, evened the match at 1-1 early in the second half, when Carley Adams tallied a netfinder at 54:52. The Cavaliers got the game-winner two minutes later (at 56:52) when Rachel Naumann slipped a penalty kick by Falcon keeper #Brittany Cruz#.

The WU mid- and backfield defense held NDC without a shot on goal in the second half, as the Cavaliers held on for their first win of the season. For the match, Walsh outshot Notre Dame, 11-6. In their four losses this season, NDC has now been outshot, 79-16.

Cruz went the distance between the pipes for the Falcons; she garnered nine saves.

The match at Walsh marked the first of 11 straight conference matches for the Falcons, who finished off their non-conference season with a 3-3 mark. Notre Dame placed third in the AMC standings a year ago when they lost just twice in league play. The loss against the Cavaliers, however, is nothing new for the Blue & White - NDC has now been bested by Walsh in nine of 10 all-time meetings.

Notre Dame will look to bounce back from Tuesday's loss in their next match, which is slated for Saturday, Sept. 26. The Falcons will host the Shawnee State Bears in a noon kickoff.


NOTES FROM THE NEST …

CRUZ DIRECTOR: Brittany Cruz came into Tuesday's match in North Canton having given up just one goal in 448 career minutes over parts of eight matches. The sophomore from Amherst, Ohio, had a 0.20 goals-against average and a save percentage of .957.

WHITE-WALSH'ED: In 10 all-time meetings with Walsh, Notre Dame has scored more than one goal in just one match. That occurred last season (Oct. 18), when NDC topped the Cavaliers, 2-1. … After coughing up their 1-0 lead in the second half of Tuesday's match, the Falcons have now been outscored, 8-3, in the second half this season. 

ROAD SHOW:  NDC's next match will mark their 2009 home opener.   The Falcons started off their season with six road matches (2-4) and one neutral-site affair (1-0).  NDC went undefeated at Korb Field a year ago, going 7-0.  The last time Mike Shiels' crew lost at home was Oct. 3, 2007 - they are 10-0 on their home turf since.