SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Second ranked (NAIA Men's Soccer Coaches' Top 25) Notre Dame (20-0-0, 8-0-0 AMC) defeated Davenport (Mich.) (15-7-0), 5-0, in the NAIA Men's Soccer Championship Opening Round. (Box)

The Falcons came into the Tournament as the fourth seed, while the visiting Panthers were unseeded, playing in their first NAIA Tournament.

Early pressure from the Falcons would earn a corner kick. Luke Holmes, a junior from Oldham, England, would find #Ryan McGreevy# free inside the area. McGreevy, a freshman from Salford, England would push his header just past the post.

The Panthers would respond with a shot by #Jordan Richards# skimming off the NDC post before #Jacob Child#, a senior from Surry, England cleared the danger for the Blue and White.

#Tom Mellor# attacking down left wing would earn the Falcons second corner of the match. The ensuing corner kick served by #Luke Holmes# to the near post would provide disastrous for the Panther defense. The ball sailed over the head of their defender on the six, falling into the goalmouth, the attempted clearance would bounce off another Panther and into their own net. The own goal would put the Falcons up 1-0 at the 15:04 mark.

For the second consecutive match, #Steven Kane# would come off the bench for the Falcons. The NDC frontrunner would put his mark on the game with 20 seconds remaining in the opening half. McGreevy and Kane would combine outside the Panthers' penalty area putting Kane in on goal. Kane, a senior from Jeromesville, Ohio flicked McGreevy's pass under the outstretched arms of DU's net minder, #Kevin O'Brien#, extending the hosts lead to 2-0 at the 44:40 mark.

NDC would outshoot the visiting Panthers 11-3, holding a distinct 6-1 advantage in corner kicks through the opening 45 minutes. #Alex Klein#, a junior from Frankfurt, Germany would be credited with one save for the Falcons and O'Brian, a sophomore from Cork, Ireland would be credited with three saves.

Outscoring their opponents 52-3 in the second half, the Blue and White would continue to attack with more pressure on the Panthers' goal. Twelve minutes into the second period, super sub, Kane would smash home his second goal of the match. #Mohamet Sougoufara#, a senior from Dakar Senegal, would dance past three DU defenders and send the ball across the box to a leaping Kane. Kane's finish would mark his second consecutive multi-goal game, and tie him with Luke Holmes for the team lead with 19th while pushing the Falcons to a commanding lead 3-0, at the 56:51 mark.

Next for the Falcons, #Tom Mellor# would cut in from the right wing, going through two DU players. The sophomore from Shaw, England, struck a well placed shot into the top corner over O'Brien's head from 25 yards, extending the Falcons lead to 4-0 at the 65:52 mark. Mellor, third in the NAIA in assists (17), picked up his seventh goal of the season.

The Blue and White would find a fitting cap to a dominating performance through #Scott Olinski#. Olinski a sophomore from Royal Oak, Michigan and the loan Falcon from the state up north would strike a driven shot to the back post challenging the Panthers new net man, #Wes Trimpe#. Trimpe would deflect the shot allowing #Carlo Manna#, a freshman from Sydney, Australia to shield the ball from Trimpe and give Olinski his first collegiate tally pushing the NDC lead to 5-0 at the 80:49 mark.

Klein would be credited with one save for the host Falcons, earning his 10th shutout, and a team record 13th of the season. O'Brien the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year made five saves in 72 minutes of action, Timpe made one save in relief for Davenport in the largest loss of the season for the visiting Panthers.

The win secures the Falcons a place the Sweet Sixteen for the third time. The Falcons will travel to Orange Beach, Ala. to play Vanguard (Calif.) (14-7-0) on Nov. 29, kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.



TEN YEARS CONTINUING THE TRADITION….

Sept. 4, 2001: Tim Finklea, a freshman captain from Bedford, Ohio led the Falcons onto the field for their first campaign against Tiffin (Ohio).

Sept. 4, 2001: Jeremy Kephart, a forward from Parma, Ohio scored the first ever goal in NDC history in a 2-5 loss to Tiffin. Kephart left Notre Dame as the all-time leader in goals (64).

Oct. 12, 2005: After a 9-1-2 start that included defeating Mobile (Ala.) 2-1, Oct. 7, and drawing 1-1 with then No. 22 Cumberland (Tenn.), Oct. 9, Notre Dame received its first NAIA Ranking, No. 19 in the sixth pool of the season.

Nov. 18, 2005: Nicky Jordan, a sophomore captain from Mentor, Ohio led the Falcons to their first NAIA National Tournament win, 2-1 OT over No. 5 Simon Fraser.

Sept. 19, 2007: #Steven Kane#, then a freshman from Jeromesville, Ohio scored the Falcons fourth goal in a 4-1 win, from over 40 yards against NCAA-I neighbor, Cleveland State.

Oct. 25, 2008: #Steven Kane#, then a sophomore from Jeromesville, Ohio scored in the 99th minute to defeat Rio Grande for the first time in program history, 2-1 OT at Korb Field.

Dec. 1, 2009: #Christian Earnest#, then a freshman from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio would score the third goal in a 3-1 win over Benedictine (Kan.) advancing the Falcons to their second Final Eight of the NAIA National Tournament.

Sept. 4, 2010: The Falcons marked their tenth year anniversary on Sept. 4, 2010 with a 6-0 win over Iowa Wesleyan at the Calumet College of St. Joseph Crimson Wave Invitational; the win marked the schools 121st victory.

Oct. 23, 2010: Coach #Michael "Mac" McBride# coached his 200th match on Saturday Oct. 23, 2010. The Blue and White defeated Roberts Wesleyan 1-0 in OT on NDC's homecoming.

Nov. 13, 2010: #Luke Holmes#, a junior from Oldham, England breaks Jeremy Kephart's record 64 career goals with his 65th tally in the Falcons 5-2 AMC Championship win over No. 21 Houghton (N.Y.).



NOTES FROM THE NEST....

ALWAYS SUNNY IN NOVEMBER: The Falcons hold a 16-7-0 record in November matches including 10-0-0 over the last three season.

HOT SECOND: Notre Dame has outscored opponents 52-3 in the second half of matches.

20/20: The Blue and White hold the record for most wins in a season (20-0-0).

PERFECTION: Notre Dame finished the regular season with their first perfect record in program history, 17-0-0. The Blue and White finished their final season in the AMC with a perfect 8-0-0 record and marched through the AMC Tournament defeating opponents by a combined 11-3, securing their third consecutive title.

STREAKING FALCONS: Notre Dame is tied for the fourth longest active streak of being consecutively ranked in the NAIA Top 25 with 31 consecutive weeks. The NAIA has 220 schools that sponsor men's soccer. Soccer is the largest single division sport for men in the NAIA. Only Men's Basketball has more schools. 261 schools sponsor basketball split between Division I (116) and Division II (145).