MANSFIELD, Pa. -- Notre Dame (4-1) handed NCAA-II Salem International (W.Va.), their fourth consecutive loss of the season, 102-49, on Saturday afternoon in the Comfort Inn Classic hosted by Mansfield University (Pa.). (Box)

Senior forward #Kealy McNally# was named to the Comfort Inn Classic All-Tournament Team, while Mansfield's Mallory Moore was named Comfort Inn Classic MVP, and Salem International's Brittany Wells earned the Hustle Award, but it wouldn't be enough for SIU (0-4) to overcome Notre Dame in the second day of the Comfort Inn Classic. Mallory Moore of Mansfield University was selected the tournament's MVP.

Notre Dame jumped out to a 20 point lead (20-0) through the first five minutes on baskets by sophomore guard #Chelsea Andorka#, senior center #Yvette Hunter#, senior guard #Ashanti McLeod#, and junior guard #Alex Dackin#. The Blue and White held Salem International (0-4) to 29.6 percent (8-for-27) from the floor in the first half that saw them outscore SIU 59-19 through a hot shooting half, 68.6 percent (24-for-35).

After the Falcons extended their lead to 59 (100-41) on a basket by #Alexia Tropiano# with 2:41 remaining, SIU would respond with a 6-2 run trimming the Notre Dame lead to 53 at the final buzzer (102-49). The loss would be the Fighting Tigers fourth straight and their third game surrendering 100 or more points in 2010-11.

The Falcons pesky defense forced the SIU into 22 turnovers for the game. NDC defense was led by McLeod with seven steals. For the game Notre Dame held Salem International to 31.0 percent from the floor on 18-for-58 shooting. The hot shooting Blue and White would finish the game 38-for-66 from the floor (57.6 percent).

#Erin Entinghe#, a freshman center from Avon, Ohio would lead the Falcons on the boards with team-high eight rebounds. For the game Notre Dame held a commanding 47-26 advantage in rebounds over Salem International.

Andorka led four Falcons in double figures with 15 points while adding four assists, and three rebounds. Freshman guard #Danielle Ledrich# provided 14 points, Dackin added 12 points on 2-for-3 behind the three-point arc and 4-for-4 from the charity stripe, and freshman #Santana Bonifant# contributed 10 points. Freshman #Courtney Clark# provided a game-high seven assists to go along with six points and Entinghe chipped in with six points to go along with her team-high eight rebounds.

The Falcons will be back in action on Friday, Nov. 26, when they travel to Adrian, Mich., to take on the Cougars of Spring Arbor (Mich.) in their opening game of the Siena Heights Tournament. Tip-off slated for 6 p.m. EST. 


NOTES FROM THE NEST…. 


MEET THE FIGHTING TIGERS: Salem International University is located in Salem, W.Va. The University was founded in 1888 as Salem College and has a present-day enrollment of 786. In athletics, SIU is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference and West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Salem International sponsors 13 athletic teams overall.

NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER: Over the last three seasons, the Falcons have gone 19-3 (.863) in the month of November.

DEASY DECADE: The 2010-11 season marks the 10th year at the helm of NDC Women's Basketball for Head Coach #Dick Deasy#. The Falcons' bench boss is the winningest coach in program history, both in terms of wins (168) and winning percentage (.598)

TURN'EM OVER: The Falcon defense has forced opponents into 126 turnovers through their first five games, NDC's defense is led by #Tracy Payne#'s 15 steels, Notre Dame's opponents are averaging 25.2 turnovers per game against the Blue and White.