ORANGE BEACH, Ala. -- Sparked by a dramatic finish and two second-half goals, second-ranked Notre Dame (21-0-0) defeated Vanguard-Calif. (14-8-0), 2-1 in the second round of the NAIA Men's National Championship. (Box)

The round of 16 opened with four matches on Nov. 29. The opening game of the round began in dramatic fashion when unseeded Bethel (Tenn.) knocked off the No. 1 ranked and seeded Rio Grande-Ohio (22-1-0), 2-1 in the day's first game. The second match of the day between 15 seed Science & Arts (Okla.) and unseeded Great Falls (Mont.) would produce the most goals of the day, SAOA would survive the test from Argonauts, winning 4-3 in OT. UGF provided the biggest upset in the Opening Round, defeating the second seeded Simon Fraser (BC) 1-0. The third game of the day would third seeded Hastings (Neb.) against 14 seeded Bryan (Tenn.). Hastings would run away with the match, 3-0 providing the first top five seed to advance to the Quarterfinals. Since 2002, the RedStorm becomes the seventh No. 1 seed that fails to make it to the national title game.


The Falcons came into their fourth tournament as the fourth seed, while the Lions appearing in their first National Championship were unseeded.

A ball from #Luke Holmes# would find #Tom Mellor# on the left wing, Mellor's service into the box would find #Ryan McGreevy#. The freshman from Salford, England would coolly convert the shot at the 13:13 mark. After to seemingly putting the Falcons into the lead, the assistant referee's flag would indicate an offside decision, allowing the Lions to escape an early Falcon goal.

Mellor, a sophomore from Shaw, England would jink past his marker, sending a service into the box for a crashing #Steven Kane#. The senior from Jeromesville, Ohio, appeared to make his run from deep and deposited the ball into the back of the net just over a minute after entering the match at the 18:09 mark. As the Falcons began to celebrate what appeared to be the opening goal, another offside decision pulled the ball out of the net, and the score remained level, 0-0 and denying Mellor his 18th assist of the season and the Falcons lead. Mellor the Falcons all-time leader in assists (28) came into the match third in the NAIA (17) trailing departed Rio Grand's Richard Isberner and potential Quarterfinal opponent Main-Fort Kent's Luka Odak both on 19 assists.

Pressure from the Lions would earn them a corner kick. Jack Plummer would serve an in swingerl to the back post. Billy Pellow would rise above a host of NDC defenders and smash home his sixth goal of the season beyond the reach of Alex Klein, putting VU up 1-0 at the 33:44 mark.

Trailing for only the third time all season, the Blue and White would end the half trailing 9-8 in shots, level in shots on target 3-3 and corner kicks 3-3 through the opening 45 minutes.

Notre Dame, the third-highest scoring team in the NAIA with 4.30 goals a game would come out following the break attacking with more purpose. Holmes, a junior from Oldham, England would combine with Kane at the top of the Lions penalty area. Holmes pointed pass would find Kane open at the penalty mark for a simple finish for the senior from Jeromesville, Ohio at the 46:11 mark. Kane's 20th goal of the season would double his personal best 10 goals in a season from '08 and '09. Holmes picked up his personal best 10th assist of the season. With the goal, Kane has earned his 100th career point (44g, 12a).

Landon Herrera would smash a long range strike off the Blue and White's crossbar at the 54:08 mark before falling into Klein's safe hands preserving the level score, 1-1.

The second half would continue with intense pressure by both teams. As the Falcons built attack after attack, the Lions would be whistled for 10 fouls while NDC would be called for five of their own.

Dominic Waldron, a senior from Derby, England would be inserted into the Falcons lineup with just under 14 minutes remaining. The senior would show nerves of steel on the wing, first with a tricky play to get past Plummer at the midfield line, Waldron would swing in a cross to Kane who would miss high over the bar at the 77:08 mark.

After an offside call against Alex Lopez with 8:34 remaining in the match, #Dan Knight# a junior from Abergele, Wales would play a quick free kick to the Falcons left back, #Jacob Child#. Child a senior from Surrey, England would send a driven cross to the Lions back post and a diving Erik Beattie. Beattie a sophomore from Madison, Ohio, latched onto the cross smashing the diving header into the back of the Vanguard net for 2-1 lead at the 82:22 mark. For Beattie the goal marked just his third of the season and Child's fifth assist.

Trailing for the first time since going a goal down to No. 16 Azusa Pacific in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round, the Lions would push three players forward. The move would nearly pay dividends to the Lions when a cross from the right wing would find Kevin Cornwall six yards from goal. The sophomore forward from Dublin, Ireland, and the nation's top man for game winning goals (8), would sky the chance over the bar with 2:22 remaining, keeping the Falcons 2-1 lead in tact.

The final minutes of the match would wind off the clock without a further shot ensuring Notre Dame's 2-1 win over 11th-ranked Vanguard.

#Alex Klein# would be credited with four saves and his 20th win of the season, while Vanguard's Trevor Herrera would be credited with four saves in the loss. Herrera's record slips to 15-2-1 on the year.

The win secures the Falcons sixth NAIA Championship win in nine matches and a place in their second consecutive Quarterfinal, third all-time. NDC will play the winner of Main-Fort Kent and Grand View (Iowa) match, on Wednesday Dec. 1, at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. Kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. EST. Main-Fort Kent and Grand View kickoff their second round match at the Orange Beach Sportsplex, Nov. 30, at 1 p.m. EST.

Live audio will be provided for the NAIA Quarterfinal on NotreDameFalcons.com from the Orange Beach Sportsplex, pregame show and Men's Soccer Coaches Corner to start approximately 30 minutes prior to the Falcons 1 p.m. kickoff on Dec. 1.


NOTES FROM THE NEST....

DOUBLE SCORE: #Steven Kane# doubled his personal best 10 goals in a season ('09 and '08) with his 20th tally of the season against Vanguard, Nov. 29, 2010.

SHUT DOWN: A strong Blue and White defense kept Kevin Cornwall, a sophomore forward from Dublin, Ireland off the score line and limited the NAIA's leading man with eight match winning goals to just two shots, none on target.

BEATTIE'EM: #Erik Beattie# notched his third match winning goal of the season against Vanguard. The sophomore from Madison, Ohio has scored goals against Walsh, Oct. 12 when he struck the game winner from 35 yards, Roberts Wesleyan, Oct. 22, scoring the overtime winner assisted by #Jacob Child# in the 100th minute, and Vanguard, Nov. 29, heading home the winner in the 86th minute.

ALWAYS SUNNY IN NOVEMBER: The Falcons hold a 17-7-0 record in November matches including 11-0-0 over the last three season.

HOT SECOND: Notre Dame has outscored opponents 54-3 in the second half of matches.