SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- In a match-up that pitted the champions of the last three regular season AMC Championships., third-ranked Notre Dame (NAIA Men's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll) (18-0-0, 8-0-0 AMC) rolled to their largest AMC Tournament victory, 6-1 over Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) (8-9-2, 4-3-1 AMC).

The Falcons came into the match as the top seed, 8-0-0 in conference play while the visiting Raiders, the fourth seed brought in a 4-3-1 AMC record. The two teams battled for 100 minutes on Oct. 23, before #Erik Beattie#, a sophomore from Madison, Ohio, scored the match winner as NDC won 1-0.

After a 45 hour delay due to winter weather pushing the original kickoff from Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. to the Monday afternoon start, the Falcons would come out attacking earning a distinct advantage in shots, 18-0, and corners 5-0 through the opening 45 minutes. RWC's keeper, Erik Read, a sophomore from Webster, N.Y. would keep the NDC attack, ranked fourth in the NAIA in goals a game with 4.31 at bay.

Outscoring their opponents 47-2 in the second half, the Blue and White would continue to attack with more pressure on the Raiders' goal. Four minutes into the second period, Roberts would provide the go ahead goal when an errant back header from a RWC defender would sail over Read's head and bounce over the goal line giving the Falcons a 1-0 lead at the 48:38 mark.

Next #Jacob Child#, a senior from Surrey, England would push up the wing overlapping Kyle Hays, a sophomore from Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Child's service into the penalty area would find Christian Earnest's head, pushing the Falcons lead to 2-0 at the 63:45 mark. Earnest's goal would be his seventh of the year and Child's second assist.

As the Blue and White smelled a chance to go for the jugular, #Tom Mellor#, a sophomore from Shaw, England would float across the field before sending a pointed cross to the six yard box and the head of #Luke Holmes#. Holmes would put an emphatic header into the back of the net past Read pushing the Falcons lead to 3-0 at the 65:17 mark.
 
Holmes looking for his second goal of the match would get into the penalty area as Read came off his line. The Oldham, England, native would be brought down by Read earning the junior his sixth penalty kick of the season. Holmes would strike the ball on frame striking the post turning away his spot kick before Read would smother it preventing any rebound.

The attack minded back, Child would provide his second assist of the match when he found #Steven Kane# for a header at the 78:18 mark. Kane, a senior from Jeromesville, Ohio would score his 14th goal in as many games while Child earned his third assist pushing NDC's lead to 4-0.

#Ryan McGreevy#, a freshman from Salford, England would be brought down by Read inside the penalty area giving the Falcons their second penalty kick of the match. Holmes would step up and strike the ball at goal, only to have Read make amends for the foul saving his second penalty of the match.

As the home team rallied behind the boisterous crowd and feeling the confidence of a four goal lead, it would be Earnest's time to be the helper when he found a streaking #Sam Vail# crashing down the middle of the field. Earnest laid off a pass finding Vail, a freshman from Lancaster, Ohio in stride. Vail would take a touch into the penalty area getting past a RWC defender before slotting a shot to the back post for his first collegiate goal, pushing the Falcons lead to 5-0 at the 81:20 mark.

Roberts would bring one back at the 85:19 mark off a corner kick when Mike McGinnis would clean up the scraps inside the Falcons area smashing a shot off the chest of Notre Dame defender and into the back of the net. The goal would mark the first goal in 412 minutes of action the Falcons defense would surrender. The defense with four players on the All-AMC teams came in to the match, ranking second in the NAIA in goals allowed a game, with a .38 average.

Holmes would put the exclamation mark on the match at the 89:19 mark with an unassisted goal pushing the Falcons lead to 6-1. The goal marked Holmes' 64th career tally, tying him with Jeremy Kephart for the all-time record and moved him past Kephart (148) in all-time points with 150 on 64 goals and 22 assists. The goal also tied the all-time record for goals in a post season with the 2008 squad who defeated Judson 6-1 on Nov. 22, 2008. Ironically that match was played with snow piled around Korb Field identical to NDC's and the most goals in an AMC Tournament match. The previous high for an AMC Tournament match

“The players showed a patience in the first half that paid dividends in the second half, and what an explosive second half it proved to be.” Said the 2010 AMC Coach of the Year, #Michael “Mac” McBride#, “The finishing in open play was clinical.”

The win secures the Falcons place in their fourth consecutive AMC Tournament final on Saturday Nov. 13, at 7:00 p.m. when the Blue and White host the second seed Houghton (N.Y.) (13-5-0, 7-1-0 AMC).

“We now face the best opposing team in our conference next week.” Said Coach McBride, “I have the utmost respect for Houghton's coaching staff and players; they will be a huge challenge for us. It will be a chess match; it will be a battle of styles, it will be a battle of wills. I know both teams will leave everything on the pitch. I cannot think of a more fitting match to be our last in the American Mideast Conference.”

Live audio will be provided for the AMC Championship against Houghton on NotreDameFalcons.com from Korb Field, pregame show and Men's Soccer Coaches Corner to start approximately 30 minutes prior to the 7:00 p.m. kickoff.


NOTES FROM THE NEST.... 


ALWAYS SUNNY IN NOVEMBER: The Falcons hold a 14-7-0 record in November matches including 8-0-0 over the last three season. 

RECORD BREAKERS: The Falcons dominated opponents while rewriting the record books, with school best's in, wins to open a season (18), winning streak (18), and consecutive shouts (7) and shutouts in a season (12), most wins in regular season (17), fewest regular season goals allowed (6) and their first perfect regular season 17-0-0. 

ONE MORE: The Blue and White (18-0-0) are one game away from the record for wins in a season with the 2008 squad who went 19-2-1. 

200 CLUB: 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. McBride's record since the program's inception in 2001 is 136-52-14 (.708 pct.). 

PERFECTION: Notre Dame finished the regular season with their first perfect record in program history, 17-0-0.


HISTORY LESSONS
The last time the Blue and White played on Nov. 8 the Falcons defeated Cedarville, 1-0, Nov. 8, 2003. McBride holds a 13-7-0 record in November matches including 7-0-0 over the previous two seasons.

Jeremy Kephart scored the first NDC goal on Sept. 4, 2001 in a 2-5 loss to Tiffin. Kephart is tied with #Luke Holmes# in All-Time Goals Scored with 64 tallies. The Falcons last goal of the 2010 regular season was an overtime winner by #Thomas Owens#, his first collegiate goal on Oct. 30, 2010 in a 1-0 win over Point Park (Pa.).

NDC kicked off their first campaign Sept. 4, 2001 with a 2-5 loss to Tiffin. 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.