GRANVILLE, Ohio -- In a game that featured wild momentum shifts and exciting runs by both teams, Notre Dame topped Denison, 19-16, on Thursday night. (Box)

The Falcons (9-4) and Big Red (7-5) traded goals, scoring them in bunches for most of the game's 60 minutes. After being tied, 16-16, through nearly 55 minutes of play, Notre Dame landed the last blow, knocking out Denison with a final three goals.

With the win, NDC has won seven consecutive games. 

"They were ready for us," said Head Coach #Torrey McGowan# of the host Big Red.  "This was a see-saw battle.  They took some things away from us offensively, but we showed some good depth tonight -- other players stepped up, which was good to see."

Notre Dame ceded a 4-0 lead to Denison over the first nine minutes of play. #Marisa Rainieri# finally got the Falcons on the board with a goal at 20:57.

Rainieri's goal opened the floodgates for NDC -- the Falcons scored a total of 10 unanswered goals to go up, 10-4, by the 11:17-mark. Denison rebounded with five goals over the final 10 minutes of the first half, and the Falcons went into halftime with a 12-9 lead.

As the second stanza got underway, it was the Big Red's turn to whip in a slew of goals in short order. Denison scored the first five goals of the period, getting three from Phoebe Myhrum, who would go on to tally seven points (four goals, three assists) in the game.

The Blue & White finally scored in the second when #Jill Dixon# found nylon on a shot at 17:00. That goal brought the Falcons to within one, at 14-13. NDC would tie the game and then go up one in quick succession, when a #Staci Myrup# goal at 10:02 was followed by a #Briana Chestnut# goal at 9:32.

Denison then scored again. The Falcons and Big Red were tied and 15-15 and then again at 16-16 before Notre Dame managed a three-goal spurt from 5:18 to 4:06. Chestnut, who scored a season-high three goals for the game, had two of the Falcons three goals in that stretch. NDC was able to close out the final 4:06 and earn its seventh straight win.

For the game, the Falcons out-shot Denison, 36-29. Chestnut, Myrup and Rainieri each garnered three goals. Notre Dame won 20 of 37 draws and took 23 ground balls to DU's 16. Denison committed 23 turnovers, while NDC had 20.

#Ally Phillips# went the distance in goal, making six saves.

With the victory in Granville, the Falcons run their 2010 road record to 2-4.

Notre Dame will look to run their winning streak to eight on Saturday, April 17, when they host St. Vincent-Pa. (Korb Field, 2 p.m.).


NOTES FROM THE NEST …

STREAKY BUSINESS: The Falcons have had numerous long win streaks over the past few years. Their current seven-gamer is a reprise of last year, when the team rattled off seven straight to close out the season with an 11-3 record. Notre Dame had nine-game win streaks in both the 2007 and 2008 seasons. … Thursday's contest marked NDC's first road game since March 20. The Falcons came into the game off a season-long six-game home stand.

BIG IN THE BOX SCORE: Sophomore #Katie Christensen# notched a goal, four ground balls and three caused turnovers on Thursday at Deeds-Piper Stadium. … #Sarah Hutchison# had three points and four ground balls. … NDC's 36 shots mark a new single-game high for the 2010 season.