LIVONIA, Mich. – Coming off their most dominating result in nine years against St. Francis (Ill.) 13-0, the fourth-ranked Falcons (8-0-0) traveled 186 miles northeast to face the Madonna Crusaders (Mich.) (4-2-0). 

MU came into the match with back to back shutouts, outscoring their opponents 8-2. The high-powered Falcon attack ranked third in the NAIA with 5.15 goals a game and first in total goals (36). The Falcons had been led by NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week, Luke Holmes, a junior from Oldham, England with 10 goals and 6 assists. Leading the NAIA in assists (6) and second best in total points (26). 

Not to be outdone, the NDC defense ranked first with a 0.00 goals against average, and led the way with seven consecutive shutouts going into their match with the Crusaders. 

The Falcons opened the match controlling play for the first 15 minutes before Masato Morioka, a junior from Northville, Mich. entered the match for the hosts. Morioka would make the Falcons pay for the first time all season at the 20:54 mark when he made it down the flank, sending a cross to the six-yard box to a waiting Mustapha Olorunnimbe, a freshman from Lagos, Nigeria. Olorunnimbe buried the well placed cross, netting his third goal of the season ending the Falcons steak of not conceding a goal at 650:54 the longest in the nation and a school best. 

The Falcons would respond less than seven minutes later. Steven Kane, a senior from Jeromesville, Ohio stripped the ball away from a Crusaders defender, broke in on goal and slotted a shot to the back post bring the game back into balance 1-1. 

Kane would turn form scorer to provider at the 32:13 mark when he provided Ryan McGreevy a freshman from Salford, England a gift. Kane picked the ball up in his own half before delivering a long range ball into the box drawing the host's keeper off his line. McGreevy got on the end of the pass as it sailed over the keepers head slotting home his fifth goal of the season. 

MU's Ogbemudia Iyoha buried the ensuing spot kick after the Falcons were called for handling inside the penalty area at the 34:12 mark. 

The opening period would end level 2-2 despite the Falcons outshooting the hosts 8-4.
After what seemed a Falcon go ahead goal at the 49:23 mark was whistled for offside, the Falcons would take the lead at the 77:04 mark when Christian Earnest, a sophomore from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio received a cross from Tom Mellor and beat the Crusaders keeper for the 3-2 advantage. 

At the 79:35 mark, Alex Klein would be forced to face his second spot kick of the match after a Falcon defender was called for a foul inside the area. Klein a junior from Frankfurt, Germany dove to his right saving the initial kick by Iyoha. Olorunnimbe latched onto the loose ball sending it towards the goal, Klein extended himself like Inspector Gadget deflecting the shot, another Iyoha attemped sailed wide as the match ended 3-2. Klein's back-to-back saves would be what McBride and the Lads in Blue & White needed to ice away their eighth consecutive win in 2010. 

Klein went the distance between the pipes for the seventh time this season. 

“A mixture of standing water, and mud made up the vast majority of the playing surface. The players were asked to completely readapt their game to fit the surface. It is much to their credit that they managed adapt. It was an exciting game with plenty of incident, but there wasn't much football played. Under the circumstances this was our biggest win of the season.” Coach Michael “Mac” McBride said. “We played with 3 forwards and they all scored. Our goals are coming from a variety of players this year which is great to see.” 



NOTES FROM THE NEST....


FIRST AND FOREMOST: The Falcons and Crusaders met for the first time in program history. The Falcons are 6-0-0 this season and 41-22-5 all time in first-time meetings. 

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: After opening the year with eight straight wins away from home, the Falcons will play their first home match of the year Wednesday Sept. 22, when they host Ashland, 7:00pm at the friendly confines of Korb Field. In 2009 the Falcons went an impressive 4-1-1 at home on their way to a third NAIA National Tournament appearance and their second consecutive AMC Crown. Since the program's inception in 2001, Men's Soccer is 57-15-2 (.792) at the friendly confines of Korb Field.