SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Notre Dame will play host to Walsh University in the Ohio Independent Championship Final tonight when the Cavaliers come to Korb Field – Brush High School for a 7 p.m. ET kick off. (Audio)
 
Number two seed Walsh (14-4-0, 2-2-0 OIC) opened the Ohio Independent Championships at Milazzo Field on Thursday against third-seeded Cedarville University (12-5-0, 2-2-0 OIC). The Cavaliers had to battle from behind to defeat the Yellow Jackets 2-1.
 
The top-seeded Falcons (17-0-0, 4-0-0 OIC) played host to fourth seeded Malone University (10-9-0, 2-2-0 OIC) at Korb Field on Thursday at 7 p.m. Notre Dame dominated the match winning 2-0.  
 
 
CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEWS
 
#1 NOTRE DAME vs. #2 WALSH
Time: 7 p.m.
Live Audio: NotreDameFalcons.com
Rudy Roediger and Mike Earnest

Site: Lyndhurst, Ohio (Korb Field -- Brush High School)
Records: NDC (17-0-0, 4-0-0 OIC), Walsh (15-4-0, 2-2-0 OIC)
 
Despite losing four starters from last season's National Runners-up team, the Falcons who have used 17 different starters in 16 matches this fall, remain among the nation's elite teams and are poised for another deep tournament run and remain as the last undefeated team in the nation.
 
The Falcons have not been shutout since Sept. 12, 2008, are averaging an NCAA-II best 4.12 goals per game. In all, Notre Dame has netter two or more goals 16 times in 16 matches this fall, including a 4-1 rout of Midwest Region No. 4 Northwood (Mich.), on Oct. 30.
 
The Falcons of Notre Dame and Cavaliers of Walsh are meeting for the second time in 12 days. In that match NDC prevailed for a 2-1 win at Milazzo Field. Notre Dame holds a 6-0-1 all-time advantage and won the last four meetings.
 
 
 
NOTRE DAME
 
Eight Falcons have recorded at least two goals and 14 different players have found the net at least once. Along those lines, five different players have notched game-winning goals in 2011, paced by junior midfielder Erik Beattie, who has six. Junior forward Christian Earnest and freshman forward Martin Lange rank in the top 25 in goals and goals per game in the nation.
 
 
 After a program setting 11 shutouts in 2010 Jan Skorupinski and Alex Klein have combined for nine this season. The German net minders have combined for 51 saves while giving up 0.69 goals per game. Klein broke Chris Logan's individual career record in shutouts (18) on Nov. 3, in the Falcons 2-0 OIC Semifinal win against Malone. The Frankfurt, Germany, native became the first Notre Dame student-athlete to be named ECAC Player of the Week when he was selected as the Men's Soccer Division II Defensive Player of the Week for games played Oct. 23-30.
 
After losing 11 players from their 2010 National Runners-up squad, the revamped 2011 Falcons' roster features seven starters and 12 newcomers.
 
Of those newcomers, one is a transfer and 11 are incoming freshmen.
 
Since 2008, the Falcons are 27-2-1 (.916 percent) at the friendly confines of the Lyndhurst stadium. The Blue & White have not lost a home contest since Oct. 27, 2009. Since that loss NDC is 14-0-0 at Korb Field.
 
 
WALSH
Fourteen Cavaliers have recorded at least two goals and 21 different players have found the net at least once. Along those lines, seven different players have notched game-winning goals in 2011, paced by senior forward Ben Truax, who has four. Truax became the all-time leader in points (119) at Walsh on Oct. 27. Since setting the program mark, the 6-foot-1 striker has been held pointless in the last two matches.
 
Under the direction of first year Head Coach John Hall, the Cavaliers won their first American Mideast Conference regular season title since 1994. Hall guided Walsh to a perfect 10-0-0 mark in the AMC. Notre Dame had won the previous three titles before departing to become NCAA-II (provisional) members.
 
The Cavaliers had a three game skip stopped with the win over Cedarville in the OIC Semifinals. Before the losing streak, Walsh was in the midst of a 13 game winning streak including a loss to Notre Dame, and Cedarville.