LYNDHURST, Ohio -- Notre Dame won for the first time on its home turf, as the Falcons rode several big plays and a staunch defense to a 30-6 victory over Siena Heights (Mich). on Saturday.  (Box)

The Falcons (2-2) rolled up a program-record 472 total yards en route to its biggest point total in two seasons. Many of those 472 yards came on big plays, as the Falcons managed six plays of 20 yards or more. Sophomore running back Pedro Powell ran for 145 yards and two TDs in notching a second-straight 100-yard game. Quarterback Rob Partridge tossed a pair of long TD passes on his way to a 7-of-15, 223-yard evening.

Prior to Saturday's game, Notre Dame had been 0-5 in games played at home. Saturday's tilt under the lights marked the Falcons' 2011 season opener.

“It was great to play in front of our home crowd,” said Head Coach Adam Howard. “After three weeks on the road, I think it was an opportunity for our players to show their friends and family that this team has grown since last year. We saw some things we need to work on, but there were a lot of positives to take away from this one. And we'll go from here and keep working.”

NDC worked its way to 330 first-half yards, as the Falcons built a 21-0 lead and then coasted to victory before nearly 2,000 fans at a jam-packed Korb Field on a pleasant fall evening.

Midway through the first quarter, on a third-and-15, Partridge found wide receiver Travis Hernandez in stride behind the SHU defense. Hernandez caught the ball near the midfield stripe and raced all the way down the right sideline for the first touchdown of the night. The TD marked the second of Hernandez' career and his first of the 2011 season.

Late in the first, Partridge connected with an NDC receiver on another deep sideline route, this time on a 95-yarder down the left side to Khalid White. That play, the longest in program history, put the Falcons up, 14-0, at the 1:02-mark.

The home side ran their lead to 21-0 when running back Pedro Powell darted around the left side of the NDC line and into the end zone. The score would stay 21-0 throughout the remainder of the first half. With their two big passes, Notre Dame rolled up 330 yards of total offense. Partridge went 4-of-8 for 197 yards in the opening half, and the NDC offense went 6-for-7 in converting third-down opportunities in the first half.

Each team scored in the third -- Notre Dame on a 37-yard TD romp at 7:14 and Siena Heights on a 2-yard Tony Katakis run at 00:34. Neither team converted on extra points -- NDC due to a botched snap on a kick attempt and SHU on a failed 2-point conversion. At the end of the third quarter, the score was Notre Dame 27, Siena Heights 6.

The Saints (2-1) were kept off the scoreboard in the fourth. The Falcons closed out the game's scoring with a 27-yard Chris McClearn field goal.

Penalties marred the contest, as both teams were assessed a combined 21 times for more than 200 total yards.

But it was 200 yards elsewhere that had Adam Howard excited about his offense on the evening -- Notre Dame ran for 243 yards and passed for 229, showing balance and big-play ability in both areas.

“We have talented players that can make game changing plays,” said Howard. “But that comes out best when they stay focused and not try to do too much. I thought that was a problem last week, and I saw improvement there.”

With its home win on Saturday, NDC evens its season won-loss record and ties its win total of a year ago when the program went 2-9. The Falcons will be at home again next Saturday (Oct. 1), when NDC welcomes the Marauders of Central State University to Lyndhurst (1 p.m. kickoff). The NDC-CSU tilt marks the College's Homecoming Game.