LYNDHURST, Ohio. -- Notre Dame opened their 2011 home stand with a 2-0 victory over Alderson-Broadus (W.Va.) on Sunday afternoon at Korb Field. (Box)

“It was great to be home, we definitely enjoyed playing in front of family and friends,” said Head Coach Mike Shiels. “It definitely gave us a shot in the arm and helped us rebound from a tough loss on Thursday.”

The Falcons (5-2-0) worked their way to a 7-to-2 advantage in shots through the opening 45 minutes. Many of those efforts came on direct play by the Blue & White as they managed to hit four shots on target. Senior forward Anic McKay scored both goals – her second and third of the season – in the 23rd and 29th minutes. Goalkeeper Kristy Kolschetzky registered 4 saves to earn the clean sheet. While Lauren Acker and Katie Christensen got on the score sheet each registering assists.

Prior to Sunday's game, Notre Dame had been 2-2-0 in games played on September 25. Sunday's match marked the Falcons' 2011 home opener.

After four shots by the host Falcons, it was the decisive fifth that broke a scoreless opening 23 minutes. Junior Lauren Acker did well to find Anic McKay at the top of the area with a pointed pass. McKay a senior from Orleans, Ontario, turned beating two Battler defenders. Through free on goal, the 5-foot-4 senior slotted the ball past A-B's net minder, Kate Laird at the 23 minute mark giving NDC a 1-0 advantage.

The Falcons continued to press for a two goal lead. First came a corner kick by Alex Mannier. The sophomore from Troy, Ohio, had her ball into the box cleared where Notre Dame's right back Becky Mielnik picked up the ball from 40 yards out. The junior from Concord, Ohio, struck a lofted ball towards goal only to have it collected off the line by Laird.

After play began to build up for the Battlers a quick counter by the Falcons found Katie Christensen on the left wing. The senior from Sandy, Utah, placed a through ball behind the A-B backline and in the path of McKay. The converted midfielder cut inside and slid home her second goal of the game at the 28:04 mark.

“I thought we played some of our best soccer of the season at times today,” Shiels noted. “Some of the buildup play was exceptional. The next step for us is going to be doing it over 90 minutes and maintaining the right standard a full game.”

Kristy Kolschetzky made two first half saves, but it was a dynamic backline that helped the sophomore from Madison, Ohio, with turning away the Battlers leading scorer Nicole Lehman from getting into the grove. The quad of Mielnik, Jacki Coffman, Jill Bush, and Jayonda Pullens not only turned away the A-B attacks, but Bush and Mielnik were racing up and down the flanks joining the attack for Mike Shiels' squad.

The opening half would end with Notre Dame leading on Anic McKay's double. The Falcons played an aggressive defense as they were whistled for six first half fouls, while the Battlers were called for two. NDC earned their offensive advantage through a 7-to-2 shot lead, 1-to-0 lead in corner kicks.

As Alderson-Broadus starred at defeat, their first in six games, the Battlers came out in the second half with a newfound aggressiveness. They visitors were whistled for three early fouls.

As the two teams settled into a second half defensive struggle, the game began to have a reminiscent feel to the squad's match in 2010 where they finished 0-0 after 110 minutes.

The Battlers pressure began paying off as they outshot the hosts 6-to-2 through the final 45 minutes.

The first quality chance game in the 69th minute when Nicole Lehman found herself free at the penalty mark on a corner by Gwen Brand. Lehman struck her header with power, but right at Kolschetzky between the pipes for the Falcons.

In all Kolschetzky would be forced to make two second half saves to ensure her third clean sheet of 2011 and her ninth career as the two first half goals by Anic McKay would hold up for a 2-0 win.

The win gets Notre Dame back on the winning track after dropping a 1-0 decision on Thursday evening at cross town Cleveland State 1-0 that had broke a three game winning streak for the Blue & White.

The loss drops Alderson-Broadus for the first time in six games. A-B came into the Sunday afternoon contest riding a four game shutout streak. After opening the season with three shutout losses the Battlers won their next four before a 0-0 draw at Urbana on Friday night.

Notre Dame returns to Korb Field for their next match, Saturday, October, 1 for homecoming at 5 p.m. when they face Lindenwood (Mo.).




NOTES FROM THE NEST….


NINE TIME: Kristy Kolschetzky notched her 12th career win and ninth career shutout in today's 2-0, win. The Mentor, Ohio, native ranked 24th in the nation in goals-against average (0.79) in 2010, while posting six shutouts. Had a stand-out game between the pipes against No. 9 William Carey (Sept. 5, 2010) in her second career start. Had a previous career nine saves in a, 1-0, win at Mt. Vernon Nazarene (Sept. 18, 2010), and in a, 1-0, loss to Roberts Wesleyan (Oct. 22, 2010). Allowed just four goals over a span of 925 minutes from Sept. 5, 2010 to Oct. 22, 2010, including a span of five straight shutouts.

A-McKAY: Anic McKay notched her first two goal game in today's 2-0 win over Alderson-Broadus. The Orleans, Ontario, native also tied a personal season best, three goals with the performance. She previously posted a personal season best three goals in 2008 and 2009. The graduate of Gisele-Lalonde provided a career best seven assists as a freshman in 2008. During that season she dished out a personal best two assists Sept. 20, in a 5-0 win against Carlow (Pa.). Through 56 career matches McKay has scored 10 goals and assisted 10 others.