SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. -- Notre Dame led by eight at the break before falling 19-18 to Shepherd on Saturday in a game that endured a 53-minute delay due to lighting. (Box)
 
“All the elements were against us,” said Head Coach Torrey McGowan. “We definitely showed we could run with them, we just ran out of time.”
 
Kristen Hull scored a game-high six goals and Madalyn Dewling added three goals and an assist for the Falcons while Krista Tippett led the Rams with five goals.
 
Notre Dame (5-9) jumped out to a 5-1 lead when Elizabeth Anderson netted her second of the game on a free position shot at the 16:35 mark.
 
Shepherd (11-4) brought the game to 6-4 after Georgia Karr scored with 12:11 remaining in the opening half, before Jill Dixon and Madalyn Dewling scored on either side of Kristen Hull's double as the Falcons extended its lead to 10-4 with 6:30 left.
 
Hull netted her third with 16 seconds left in the opening 30 minutes to give the Falcons a commanding 14-6 halftime lead.
 
Through the opening 30 minutes the Falcons held a decisive 23-15 lead in shots. Notre Dame also held a 15-9 lead in ground balls and a 12-9 edge in draw controls. The Falcons and Rams were knotted at four saves a piece while Shepherd made 14 turnovers while Notre Dame made 10. Jill Dixon picked up the only yellow card of the first half.
 
Georgia Karr opened the second half before Nocole Ruane scored as Shepherd went on a 10-1 run to take a 16-15 lead with 20:55 remaining.
 
Kelly Matthewman scored to level the score 1:39 later before Dewling netted a free position goal at the 9:12 mark to give NDC its final lead (17-16) in the game.
Trailing 17-16 with under eight minutes to play the Rams caused a turnover allowing Georgia Karr a shot. Jessica Vuozzo turned the shot away before Jenna Benke converted a pass from Nicole Ruane to tie the score at 17's.
 
Ruane then found Krista Tippett at the 5:47 mark giving the Rams an 18-17 lead but Allison Merten found Madalyn Dewling with 27 seconds remaining as the Falcons tied the game (18-18).
 
Shepherd controlled the draw with 24 seconds left then back-to-back fouls on the Falcons gave Jenna Benke a free position shot.
 
Benke converted the shot with 15 seconds remaining to give the Rams a program record 11 wins in a season by the score of 19-18. In the game Ruane scored three goals while providing two assists to give her the single season program record for points (78).
 
Kristen Hull's five goals on the day ensured the Okemos, Mich., native doubled her goal total from her rookie season. Last season Hull scored 23 goals while providing a team-high 10 assists. This season the midfielder has scored a team-high 46 goals to go along with 17 assists.
 
The two teams were level in shots (34) but the Rams had 25 on goal while the Falcons put 23 on frame. Notre Dame held a 20-19 edge in draw controls while Shepherd collected 23 ground balls to 21 by the Falcons. Notre Dame went 13-for-19 in clear attempts while the Rams converted 13-of-18. NDC earned 14 free position shots but the Blue & White converted .357 (5-of-14) .
 
Lily Schmulowitz recorded five saves for the Rams, while Kelsey Harvey (4) and Jessica Vuozzo (2) combined for six saves for Notre Dame.
 
Next the Falcons travel to Buckhannon, W.Va. for their final road game of the season when they take on the Tigers of West Virginia Wesleyan on Tuesday April, 24 at 4 p.m.