Box Score
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- The Notre Dame Falcons fell in their home opener on Tuesday afternoon, losing on a last minute goal, in a 10-9 decision to Lake Erie.

For the Falcons (2-3) the loss snapped a brief, two-game winning streak, while for the Storm (1-1-1) the victory was their first of the season after beginning the year with a loss and a tie.

The contest also served as the program's first ever played on campus.

The game was extremely tight the entire way through, as neither side was able to take a lead any larger than two, and the lead changed hands five times.  Notre Dame was able to get on the board first, as Kelly Matthewman scored an unassisted goal just over three minutes in.

Lake Erie answered with the next two goals to take their first lead of the contest, before the Falcons got on a roll and scored the next three goals. Allison Merten scored on an assist from Kristen Hull with 14:31 left in the opening half, Hull and Madalyn Dewling followed with goals within the next three minutes to give NDC a 4-2 lead. Lake Erie scored one last goal with 2:05 to play in the first period, and NDC was up, 4-3 after the first.

Notre Dame fired off twice as many shots (16-8) in the opening half, while Lake Erie committed two more turnovers (9-7), contributing to Notre Dame's advantage.

The Storm tied things up just over a minute into the second period on a free position shot to even the score at 4-4, before Notre Dame capitalized on a free position shot as Hull found the back of the net for her second goal of the contest. Merten scored her second goal of the game just two minutes later, and NDC was up by a pair (6-4) with 24 minutes left.

The Storm then caught fire, as they went on a 4-0 run over the next eight minutes of the contest to take an 8-6 advantage, with just under 14 minutes left in the match.  Notre Dame came right back to tie it on goals from Hull and Merten over the next three minutes.

Lake Erie regained the lead two minutes later on Hana Abu-Kwiek's fourth goal of the contest, before Matthewman found the back of the next less than a minute after to tie the game at 9-9 with 7:20 remaining.

Both teams had chances to score in the final two minutes of the contest.  Kayla Bohn scored on an assist from Abu-Kwiek with 43 seconds to give the Storm the lead.  Notre Dame had one final chance, as Brooke Czarnecki won the draw control, and took it deep into the offensive zone, but a turnover with 25 seconds remaining was enough to seal the deal for the Storm.

Hull and Merten led the way for the Falcons on the afternoon, each scoring three goals, while Hull added a pair of assists as well.  Dewling paced the Falcons with a trio of assists, and led NDC as well with four caused turnovers.

The Falcons are in action again on Wednesday, March 18, when they take Gannon, in another on campus contest. The contest is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start.