Box Score SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- The Notre Dame College men's soccer team played host to the visiting Urbana Blue Knights on Tuesday afternoon in a showdown between two of the top teams in the Mountain East Conference. In a hard-fought contest between both sides, the Falcons fell short by a final score of 2-1.
Physical play was the theme of the first half as the match began with a chippy tempo early on. After Urbana defeated NDC, 3-2, in the first meeting earlier this season, the rival Falcons and Blue Knights knew the importance of the second battle between the two.
Both sides looked to establish dominance over the other early on, but neither was able to find an opening in the opposing defense. Both teams combined for 15 shots in the first half, but neither was able to find the back of the net.
At halftime, the score between the Falcons and Blue Knights was tied at zero. However, both teams came out early in the second half with an offensive mindset.
Just over seven minutes into the second half, NDC broke the scoreless tie as
Leonardo Paiva, the Falcons leading scorer on the season, dished a pass to
Renan Troccoli, NDC's second-leading scorer this season. Troccoli settled the pass and sniped a shot to the right side, giving NDC a 1-0 lead.
However, the Blue Knights responded with offensive of their own. Urbana's Ben Fitzpatrick scored a goal in the 63rd minute, tying the game at one. Minutes later, the Blue Knights scored again, taking a 2-1 lead over NDC at the 68' mark.Â
As was the theme in the first half, physical play continued in the second half as both teams combined for five yellow cards in the final 22 minutes of regulation. The Falcons pushed for late offense, pushing the tempo on offense to create chances.
However, despite the late push, NDC fell short by a final score of 2-1. With the loss, the Falcons drop to 7-4 on the season, including a 4-3 mark in MEC play.
NDC will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 10 at home against Bloomsburg University. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Mueller Field.
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