Box Score
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Notre Dame Falcons hosted the Wheeling Jesuit Cardinals at Murphy Gymnasium on Monday night in their 2016-17 home opener, but fell to the sharp shooting Cardinals, 71-61. 

Notre Dame (1-3, 1-1 MEC) fell for the first time in conference play, while the Cardinals (5-0, 2-0 MEC) remain unbeaten on the season with the victory, and they are the only remaining unbeaten team left in the MEC. 

Early on, the contest was very closely contested, as the lead changed hands several times in the first quarter. The Falcons had a 13-11 lead, until the Cardinals went on a 6-0 run over the final four minutes of the quarter to take a 17-13 advantage, and the Cards never trailed through the rest of the game. 

Notre Dame was able to tie the game at 17-17 in the second quarter after Ciara Reed buried a pair of free throws, but the Cardinals scored five of the next seven points to take a five point (24-19) advantage. Wheeling was able to build a nine point (37-28) lead in the final minute of the half, before Terrina Robinson hit a layup, which brought NDC within seven (37-30) at the half. 

The Cardinals had a great night shooting, as they hit on 57.7-percent 15-for-26) of their shots in the opening half, while grabbing six offensive rebounds to help build the lead. 

Unfortunately for the Falcons, they were forced to play catchup in the second half, and despite a few modest runs, they weren't able to come back. They trailed by as many as 14 in the second half, and at one point, they were able to trim the deficit to three (51-48) after a Kim Cook 3-pointer with 8:11 left in the contest, before the Cardinals pulled away. 

Cook led the Falcons with 13 points, four assists and three steals. Reed added a dozen points and Marisa Finazzo added 10. Kelsey Miller added eight points, and led the Falcons with eight rebounds. 

The Falcons are in action again on Wednesday, Nov. 23, when they play host to Daemen (N.Y.) at Murphy Gymnasium. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.