STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – Notre Dame College was able to hang with Franciscan University early, but gave up four straight goals before the halftime break and could not recover as they lost 21-12, on Tuesday afternoon.

The loss for the Falcons (2-7) is their sixth defeat in their last seven games. The Barons (7-6) have won five straight games and have been victorious in six out of their previous seven games.

Notre Dame gave up the first three goals in the game but then clawed their way back into the contest. The Falcons were down 5-1 with 24:44 remaining in the in the first half when Halie Taylor, Darbie Barkman and Ashlee Boyko put the ball in the back of the net and NDC trailed by one goal.

Boyko then scored on a Katherine Elsenbeck assist at the 6:38-mark, drawing the Falcons within two goals, 8-6. That would be as close as Notre Dame would get as Franciscan scored the final four goals of the half. At the intermission, Notre Dame trailed the Barons, 12-6.

In the second half the Falcons were outscored, 9-6, which included a 9-0 run by Franciscan University, over 12 and-a-half-minutes, putting the Barons up, 21-9 with 15:09 remaining in the game. Notre Dame did score the final three goals of the game.

For the Falcons, the team took 22 shots, 14 shots on goal. They also won 15 draw controls. Boyko had five goals and three assists in the game, while Barkman added four goals, two assists and five groundballs.

The Barons had 40 shots, scooped up 28 groundballs and won 20 draw controls. Elizabeth Dawyot and Mary Krolicki both had six goals. Carly McDonald and Elizabeth McEntee both had four goals.

Notre Dame will come back home on Friday, April 21, as they will take on the University of Virginia-Wise. The game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.