WHEELING, W.Va. – No. 13 Notre Dame College scored early, but Wheeling Jesuit University put two goals on the scoreboard in the second half and hung on to beat the Falcons 2-1, on Thursday night.
The Falcons (5-2, 3-2 MEC) went to work in the 17
th minute when their defense swarmed the Cardinals and took the ball away near midfield. Junior
Guilherme Gloria Albuquerque got the ball and worked with it on the left side of the box, against a defender. He chipped a shot up in the air that landed in goal to put the Falcons up, 1-0.
Ten minutes later, Albuquerque had another chance and took a shot that was saved by the Wheeling Jesuit goalkeeper, Josh Zimmerman.
Wheeling Jesuit (4-1-2, 3-1 MEC) only had two shots on goal in the first half of the game. However, they turned the script in the second half and were able to put goals on the board.
In the 47
th minute, a hand ball was called on NDC in the Cardinals' penalty box and Martin Minuzzi converted on the penalty kick. Minuzzi's shot went left and Notre Dame's goalkeeper, junior
Daniele De Angelis, dove to the right, which allowed WJU to tie the game at one.
NDC then took the ball near Wheeling Jesuit's goal. After a shot by freshman
Nicholas Felician, which was saved, junior
Arthur Favero took a corner kick. The kick was headed by junior
Paolo Termine but saved by Zimmerman, again.
Connor Russo was on the move in the 55
th minute and got around several defenders but his shot was blocked.
The Falcons had two more shots on goal, by Felician and Favero, in the 56
th and 57
th minute. Neither shot found the netting, and Wheeling Jesuit did not allow Notre Dame to have many more opportunities the rest of the way.
Between the 64
th minute and the 74
th minute, the Cardinals took five shots and four were on goal.
With 15 minutes to go in the game, WJU took the lead after Minuzzi put a corner kick into the front of the goal which was then headed in by Alvaro Garrido.
Notre Dame was held to two shots the rest of the way.
Both squads took 19 shots in the game and Felician led the Falcons with five shots and three shots on goal. For Wheeling Jesuit, Minuzzi also took five shots and three shots on goal. De Angelis hauled in eight saves, which is a season-high. Zimmerman saved seven shots.
The Falcons will stay on the road and take on Shepherd University on September 23. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.