SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – Notre Dame College women's soccer hosted West Liberty University for the team's 2021 home opener on Wednesday afternoon. The Falcons are only a few months removed from their Spring MEC Conference Championship and are seeking to defend their crown starting with the first conference match of the year. In a match that required two overtime periods, the Falcons and Hilltoppers could not break the defensive stalemate and drew 0-0. The draw moves NDC to 0-1-1 and WLU to 1-1-1.
 
In a match dominated by defense, Kalie Blaising ripped the first shot in the 8^th minute of the match, wide right. WLU would respond less than a minute later with a shot by Anne Williams, wide left in the 9^th minute. Isabel Sentle and Alyssa Rhinaman of WLU exchanged shots in the 22^nd and 23^rd minutes. Sammy Salatino would fire a shot in the 31^st minute shot and round out the offense for the first half.
 
Jordan Pasalaqua was called upon several times in the second stanza by recording all four of her saves in the half. Her largest moment came in the 82^nd minute when West Liberty's Williams sent a shot into the upper left corner, requiring Pasalaqua to make an incredible diving effort to send the shot away.
 
Notre Dame's best offensive efforts were also in the second half when Salatino took a shot in the 63^rd minute from outside the box that hit the top woodwork of the goal. Moreover, the Falcons had a promising opportunity in the 87^th minute when Blaising crossed a ball from the right side into the box for Salatino and the shot went wide right.
 
NDC recorded their first shot on goal in the first overtime period with a dribbling shot at the top of the box from Meghan Soltis.
 
After the match, Head Women's Soccer Coach Mike Shiels was asked about the performance, "It took Us a while to get comfortable in the game. We are still searching for the right combinations on the fields. I thought we definitely improved as the game went along hopefully we can just find a way to create some goals."
 
Notre Dame is still searching for their first goal of the season, a team that returns zero goal scorers from a year ago. Shiels and the Falcons will be eager to change the tides in South Euclid and have plenty of positives to take away from today.
 
In total, Notre Dame recorded eight shots with one on target, and West Liberty tallied seven shots with four on target. Pasalaqua snared four saves, while WLU's Olivia Montgomery had one. West Liberty's Zayne Brakeall was the only caution of the match with a 73^rd minute yellow card.
 
Notre Dame College women's soccer will be back in action this Sunday Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. when they host Fairmont State in a Falcon vs. Falcon showdown on Mueller Field.