This Week: Notre Dame College returns to Mueller Field for a matchup with Wheeling University on Sept. 22, at 4 p.m. The Falcons then travel to Frostburg, Md. to play Frostburg State on Sept. 26 with a kickoff time of 2:30 p.m.

Records: NDC is 2-1 (2-1 MEC) after picking up two wins last week and scoring a total of 16 goals. Wheeling and Frostburg State went 1-1 last week. WU holds a record of 3-1 (2-1 MEC) and FSU is currently 3-1-1 (3-1 MEC).

Coaches Corner: Carl Nolan is in his sixth season as head coach of the Notre Dame program. He has a record of 56-23-7, and is 47-14-4 in MEC play. James Regan is in his 36th season at the helm of Wheeling, with a record of 384-273-59. Keith Byrnes is now in his 20th season at Frostburg, compiling a record of 177-147-36.

Rankings: None of these teams are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches top 25 poll.

Series History: Notre Dame is 15-3-2 against Wheeling since their first meeting in 2005. NDC holds a 3-0 record against Frostburg. The Falcons shutout both teams last season.

Noting the Falcons: After a tough season opener against No. 1 Charleston, Notre Dame has bounced back in a big way. They scored a combined 16 goals in two wins last week, defeating West Liberty 6-2 and Concord 10-1. NDC's 10 goals ranks fourth in MEC history for a single game. It was the first time breaking the double-digit goal mark in the program's Division II era and it is the most goals scored in a game since Oct. 5, 2011 when the Falcons scored 13. The Falcons took 32 shots in the game and that is the highest amount taken by the program since their 34-shot performance on Oct. 18, 2018 in a game against Shepherd University. They took 25 shots on goal, which is the most NDC has totaled since 2011. Coming into this week, Notre Dame ranks first in NCAA Division II in goals per game (5.33), shots on goal per game (11.33), assists per game (4) and points per game (14.67). The Falcons are also eighth in the country with 16 total goals. Ned Dry was awarded Mountain East Conference Offensive Player of the Week after putting together a four goal, three assist performance in two games last week. Dry and Ailton Fagner Silva are tied at the top of the team with four goals, each, which is also tied for the lead in the conference. Dry leads the team in assists, with three. Notre Dame is 2-1, but they have not recorded a shutout. The last time NDC went without a shutout through the first three games was 2008, and that year, Notre Dame had a record of 19-2-1.

Noting the Cardinals: Last week, Wheeling was shutout by West Virginia Wesleyan, 4-0, but bounced back for a 2-1 win over Frostburg State. The Cardinals game against W.Va. Wesleyan was their first road game of the season, they have gone 3-0 in Wheeling so far in 2021. Richard Afolayanka is tied for fourth in the MEC with three goals. Four Cardinals have scored at least two goals. Daniel Skarpnes has taken 11 shots, but only has two goals to show for it. Wheeling is outscoring their opponents 5-2 in the first half of the games, but in the second half they have allowed just as many goals as they have scored (6).
 
Noting the FSU Bobcats: Frostburg State went 1-1 last week with a 2-0 victory over Alderson Broaddus and a 2-1 loss to Wheeling. The Bobcats already have four shutouts this season (three wins, one draw). FSU has one more win this season than they had in the shortened 2020 season last spring and they are one shutout shy of matching the shutout mark they posted for the entire 2019 season. The Bobcats' only goals allowed this season came in the loss against Wheeling last Sunday. Goalkeeper Joel Assal was named MEC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 13 and has a save percentage of 90.9-percent. Malek Shedid is the only FSU player with multiple goals scored (2).