SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – Sunday brought Senior Day to Mueller Field for the Notre Dame College women's soccer team (8-4-3, 7-4-1 MEC) as Daniella Barbetta, Drew Barr, Anaya Edwards, Louisa Follert, Jordan Pasalaqua, Meghan Soltis and Carissa Sullinger were honored prior to the contest. The Falcons scored early and maintained the lead throughout the match to defeat West Liberty (5-7-3, 4-6-2 MEC), by a score of 4-1.
 
Notre Dame applied pressure earlier with a pair of shots before the five-minute mark by Miriam Szijarto and Ashley Rainho. Szijarto broke through in the eighth minute of play, as the junior stole the ball from the Hilltopper defense and dribbled down the field before calmly finishing for the Falcons first goal of the match (1-0). The Ravenna, Ohio native records her team-leading and MEC-leading 13^th goal of the year, including tied for the fourth-most goals in NCAA Division II. Moreover, Szijarto is now fifth in NDC single season history for goals scored, the most since Leslea Chopka scored 15 in 2002.
 
Both sides posted quality chances throughout the remainder of the half, as NDC took a 1-0 edge into the break.
 
Follert and the Falcons made a statement out of halftime in the 52^nd minute. The Dortmund, Germany native registered her second goal of the year after receiving top-notch passes by Edwards and Szijarto, before dribbling down the side line and driving the ball into the top right corner (2-0).
 
Despite Notre Dame maintaining control of the match, West Liberty cut the Falcon lead in half during the 70^th minute. Following a Hilltopper corner kick, Isabella Aperfine found the back of the net (2-1).
 
72 seconds later, Notre Dame responded emphatically as junior Sophia Motolese blistered a free kick off the top crossbar and down into the back of the net. The Schnecksville, Pa. native immediately returned the momentum to NDC with her third goal of the season.
 
The Hilltoppers attempted to capitalize on the newly found offensive groove in the 73^rd minute, but Pasalaqua secured the save, one of her game-high five saves in the match, as the Madison, Ohio native has grabbed 331 saves during her illustrious career, eight away from surpassing Krsity Kolschetzky for the most in NDC program history. In addition, Pasalaqua is now the program's all-time leader in wins (35) and minutes played (6,884), and is tied for third in games played (77), two matches shy of tying the program record.
 
"My career at NDC has obviously been a long one, it is my fifth year," mentioned Pasalaqua postgame. "I came her my freshman year, not thinking I was going to start or anything like that because you have to work for your position and I definitely think I did that my freshman year and I have been starting since then. So, add having to do that on top of getting the most minutes played, is definitely awesome. To have [Mike] Shiels and all the other coaches and girls next to me through the five years I have been here, it has been awesome and a great experience."
 
Adding to the scoring, Rainho displayed fancy footwork in the 75^th minute, as the Easton, Pa. native dazzled her way down the pitch, before planting and firing with the right boot at the top of the box, past the WLU keeper for the Falcons fourth score of the contest (4-1). The East Area High School native tallied the second goal of her campaign.
 
Barr registered the 72nd match played of her NDC career, the 10th most in program history, one game away from tying Theresa Waters for ninth all-time.

Notre Dame outshot West Liberty 19 (6) to 11 (6) on the afternoon as Follert (5), Szijarto (4) and Kalie Blaising (4) led the team in shots.
 
The Notre Dame College women's soccer team will be back in action on Wednesday Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. at Fairmont State University.