SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – On Wednesday, Notre Dame College scored in the 29th minute, and then used an own goal by West Virginia Wesleyan College, to get past the Bobcats by a score of 2-1. With the win, NDC locks up the No. 2 seed in the Mountain East Conference Tournament.
 
Neither offense could find many opportunities early in the game. Prior to the Falcons' goal, nearly 30 minutes into the contest, no shots on target had been recorded.

Freshman Lucas Oliveira, who was in the starting lineup, threw the ball into play from the right sideline. Junior Ailton Fagner Silva gathered it in and then sent the ball over to junior Carlos Almeida. Almeida had space in the middle of the box and the Bobcats' defense was slow to close in on him as he sent the ball into the lower right corner to give NDC the lead.
 
Almeida, who had one goal in the first 12 games, has now scored three times in the past four contests.
 
"I had a really happy moment, recently, when my family came to visit me," Almeida explained. "I think that's what encouraged me to focus in this last part of the season."
 
With about 12 and-a-half minutes remaining before halftime, NDC's goalkeeper Danilo Abayo Wilson made a tough save on a free kick, coming in from just outside the 18 with a group of players closing in.
 
The Bobcats continued to attack, finding a way to put three shots on target in the final 13 minutes of the half. They broke through in the 40th minute, when Max Evans scored to knot the game up at one.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan outshot NDC, 5-3, in the first 45 minutes. Although the only goal of the second half was a WVWC own goal, Notre Dame was much more aggressive on the offensive end, and took eight shots to W.Va. Wesleyan's three.
 
Notre Dame had several attempts that were very close to finding the net. Sophomore Parker Bolin had one shot that was saved and another that was just off the mark. Silva also had an attempt go just over the crossbar.
 
In the 62nd minute, Silva was working on the left side of the box and sent the ball in to center it for Almeida. However, a Bobcat defender tried to clear the ball away, but kicked it into his own net and Notre Dame led, 2-1.
 
The NDC defense did not allowed a shot on goal by WVWC in the final 28 minutes. Wilson ended the contest with three saves.
 
The Falcons travel to Concord University on Oct. 29, for a match that is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.