LYNDHURST, Ohio – Sophomore forward
Katie Christensen scored a goal with eight ticks remaining in regulation play, capping off a come-from-behind 2-1 victory for NDC over Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) on Tuesday night. (
Box)
A 20-yarder with the 10-second countdown underway on the Korb Field public address system won it for the Falcons (10-6, 7-3 American Mideast), who have now won seven of their last eight matches, all of which have been in AMC play. The victory for the Blue & White keeps them near the top of the conference standings - Notre Dame remains tied for second (effectively, in third with a head-to-head tie-breaker) in the league standings with one match remaining in the season. The AMC’s top six teams qualify for postseason play, which is slated to begin the week of Nov. 2.
The loss for Roberts Wesleyan (7-7-3, 5-3-2) marks their third in four matches.
Roberts took a 1-0 lead in the match when Corrie Ingraham controlled a bouncer in traffic on front of the Falcon goal. The senior defender connected with a shot that found nylon on the other side for her first goal of the season and the first of a match that NDC had otherwise controlled in the early going.
In the first frame, NDC outshot the Raiders, 12-7, and put six shots on goal to RWC’s three.
The Falcons knotted the match at 1-1 early in the second, at 54:13, when
Lauren Kobylik hit
Lauren Acker who put a game-tying goal into the lower right corner of the net from 14 yards out.
“Lauren Kobylik did a great job picking out Acker on that goal,” noted NDC Head Coach Mike Shiels. “And Lauren’s [Acker] finish on that play was very clinical.”
The match was evenly played for the next 20-plus minutes until the Falcons started applying pressure in front of the Raider net. The Blue & White forced Raider keeper Amanda Prestigiacomo to make a number of saves from the 75-minute mark on. The two sides looked like they would close out regulation with the same score, until Christensen’s lightning strike at 89:52.
“I’m delighted for Katie,” said Shiels. “When that ball fell for her, you just knew she was going to finish it.”
The Falcons’ bench boss also singled out his defensive corps for their performance in the match: “They did a great job of containing a very dangerous RWC team. Our whole team put together a great performance and did well to force their way back into the game after falling behind.”
For the match, Notre Dame outshot Roberts, 19-14. The Falcons put 11 total shots on goal, to the Raiders’ five. Acker put three shots on net, as did
Morgan Lichtinger.
Emilie Lamarche made four saves in garnering the win in goal. Prestigiacomo made nine saves in a losing effort for the Raiders.
The Falcons’ next match is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31, when NDC travels to Amherst, N.Y. for what will be their final regular season match, a 2 p.m. tilt against the Wildcats of Daemen College.
NOTES FROM THE NEST …
ACK-TOBERFEST CONTINUES: With her goal on Tuesday night, Lauren Acker has now tallied eight goals and two assists in seven October matches. … Notre Dame is 6-1 in seven October matches this season and 17-3 over their last 20 October contests.
LATE KICK: Katie Christensen’s goal came on her first and only shot of the night. The Sandy, Utah, native has now tallied three goals in the Falcons’ last four matches and seven goals for the season. Her seven netfinders have come on just 11 shots on goal. … Acker (eight goals) and Christensen have accounted for 15 of Notre Dame’s 25 goals this season. Through 16 matches, the Falcons have outscored opponents, 25-15.
IN GOOD STANDING: Through Tuesday’s action, Houghton (N.Y.) is 9-1 in AMC play, while Mount Vernon Nazarene and Notre Dame are 7-3. Four other teams (Cedarville, Roberts, Shawnee State, Walsh) are vying for postseason berths - the league sends its first-place team to the NAIA National Championship Tournament and five others to a conference qualifying tournament, which determines a second automatic national tournament bid.