NDC in quarterfinal match at 5 p.m.
WHAT: 2009 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship Tournament Quarterfinal match
WHO: Notre Dame (16-3-2) vs. The Master’s-Calif. (18-2-2)
WHERE: Ramirez Field - Fresno, Calif.
WHEN: Wednesday, Dec. 2, 5 p.m. ET
SETTING THE MATCH
* Notre Dame and The Master’s advanced to the NAIA Quarterfinals with wins in the tournament’s second round. The Master’s defeated Indiana Tech, 1-0, on Monday. NDC defeated Benedictine (Ks.), 3-1, on Tuesday. The Falcons are the No. 7 seed in the tournament; the Mustangs are seeded 15th. (
Bracket)
* NDC is playing at the NAIA National Championship Tournament final site for a second consecutive year. The 2008 Falcons advanced to the NAIA Sweet-16 in Fresno, Calif., which repeats as the tournament’s final site again this year. In last year’s Second Round match, the Falcons were bested on penalty kicks after a 2-2 tie with Maine-Fort Kent. Notre Dame is playing its third NAIA National Championship Tournament. The Mustangs are in their fourth (first since 1992).
* Wednesday’s meeting pits a high-powered Notre Dame offense against a well-rounded Mustang squad that hasn’t lost since Oct. 17. … Notre Dame has tallied an NAIA-best 94G this season. The Master’s is 7-0-1 in their last eight matches.
COVERAGE
* NAIA Tournament page featuring live video, in-game stats (‘W’ icon) and tournament recaps and box scores.
* On-campus Watch Party (PAC, 5 p.m.)
* In-game Twitter updates (
Twitter.com/NDC_Falcons)
* Post-match coverage on
NotreDameFalcons.com
MUSTANGS AT A GLANCE
TMC comes in Wednesday’s match with an NAIA-best 18 wins. In 21 matches, the Mustangs have outscored opponents, 44-13.. … TMC’s top scorer is sophomore forward Joel Peluffo, who has tallied 14G in 2009. (
TMC Stats) … The Master’s College is located in Santa Clarita, Calif., and has an enrollment of 1,100 students. The College was founded in 1927, and its 10 athletic teams compete in the Golden State Athletic Conference.
HIGH-FLYING FALCONS
Notre Dame is the highest-scoring team in the NAIA this season. The Falcons have tallied 94 netfinders in 2009, which is a program record. … 2009 AMC Player of the Year
Luke Holmes comes into Tuesday’s match ranked second in the nation in goals scored, with 29. (
NDC Stats)
THE COACHES
Jim Rickard has been the TMC head coach since 1991. He owns a 418-302-62 career record. … Michael “Mac” McBride took charge of Notre Dame Men’s Soccer in 2001 when the program was instituted. The England native has been honored by the league five times - as AMC-North Coach of the Year in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007 and as AMC Coach of the Year in 2008. Under McBride, NDC Men's Soccer has a 118-51-14 record. McBride’s Associate Head Coach is Carl Nolan.
NATIONAL TREASURE
Falcon forward Luke Holmes has 29G in 2009. The sophomore from Oldham, England, has piled up 46G and 13A over just 39 matches at NDC. The 5-foot-7 speedster was named the AMC’s Freshman of the Year in 2008 and the league’s Player of the Year in 2009. He was an AMC First Teamer in both seasons.
BEST OF THE BUNCH
Falcon Men’s Soccer is the most successful athletic program in Notre Dame history, both in terms of all-time winning percentage (.682) and national tournament appearances (three). NDC has won two American Mideast Conference titles (2008, 2009), five AMC division titles and has produced 11 NAIA All-Americans.
QUICK STRIKES
Notre Dame has scored the first goal in 18 of their 20 matches this season. The Falcons went 15-1-2 in those games. Luke Holmes leads the squad with six first goals this season.
SHOT SHOW
Notre Dame is averaging 4.6 goals per game on 24.3 shots (second, NAIA) and 12.6 (second) shots on goal per match. With 5.6 shots per game individually, Homes ranks third in the nation.
TOURNAMENT FACTS
The 2009 tournament is the 51st annual renewal of the event. … The National Championship has been won by seven different teams in the last seven years. … No. 12 seed Bethel (Tenn.) is the defending National Champion. … The 16 teams remaining in the tournament represent the top seven percent of the NAIA’s 218 men’s soccer programs.