The Notre Dame College women’s soccer team (3-0) earned their third win in six days after traveling to the University of Charleston (1-2-1) on Sunday.
The Falcons led the shot attempts seven to five (six on goal, compared to five), while the teams had equal corner (two) and the goalkeepers each had four saves. It was the extra shot on goal that proved to be the difference as NDC won the game 2-1.
The game started off well for the Golden Eagles as Adele Siegel scored the game’s first goal after 130 seconds. The preseason conference favorites held on to its lead until the 33rd minute when Alyssa Soltis scored her second goal of 2017. Soltis, a freshman from Parma, Ohio, is making the most of her minutes this season with two goals in 98 minutes played.
The teams went into halftime with a even score. Tight games are nothing new to the Falcons and Golden Eagles as they split the regular season in 2016, each winning by one on the other’s home pitch. The teams also met up in the MEC Tournament Championship last season, ending regulation in a 0-0 tie. Notre Dame won the match after shoot-out.
In the second half, things started off slowly for the NDC offense with no shots taken in the first 20 minutes. It was in the 21st minute of the second half when the Falcons took their first shot and it was good one as Katarina Doncevic hit the back of the net for what would become the game-winning goal.
The score was Doncevic’s first of the year, but it was her fourth point as she recorded two assists in Notre Dame’s previous win against Wheeling Jesuit.
“We put ourselves in a tough position very early today, but the team responded well to fight back and get a result,” said head coach Mike Shiels. “Three games in six days is tough, but we just continued to get better as the game went on.”
With the victory, the Falcons became the first team in the MEC to record three wins.
Notre Dame will begin a four-game home stand on Thursday, September 14 against Fairmont State. The match on Mueller Field is set to begin at 4 p.m.
