The host Falcons (10-2-2, 4-0-2 AMC), who had won nine straight home matches heading into Tuesday’s contest, posted a 12-1 advantage in total shots in the first half, but the match remained scoreless until the 42nd minute when a shot by Steven Kane went off the post and caromed off an MVNU defender and into the back of the net for an own goal that put Notre Dame on top 1-0.

The Cougars began to pick up steam in the second half as MVNU pushed forward to equalize. In the 75th minute, junior midfielder Cody Snouffer sent a pass down the left flank to sophomore forward Chris Allen, who redirected a cross to sophomore midfielder Kyle Maxam (left). Maxam finished off the play from two yards out as he notched his first goal of the season to knot the score at 1-1.

Both teams had opportunities to score again in regulation, but the match headed into the first of two 10-minute overtimes all even at 1-1. Neither team was able to score in either overtime period as the match ended in a 1-1 draw that kept the Cougars’ hopes of an AMC regular-season title still alive.

Notre Dame, which ranks second in the NAIA by averaging just over five goals per match, was held to just the one goal to equal the Falcons’ lowest scoring output of the season. Notre Dame did hold a 27-12 advantage in total shots and a 7-3 edge in shots on goal, but Luke Holmes, the NAIA’s leading scorer with 21 goals, was held to just four shots and one shot on goal by the MVNU defense. Senior goalie Alex Stout posted six saves for the Cougars, while Craig Pickering stopped two shots for Notre Dame.

"I was certainly happy with this result although our guys were really pushing hard to get the win late in the match,” said MVNU coach Paul Furey. "We had some great opportunities at the end of regulation. We really turned things around in the second half. (Notre Dame) came out and played really good soccer in the first period, and we kind of just weathered the storm a little bit. However, in the second half, we turned things around, created some good chances for ourselves, and finally capitalized on one.”

"I am really proud of our back line which did a really good job of shutting down their top goal scorer and minimizing his scoring chances,” Furey added. "I am also happy for Kyle that he stepped in and scored his first goal of the season. It was certainly a big one. He also nearly had the game-winner in the final minute when his diving header was saved by their keeper.”

"Our guys just left it all on the field tonight, and when you play a good team like Notre Dame that’s what you need to do in order to get a result,” Furey concluded. "Even though it was a tie, it was definitely a fair result.”

The Cougars will be back in action on Saturday night when MVNU will travel to Walsh University for another AMC match that will get started at 7:00 p.m.