JACKSON, Tenn. – Notre Dame continued the 2011 season with a 4-0 victory over Union (Tenn.), Saturday evening in the final of the third annual Union University Men's Soccer Classic at Smith Memorial Soccer Complex. Notre Dame improves to 2-0-0 while Union drops to 1-3-0 on the young season. (box)

Erik Beattie tallied his first career hat-trick and Colton Tanner added his first collegiate goal vs. the Bulldogs. Also getting their first career points, Kerr Newbigging and Phillip Cutler both provided their first career assists. Cutler assisted each of Bettie's three goals.

“Tonight's game was a vast improvement on the display against John Brown. We were just more consistent in our execution of passes and we did a far better job of keeping our positional shape.” Stated Associate Head Coach, Carl Nolan.

The Falcons tallied early in the contest when Cutler overlapped Carlo Manna and served a ball finding Beattie's head, giving the Blue & White the lead at the 6:30 mark.

Cutler would provide the Madison, Ohio, native his second goal just five minutes later at the 11:46 mark. For Beattie it marked his first career brace while giving Notre Dame an early and commanding lead over Union.

Union came into the after receiving 30 votes in the 2011 NAIA Men's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll. The votes kept the Bulldogs outside of the Top 25 but in consideration. Last season the Falcons went 7-1-0 against teams receiving votes and ranked in the Top 25.

After lengthily domination by the Falcons a quick attack put Guilherme Reis through behind the Blue & White back line. Alex Klein came charging off his line to make a sliding challenge. Klein's tackle preserved NDC's lead however the senior from Frankfurt, Germany, would leave the game at the 16:55 mark.
The Blue & White would continue to dominate the opening half with consistent possession. Then Coach Michael 'Mac' McBride inserted Kerr Newbigging into the lineup. Newbigging, a freshman from Dunfermline, Scotland, broke in behind the Bulldog defense. After fighting through a tackle on the byline the 6-foot-1 winging sent a ball through the penalty area finding a crashing Colton Tanner. Tanner, a freshman from Alexandria, Ky., who was making his second consecutive start, smashed the ball past the helpless Bulldogs' keeper for a 3-0 lead at the 42:49 mark.

The Falcons continued the momentum in the second half, firing off several shots over the first minutes. The duo of Cutler and Beattie combined again at the 49:01 mark adding Notre Dame's final tally of the night. For Beattie the goal marked his fourth of the season, last season the utility man scored three goals, all game winners while playing in the back line and through the midfield.

“Phil played it in and I was able to get a touch and the ball fell just right,” stated Beattie. “I just turned and put a left foot to it and it went in, it was the strangest of all the goals I think.”

Notre Dame held a commanding edge in the shot count, 18-8, and corner kicks, 5-0. For the season, six Falcon players have tallied at least one point with Beattie leading the way with eight points after producing a goal in the team's 4-3 win over John Brown on Friday evening.

“Our levels of personal discipline were pleasing tonight, particularly in the second half when the game became a lot more physical. The players just kept moving the ball quickly and working very hard for each other. It was a very good team performance.”

Notre Dame will continue action in the Georgetown Classic Tournament Friday at 6 p.m. at GC Soccer Complex when they face the Bulldogs of Union (Ky.), and Saturday at 5 p.m. when they face the Tigers of Georgetown (Ky.). The Falcons continue their first four games of 2011 against first time opponents. All-time the Blue & White are 47-21-5 in such games.


NOTES FROM THE NEST…

STREAKING FALCONS: Notre Dame has now scored in 65 consecutive games since being held scoreless on Sept. 12, 2008. During that stretch the Blue & White have won 87.7 percent (56-7-2) of their games.
Over those 65 games Notre Dame has netted 250 goals while keeping their opponents scoreless in 27 matches.