LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bellarmine lacrosse team lost to visiting No. 7 Notre Dame 19-7 today in front a packed house in their final home game of the season. The game was Bellarmine's (6-3, 0-1) first and only home Great Western Lacrosse League contest of the season and ended the Knights' perfect home record in 2008. Bellarmine now must hit the road for their final five contests as they attempt to qualify for the GWLL post-season tournament.

Today, Bellarmine kept things tight in the early going, but had a disastrous second period in which they were out-scored 11-1 by the Fighting Irish (7-1, 1-0). Bellarmine got two goals and one assists from leading scorer Adam Gardner (Toronto, Ontario). Sophomore attack Andrew Wolford (Columbus, Ohio) added a pair of goals, while senior captain Matthew Holland (Victoria, British Columbia) added a goal and two assists.

Bellarmine actually got on the board first when Wolford scooped up Jamie Floris' (Niagara on the Lake, Ontario) blocked shot just over two minutes into the contest and tossed it past Notre Dame All-America keeper Joey Kemp for a 1-0 lead.

The Irish quickly responded with a pair of goals, but Gardner evened things up at the 9:47 mark of the first period. Long stickman Adam Lukanchoff (Niagara on the Lake, Ontario) grabbed a groundball off the face-off from Notre Dame's second score and quickly got it downfield to Garnder for the equalizer.

For the rest of the half, however, it was all Notre Dame. In the decisive second period, the Irish converted 11 of their 15 shots on goal, while holding Bellarmine to just one score on 11 attempts.

The scoring was equal at four goals apiece in the second half, but the 15-3 halftime deficit for Bellarmine was far too much to overcome.

Bellarmine starting goalkeeper David Haas (Novi, Mich.) finished the game with four saves, while allowing nine scores. He falls to 3-2 on the season. Kemp, who was the GWLL Player of the Year last season, played three and half quarters and finished up with 10 saves while allowing five goals. Bellarmine came into the contest averaging 9.9 goals per game, but Notre Dame has not allowed more than nine scores in a contest all year.

Bobby Snider (Calgary, Alberta) won 13-of-28 face-offs for the Knights. Geoff Griffiths collected a team-high eight groundballs.

Midfield Michael Podgajny led Notre Dame and tied a career-high with four goals. Grant Krebs added three goals and an assist as 15 different Irish players recorded a point.

Bellarmine now starts their five-game stretch away from Owsley B. Frazier Stadium with a midweek trip to Ohio State on Wednesday. The first face-off is schedule for 7:00 p.m.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A 15-goal outburst in the first half helped the seventh-ranked Notre Dame men's lacrosse team to a 19-7 victory at Bellarmine on Saturday afternoon at Owsley B. Stadium. The contest was the Great Western Lacrosse League opener for both teams. Senior midfielder Michael Podgajny (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) paced the Fighting Irish with a career-high tying four goals.

Notre Dame (7-1) used a total of 13 goalscorers in the game to improve to 14-1 all-time in GWLL openers. Sophomore midfielder Grant Krebs (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary's) notched the first hat trick of his Irish career, while junior midfielder Peter Christman (Simsbury, Conn./Westminster School) matched a career-best total with two goals.

The 19 goals tied a season-high output for the Fighting Irish, who have reached double-figures in scoring in five games this season. Notre Dame's defense has held opponents to seven goals or fewer in six contests. Senior goaltender Joey Kemp (Potomac, Md./Georgetown Prep) picked up the win and is now the school's record holder in that category with 33 career victories.

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2008-03-29