Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin's varsity boys soccer team broke a scoreless tie late in the second half Tuesday, Oct. 13, scoring twice to earn a 2-0 home victory over Lake Catholic and secure third place in the North Coast Conference standings.

Freshman Peter Rossi scored his first career varsity goal to give NDCL the lead, while junior Dario Musa added an insurance goal moments later. Senior goalkeeper Jason Rossi recorded three saves to complete the shutout.

Facing a Lake Catholic team ranked No. 24 in Ohio Division IV by MaxPreps entering the match, the Lions remained patient through nearly 70 minutes of scoreless play.

The breakthrough came when sophomore Eli Lauric delivered a cross into the attacking area, where Peter Rossi finished the opportunity to put NDCL ahead 1-0.

The goal marked a significant milestone for the freshman, providing the decisive score in an important conference contest.

NDCL wasted little time extending its advantage.

Senior Jakob Henderson sent a cross into the box, and Musa connected with a header to double the Lions' lead to 2-0.

The two late goals rewarded NDCL's persistence after a lengthy scoreless stretch and gave the Lions control of the closing minutes.

Defensively, NDCL maintained its organization throughout the match. Jason Rossi finished with three saves, recording a clean sheet and preventing Lake Catholic from finding the back of the net.

Peter Rossi and Musa each finished with one goal, while Lauric and Henderson contributed an assist apiece.

The victory allowed NDCL to close North Coast Conference play with a third-place finish, providing a positive result against a conference opponent as the regular season nears its conclusion.

The Lions return to action Thursday, Oct. 15, when they travel to face Gilmour Academy.