Notre Dame celebrated Homecoming with a thrilling 34-22 victory over Palisades on Friday night at Lafayette College. The Crusaders balanced attack and timely defense lifted them to their eighth win of the season.

Quarterback Matt Bodnar led the way completing 20 of 33 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns. Jonathan Striba hauled in seven receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown while also adding a rushing score. CJ Diaz contributed a key 35-yard touchdown reception that swung momentum back in Notre Dame’s favor late in the third quarter.

On the ground, the Crusaders found consistent success with Aaron Gordon rushing for 99 yards and a touchdown, and Faustie Capobianco adding 70 yards and a score, including a crucial one-yard plunge in the fourth quarter to regain the lead after Palisades briefly went ahead.

Defensively, Drew Boyd made a major impact with an interception and strong special teams play, returning two punts for 30 yards. Capobianco led the defense with six tackles and two tackles for loss, while Austin Casal and Kalet Wilson also recorded stops behind the line of scrimmage.

Notre Dame’s offense compiled 474 total yards, converting 7-of-12 third downs and dominating possession throughout the night. Despite a late push from Palisades, the Crusaders sealed the win with Bodnar’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Striba in the final minutes.

With the victory, Notre Dame improves its record to 8-0 and looks ahead to another key matchup this Friday at Palmerton, as they continue to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

Photo courtesy of Gippe.Pix