FORT WAYNE – The scoreboard showed that it was IPFW, listed as the visiting team on its own turf, as the loser in the final match on the final day of the ShindigZ National Soccer Festival.

And let the record show that Notre Dame was on the upside of the 3-0 score.

In truth, the Sunday afternoon heat that cooked well into the 90s turned out to be the sole survivor at Hefner Fields.

Certain that he would rest his starters after the Irish beat Ohio State the night before, Notre Dame coach Bobby Clark instead substituted often. And anyone wearing IPFW blue was fair game to see activity.

“It was pretty tough,” IPFW coach Mike Harper said. “Field conditions are not desirable right now, and it is hot. We played 26 guys (Sunday). I know Notre Dame played some of their second string guys, but we went through 26 altogether.”

Even though none of them cracked the Irish defense – a feat Ohio State couldn’t muster in its 2-0 loss Saturday – the Mastodons, nevertheless, showed glimpses of promise.

“We had some control and we made some subs, but it’s tough to build chemistry when you’re floating 26 different guys through there,” Harper said. “Some guys aren’t used to playing with some guys, we had a turnover and had a breakdown and they got a quick one on us.”

The quick one came when Adam Mena scored on a thunderous kick from 10 yards in front of the box that gave the Irish a 1-0 lead at the 30-minute mark.

Notre Dame doubled the score about five minutes later when Harrison Shipp pivoted from the corner of the box and hit a left-footer to give the Irish a 2-0 halftime lead.

Mena added his second goal from 12 yards out in the 90th minute.

The Irish, the only team to leave the festival with two wins, let its defense and the heat wear down the Mastodons.

“We wanted to get forward a little bit more,” Harper said. “We wanted to pose some kind of attack, but we didn’t have one. We accomplished what we came out here for; we wanted to get a look at all the boys that wouldn’t normally play, so it was good to see them play.”

One of the weary IPFW players was sophomore midfielder Brent Helton, who played at Homestead.

He played most of the first half before coming out with a slight injury.

“It was tough. It was real hot, and I think that slowed the game down,” Helton said. “(The heat) had a big effect on the game. If you came out last night, you could definitely tell the difference in the pace. Even against NIU (Friday opponent Northern Illinois), it was a whole different game.”

stwarden@jg.net