Defensive Preview Video
Offensive Preview Video
Ticket Information
 
DETROIT (1/30/2015) -- A little more than a week away and the lacrosse season will officially open up as the University of Detroit Mercy men's lacrosse team will begin the year at home against Ohio State on Saturday, Feb. 7, at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac.
 
Detroit is a young team with just 16 upperclassmen on its' 47-man roster, but most of those upperclassmen are the accomplished playmakers on the squad.
 
The Titan defense is well stocked with talent, especially in the back with all four main defenseman returning along with a starting goalie. Junior All-MAAC standout Paul Bitetti leads the back line and will be joined by seniors Joe Gifford and Chris Shevins and junior Jordan Yono.
 
"We always have a team approach on defense," said head coach Chris Kolon '09 (MBA). "It's going to be like every other year and we are going to be strong."
 
Bitetti took over the top spot at defense last season and led the team with a career-high 24 caused turnovers and ended the year 12th in Division I and leading the MAAC with 1.85 caused turnovers per game, while being named First Team All-MAAC.
 
Gifford started all 14 games last season and had a career-high 13 caused turnovers and also picked up a career-best 11 ground balls, while Shevins started 13 games and finished fourth on the team with 26 ground balls and tied for fourth with eight caused turnovers. Yono has played in 26 games over the last two years and recorded 20 ground balls and four caused turnovers.
 
"They are great individuals, but we think about it as a team," said Coach Kolon. "When we get scored on, it will be our fault. The better we do playing together, the better we will be. The defense is a team and one unit. There is no real number one or number two, three or four guy. When we get scored on, it will be our fault."
 
The goalie position should be in great hands with sophomores Jason Weber and Connor Flynn. Weber is coming off a great season in net as he led the nation with 16.27 saves per game and a .642 save percentage, earning the MAAC's Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and First Team honors. Flynn redshirted as a freshman and started two games last season, posting 28 saves and a .538 save percentage.
 
"I think we have the best two goalies in the MAAC with experience. Jason has been a leader, Connor is a leader and they are very vocal, but it goes back to the whole group of our defense," added Coach Kolon.
 
Detroit will have to replace three of its top four defensive midfielders, but will have a team leaders back in senior Thomas Sible. Sible has played in 41 career games and is a two-time team captain. A number of upperclassmen and underclassmen will also be in the mix for playing time led by juniors Chris Perry and Mike Spuller.
 
"Thomas is a great kid and has taken a leadership role. We have a wonderful group of young guys who are very athletic. It is a unit situation for us and our unit is going to be strong and we are going to keep working to the best of our ability," said Coach Kolon.
 
At LSM, Detroit brings back a pair of veterans in sophomore JD Hess and senior Brian Smith, but will have depth at the position with a couple of redshirt freshmen and newcomers.
 
"We are looking to play great team defense, that's what we do," Coach Kolon said. "We have a great group of guys that are willing to work together, take the team approach and when we get a stop, its for all of us and when we give up a goal, its against all of us so we have to keep working together."
 
With all the veterans returning on the back line and the talented close stick midfielders on the roster, Detroit may be in for another record-setting season as it set a program record allowing just 9.61 goals per game in 2014.