Gametracker

The Titans open up the 2009 campaign with their first-ever match against Notre Dame (OH) College Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the friendly confines of Titan Field.

Detroit was ranked fifth in the Horizon League preseason poll after posting an 8-9-1 mark (4-4-0 HL) last season. Notre Dame, currently a Candidacy Year-One NCAA Division II member after making the switch from NAIA, went 11-5-1 in 2008. The Falcons arrive at Titan Field with a 1-1 record. In back-to-back games Aug. 29-30 they fell to NAIA's fifth-ranked Martin Methodist (Tenn.) but bounced back for a 3-0 win over Missouri Valley.

Admission for Wednesday's contest will be $5 for adults and $3 for children 13 and under. UDM students will be admitted free.

Titans Season Preview

University of Detroit Mercy women's soccer head coach Mike Lupenec will begin the 2009 season with only five upperclassmen on the roster. That means the other 16 roster spots are occupied by seven freshmen and nine sophomores, or nearly one underclassman for each of Lupenec's 17 seasons at the helm. 

But with many of this year's sophomores returning with a considerable amount of playing experience, a strong core of upperclassmen to provide leadership and some talented rookies in the mix, Lupenec remains optimistic that the Titans can improve on their fifth-place Horizon League showing from a year ago. 

“Every year the younger players have a big impact on every team in the league,” said Lupenec. “There are freshmen that are going to come in and do some good things, and there are going to be other players that have made a lot of improvement that will make a team better.” 

Goalkeeper 

As a freshman in 2008, Joanna Hinde was quickly elevated into the starting lineup because of injury, starting the Titans' season opener against Central Michigan. She recorded three saves in the losing effort, but it didn't take long for her to find her groove. 

Hinde recorded shutouts in her next three games, including a 12-save performance in a double overtime draw against Eastern Michigan, and was named the Horizon League Player of the Week. She ended the season with a 6-5-1 record in net, four shutouts, was third in the league with 5.25 saves per game, and 1.55 goals against average. 

“Last year was a great learning experience for her,” said Lupenec. “It will go a long way in helping her this year. 

“She's a good athlete and was really able to develop a better understanding for the game. She learned that organizing her defense and putting everyone in position is very important at this level.” 

Lupenec expects fellow sophomore Madeline Franko to see playing time as well. 

“Madeline has worked very hard in the off season,” Lupenec said. “She continues to improve and she'll be pushing Joanna every day in practice for that spot in goal.” 

Defense 

Last year the Titans boasted a strong defense, posting six shutouts and allowing 1.74 goals per game. Lupenec looks for the defense to be strong again despite losing last year's defensive MVP, Melanie Slusher, to graduation. 

Anchoring the back line will be former Horizon League All-Newcomer Team selections senior Alauna Pierce and sophomore Alexandra Suschak. 

Pierce, who has struggled with injury during her career, played in 16 games each of the last two seasons, recording 15 starts in 2007 and 13 starts in 2008. 

“Alauna has had some issues with her knee in the past and played well, but she comes into this season 100 percent healthy,” Lupenec said. 

Suschak made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2008 and started all 18 games. She tallied three points last season, recording an assist in a 2-0 victory over Madonna and scoring a goal in a 4-0 win over Cleveland State. Suschak was awarded the team Coaches Award for her efforts. 

“Alexandra and Alauna are going to be the backbone of the defense,” said Lupenec. “Having those two back there is really going to solidify us.” 

Competition in the backfield won't be lacking. Junior Archana Wadhawan, sophomore Rebecca Pidgeon, and freshmen Mary Leone and Rebekah Dornbos will all contend for the playing time. 

Wadhawan has appeared in every game in her first two seasons, contributing on defense as a freshman before moving up and playing midfield last season where she accumulated five points on two goals and one assist and put seven shots on goal. Pidgeon played in all 18 of Detroit's games as a freshman and recorded five shots, all of them on goal. 

Midfield 

Lupenec likes the speed he sees among this year's crop of midfielders. 

Senior Trina Kochanski will fill the center midfielder position. Kochanski led the Titans in goals last season with six, and also added an assist to record 13 points for the year. But Kochanski brings more than just her goal-scoring to the Detroit lineup. 

“She's got a lot of in-game experience, she's a very hard worker and she's a great athlete,” Lupenec said. “She will be a huge team leader for us this year.” 

Also expected to be seeing action at the midfield position is Wadhawan and sophomores Lauren Roffey, Alison Suschak, twin sister of Alexandra, and Alyssa Korson. 

Roffey made a quick impact as a freshman, taking seven shots with four on goal while starting all 18 games for the Titans. She ended the season with three points on one goal and one assist, notching the game-winning goal in a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Horizon League foe Valparaiso. 

Suschak was another quick contributor in her rookie season, finishing fourth on the team with six points and second with four assists in addition to scoring one goal, a game-winner at Madonna. 

A standout as a freshman on the Titans' defense, Korson started every game in 2008. From the back line she attempted 10 shots, scoring the decisive goal with under four minutes remaining in a 2-1 victory over Youngstown. 

A trio of freshmen including Sarah Dzuris, Danielle Goszczynski and Nina Carter will also compete for playing time. 

“This group has some great speed and could really help us out offensively,” said Lupenec. 

Forward 

It will be no easy feat replacing Emily Kiely up front, a second-team All-Horizon League performer in 2008 as well as the Titans' MVP and Offensive MVP. But Detroit still returns firepower up front in junior Selena Stanski, who led the team with 16 points. 

Stanski led the team and was sixth in the Horizon League with eight assists last season. She also ranked second amongst the Titans in shots (24) and third in shots on goal (10), scoring four times.
“She's our best goal-scorer and will be our biggest offensive weapon,” Lupenec said. 

Likely joining Stanski in the attack will be a trio of freshmen including Carter, Janae Paveglio and Lindsay Saunders. 

“They all bring a lot of strength and speed to the forward position,” said Lupenec. 

Horizon League 

After posting an 18-3-2 record in 2008 (7-1-HL) and making an appearance in the NCAA tournament, Milwaukee was picked as the team to beat in the coaches' preseason poll. Lupenec also looks at Loyola (14-9-0, 7-1-0 HL in 2008), Wright State (10-9-1, 4-3-1) and Butler (11-11-0, 4-4-0) as the top teams in the league, but believes the Titans have what it takes to compete with them. 

Last October, UDM topped Wright State 1-0 in overtime on the road, and was edged, 3-2, against Butler, rallying from a 3-0 second-half deficit. 

“I think we're faster, stronger and all-around more dangerous than a year ago,” said Lupenec. “With what we've got I think we can certainly compete with the teams in the upper echelon in the league.” 

Detroit opens up conference play at Cleveland State on Oct. 2 before their conference home opener two days later against Youngstown State. In Indianapolis on Oct. 9, Detroit will get the chance to avenge their HL tournament loss to Butler before traveling to Valparaiso on the 11th. On Oct. 16 the Titans will host Milwaukee, and Green Bay comes into town on Oct. 18. On the final weekend of the regular season the Titans travel to Chicago to face Loyola on Oct. 23 and return to Titan Field for the finale against Wright State on the 25th.