BOX SCORE

CHICAGO -- Kaitlyn Quarrell scored in the 69th minute as the Titans (11-4-1, 4-1 Horizon League) posted a 1-0 over Loyola (4-8-3, 0-2-2 Horizon League) Sunday afternoon from Loyola Soccer Park in Chicago. Detroit won its third straight, sits at second place in the conference and remains the No. 10 ranked team in the Great Lakes Region in the NSCAA Regional Rankings.
 
Quarrell scored on a great individual effort in the second half. Sarah Dzuris played a ball to Quarrell on the Detroit side of the field and Quarrell turned on the jets and raced with a Loyola defender all the way to the 18-yard box. Just inside the box, the sophomore made a move and put the ball in the back of the net. It was the fifth goal of the year for Quarrell, tying her for the second highest mark on the team, and her second career game-winning goal. She also became the fourth Titan this year to score five or more goals.
 
Goalkeeper Nora Abolins finished with her third straight shutout and sixth of the year. She currently has a streak of 295:06 without allowing a goal dating back to the 2-1 loss at Milwaukee. The blanking was also the ninth for the team this year tying a Detroit women's soccer single-season best set in 2005. For Abolins, it was her 13th career shutout which gives her the third best mark all-time among Titan female goalkeepers. She had seven shutouts in 2010.
 
The win over Loyola gives Detroit 11 for just the fourth time in a single season and first since the Titans finished 11-5-2 overall in 2006. It was the 15th career win for Titans head coach Mike Lupenec over Loyola. Lupenec now has 173 career victories as the only coach in the 19-year history of the women's soccer program.
 
In the match against Loyola, the first half came to a close without a shot on goal for Detroit despite pressure in the offensive zone including two corner kicks. The best chance in the opening frame came in the 37th minute on the other end of the field as a Rambler cross from the left side of the box was challenged by Abolins. The Loyola player put a quick touch on the ball right in front of Abolins that she saved keeping the game scoreless.
 
“Nora did all the things necessary to keep us in the game in the first half when we weren't playing our best. She won the game for us making the big saves that were important,” said Lupenec.
 
The Titans had seven shots in the second half with four of those on net.
 
“All of our conference games come down to capitalizing on chances and with this being a difficult place to play, it's a big three points for us,” added Lupenec.
 
The Titans remain in second place in the conference with just three regular season matches remaining. A battle, which could ultimately determine second place in the Horizon League, will take place Saturday at Titan Field as Detroit will host third place Valparaiso (7-5-2, 3-1 Horizon League) at 1:00 p.m.