View Photo Gallery

View Alumni Video

DETROIT -- The women's soccer squad hosted its annual alumni match at Titan field with 14 alumni coming back to participate in today's event. After a friendly exhibition, everyone continued the day with a little dinner and socializing to wrap up the day's festivities.

“When we were fresh, the game was close and we could run a bit,” said assistant coach Jamie Huff who was coaching the alumni team today.

“A lot of our players who have graduated from the program are very good soccer players but when you live your life versus playing twice-a-day it makes a difference physically. It's really impressive to watch the girls come back out here and put it on the line.

The final score of the game was a 6-0 win for the 2011 Titans. The alumni team jumped out early controlling the game as play stayed mostly in the Detroit end in the first 15 minutes. The Titans would hit the scoreboard first as freshman Miranda Dufresne (Cambridge, ON/St. Benedicts) scored the first and eventual game-winning-goal on a break.

The alumni team featured 14 former Titans including former All-Conference first teamers Allison (Epple) Hodgins and Alisson Dube and second teamers Danielle McIntyre, Mandi (Jasky) Belgea, Allie Bullard, Shelley Marick, and Melanie Slusher. Also returning were recent alums Archana Wadhawan (Class of 2010), Trina Kochanski (Class of 2009), and Nicole Gipson (Class of 2008).

“The alumni girls are doing us a favor coming down here. It's a good event and it helps us work on our shape and it's also good to see the returning players come back who have helped us win championships and build this program. It's good to have them here and to get our girls into a game-related situation,” said head coach Mike Lupenec.

Erika Rust (Class of 2000) tended the nets for Detroit from 1997-2000 while Miriam Cavanaugh (Class of 1996), Meghan Husek (Class of 2004), Megan Canty (Class of 2007) were also on hand for the day's events with the chance to take on their former coach in Lupenec.

Junior Nina Carter (Clinton Twp., MI/Chippewa Valley) scored a pair of goals for the Titans while freshman Alyssa Riley (Whitby, ON/Father Leo J. Austin), senior Alison Suschak (Broadview Heights, OH/Brecksville Broadview Heights) and sophomore Abby McCollum (La Salle, MI/Monroe) each tallied a goal to complete the Titan scoring.

Sophomore Nora Abolins (Demorestville, ON/Centennial) put up the zero in the Detroit net while Dube and Rust split time in the alumni goal.

“It felt good to be out there and get everyone moving and into their positions. I'm looking forward to the season because I think we're a promising team,” said Carter of the 2011 Titans.

Detroit will have one final exhibition as Toledo will head to Titan Field Sunday to play in a match set for 1:00 p.m. The 2011 regular season will open Friday, August 19 at Central Michigan at 4:00 p.m.