Box Score

DETROIT (11/5/2013) -- Sophomore Heather Brown scored the biggest goal of her young career as her tally in the 107th minute of double overtime lifted the University of Detroit Mercy women's soccer team to the Horizon League Semifinals with a 1-0 win over the Valparaiso Crusaders on Tuesday afternoon.

The Titans (11-7-1, 4-3 Horizon League) were the No. 4 seed hosting the No. 5 seed Valparaiso (8-7-3, 2-3-2 HL) in the opening round of the Horizon League Championships.

Brown put the Titans in the Horizon League Semifinals for the fourth-straight year and off to Milwaukee, who will host this year's championship for the third straight year. Detroit will either play second-seeded Wright State at 5:00 p.m. (ET) or the No. 1 seed Milwaukee at 8:00 p.m. (ET). Who UDM plays will depend on the other semifinal game this evening at 7:00 p.m., at Oakland between the third-seeded Golden Grizzlies and the No. 6 seed Youngstown State. A Youngstown State win and the Titans will face Wright State, while an Oakland win will pit Detroit against Milwaukee.

The win was also the 12th-straight at home for Detroit and gives UDM a perfect 8-0 record at Titan Field setting a new team single-season best with eight wins. In those eight wins, and dating back to the last 12 games, Detroit has not allowed a goal.

The game at Titan Field was intense from the start with Brown having a great tip-in opportunity in the 14th minute of play that was saved by Valparaiso senior goalkeeper Kristen Manski. Brown had another open look in the 19th minute as she took a pass from freshman Kristen Tobin and smashed a shot that Manski again got her hands on. Junior Alyssa Lotito came even closer by beating Manski, but not the right post in the final minute of play before the end of the first half.

Valparaiso finished with a 6-5 first half edge in shots and a great opportunity in the 24th minute. Morgan Manzke, the Horizon League Freshman of the Year, was inside the 18-yard box after a Titan defensive miscue and fired a hard shot on goal, but UDM goalkeeper Martha Dunbar was up to the task and the game remained scoreless.

Through the second half and onto the first overtime period there was no score until Brown's winner ended the Valparaiso season in a crushing manner with 3:40 left until penalty kicks would have decided the fate of the game. Sara Zawacki and Lotito both earned assists on Brown's goal as Lotito's cross went off the head of Zawacki and right to Brown's foot for the goal. 

Manski finished with four saves, while Dunbar made two and recorded her third straight shutout and second in three games against Valparaiso.

UDM finished with 13-9 overall advantage in shots, including 2-0 in the second overtime.

Detroit will prepare for the Horizon League Semifinals in Milwaukee on Friday. The Titans will be in the semifinals for the fourth-straight year, but will be looking to advance to the championship game for the first time since 2006. 

Titan fans don't forget to follow #DetroitsCollegeTeam on Twitter and Instagram at @DetroitTitans and remember to like the Titans on Facebook.

Notes: Senior Abby McCollum returned to the lineup for the first time since Sept. 22... Prior to the game, Horizon League awards were presented by Horizon League representatives for those who earned first team, second team, or freshman team... Detroit is 25-5-2 in 32 games at Titan Field since the start of the 2010 season... In that time, UDM has outscored opponents 74-11... The playoff game at Titan Field was just the fourth playoff game for UDM women's soccer at home turf and the first since 2006.