2014 Horizon League Championship Bracket  |  Gameday Central  |  Semifinal HLN Broadcast  |  ESPN3.com Broadcast

DETROIT (11/4/2014) -- It's a familiar position once again for the University of Detroit Mercy women's soccer team as the Titans are one of the final four teams in the Horizon League Championship. The second-seeded Titans (8-8-1) play at 5:30 p.m. (EST) on Thursday against Oakland (6-10-3), the No. 3 seed, in Valparaiso, Indiana.

The winner of that game will play either top-seeded Valparaiso (12-1-4) or No. 4 seed Green Bay (11-6-2) on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in the championship game. All of the games in the tournament will be broadcast live on the Horizon League Network as well as on ESPN3.com.

It's the fourth-straight season that Detroit has earned a spot in the semifinals. The Titans finished as one of the top two teams in the Horizon League regular-season standings for the third time in the past four seasons (2011, 2012, 2014). With the second-place finish in the regular season, Detroit earned the No. 2 seed in the tournament and a first-round bye to the semifinal round.

Detroit and Oakland met just two weeks ago, with the Titans earning their first Metro Series victory in the newly-created rivalry series. UDM earned a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the Golden Grizzlies in double overtime. Junior forward Sara Zawacki scored both goals during the contest, including the game-winner in the 101st minute.

Tournament History
The Titans have twice won the Horizon League Championship, earning wins in 1995 and 2004. Detroit has also been runner-up four other times (1996, 2003, 2005, 2006). Detroit is 18-18 all-time in the Horizon League Championship under head coach Mike Lupenec and have qualified for the tournament in 20 out of 21 years since the championship began in 1993.

Detroit has made one trip to the NCAA Tournament (2004) and also earned an NCAA victory that season, defeating Michigan, 3-2, in its first round match.

Scouting Oakland
The Golden Grizzlies earned a victory over sixth-seeded Cleveland State in the first round of the tournament. Oakland won 8-7 on penalty kicks after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw after two overtimes. Oakland finished the regular season strong following its loss to Detroit, earning a 2-1 win over Cleveland State followed by a 3-0 victory over Wright State on Oct. 31.

Alice Palmer (seven goals, three assists) leads the attack with 17 points and 64 shots this season. Kyla Kellerman has six goals for Oakland this year and Joan Sieja (two assists, 33 shots) is another key component offensively. Goalkeeper Alison Holland has a 0.82 GAA and 81.7 save percentage in 12 starts as a redshirt-freshman for the Golden Grizzlies.

Scouting Valparaiso
The Crusaders didn't drop a match in league play, finishing 8-0 to earn the No. 1 seed in the championship. Valparaiso's lone loss on the season came at home, losing a 2-1 match to Belmont on Aug. 22. Valparaiso has allowed just eight goals in 17 matches this season, earning 10 shutouts.

Rita Craven was named the Horizon League Player of the Year as well as Offensive Player of the Year following the regular season and has five goals, two assists and four game-winning goals for the Crusaders. April Cronin actually leads the squad with seven goals and 16 points and Vanesa Abad was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Year after scoring five goals during the regular season.

Goalkeeper Sydney Galvez-Daley played every minute in goal this year for Valparaiso, posting a 0.44 GAA, 87.7 save percentage and 10 shutouts.

Scouting Green Bay
The Phoenix is the No. 4 seed and earned a 3-1 win over Youngstown State in its quarterfinal game. The league's leading goal scorer, Heidi Hartmann, scored two goals for Green Bay in the win and now has 13 goals and 29 points overall for Green Bay. Alex Zeller (five goals), Hannah Kernen (four goals) and Abby Juzwik (three goals, four assists) all have at least 10 points for Green Bay.

Goalkeeper Nastacia Behle has a 1.03 GAA and 71.0 save percentage with five shutouts in 18 games played for Green Bay this year.

All-Time Series
Detroit trails Oakland in the all-time series 5-12-1, although the Titans earned a 2-1 overtime win this season against the Golden Grizzlies. The two schools have not met in the Horizon League Championship before as Oakland just joined the conference in 2013.

Detroit has a 20-2-3 record all-time against Green Bay, including a 3-2 overtime victory over the Phoenix on the road earlier this season. Detroit has met Green Bay three times (2002, 2004, 2006) before in the Horizon League Championship and once in the semifinals (2004). The Titans are 3-0 against the Phoenix in the tournament.

UDM is 8-4 against Valparaiso in the series between the two schools. Valparaiso earned a 1-0 win over Detroit on Oct. 25. The Titans have met the Crusaders once in the postseason, earning a 1-0 double-overtime victory in a first-round matchup last year. 

All-League Honors
Three University of Detroit Mercy women's soccer players were named to the 2014 All-Horizon League Team as the regular season awards were announced by the league office on Nov. 3. The awards were voted on by the league's head coaches.

Senior defender Haley Burtraw (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester) was named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, while senior midfielder Alyssa Riley (Whitby, Ont. / Father Leo J. Austin) and Burtraw were each selected to the All-Horizon League First Team. Junior defender Alyssa Lotito (Macomb, Mich. / Eisenhower) was named to the All-Horizon League Second Team. It's the fourth-straight season that Detroit has had two or more players named to the All-Horizon League First Team.

Burtraw is the second Detroit player to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors (2011 - Alexandra Suschak), while Riley, a three-time First Team honoree, is one of seven players in program history to be named to the All-Conference First Team for three or more seasons. Lotito has earned Second Team All-Horizon League honors for the past two seasons.

Zawacki Named Horizon League Player of the Week
Junior forward Sara Zawacki received the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honor on Oct. 27, following a week in which she scored two goals, including the game-winner in double overtime in Detroit's 2-1 comeback win over Oakland. It's the fifth time this season that a Detroit women's soccer player has earned a Horizon League weekly award. Midfielder Alyssa Riley and goalkeeper Marina Manzo each received the award twice during the season.

Golden Goal Success
Detroit has played in five overtime games this year and won four of them. All four of the victories have also come in conference play. Detroit earned a 2-1 win in overtime against Cleveland State in its league opener on Sept. 21. The Titans won 1-0 in double-overtime at UIC on Oct. 4. UDM also earned a 3-2 win in overtime at Green Bay on Oct. 18 and a 2-1 comeback triumph over Oakland on Oct. 21. Alyssa Riley has scored two game-winning goals in overtime, while Jennifer Borawski and Sara Zawacki have also scored winners in OT for Detroit.

Riley Entering Record Books
Alyssa Riley has six goals and three assists in 2014 and throughout her four-year career has amassed 50 points total in a Titans uniform. The senior midfielder ranks 11th all-time in points, tied for eighth in assists (14) and tied for third in game-winning goals (seven). She also has the most game-winning goals in a season (four) since the 2006 season when Mary Parker had five game-winners.

Coaching Milestone
Detroit head coach Mike Lupenec - the only coach in the history of the Titans' program - earned his 200th victory in UDM's 1-0 victory over Youngstown State on Oct. 8. Lupenec has led the Titans to 203 wins in his 22-year career in the Motor City.

Senior Class
Detroit has four seniors for the 2014 season as Haley Burtraw, Alyssa Riley, Victoria Sollestre and Abbey Troy are all playing in their final seasons in a Titan uniform.

Riley has started all 73 games she has played in during her Titan career, scoring 18 goals and adding 14 assists for 50 career points. She recently entered into a tie for eighth all-time in assists in program history, while ranking in a tie for third in game-winning goals (seven).

Burtraw has six goals and five assists in 52 starts across three seasons for Detroit. Sollestre has been a staple on the back line, playing 65 games and making 54 starts throughout her career. She scored her first collegiate goal in a 1-0 win over Youngstown State earlier this season. Troy has played all four seasons with the Titans, playing in 44 games, which include 13 starts.

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