DETROIT (2/6/2020) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's lacrosse team opens its 12th season as a program on Friday -- the first day of Division I lacrosse around the country -- playing at No. 4/3 Northwestern from the shores of Lake Michigan on the campus of NU. The game is set for 6 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. local time in Evanston, Illinois.
The game is set to be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus for a subscription fee. Live statistics will also be available for the contest from Ryan Fieldhouse.
Detroit Mercy, the two-time defending co-regular season champions in the Southern Conference, enters its second year under head coach
Megan Callahan '13. The Titans are coming off an 8-10 campaign and 4-1 mark in the SoCon. The Titans are 8-2 all-time in SoCon play across two seasons entering the third year of women's lacrosse in the conference.
Titans vs. Big Ten
It's the second meeting between the Titans and Wildcats in women's lacrosse with the two teams also meeting in a season opener, in 2017. Detroit Mercy is playing a Big Ten foe for the 14th time in the 12-year history of the program. The Titans are looking for their first win against the conference, however, played No. 8 Michigan to a 14-7 contest at home last season in the last meeting with a Big Ten opponent. It's also the 11th time Detroit Mercy is playing a ranked foe in school history.
Detroit Mercy playing No. 4/3 Northwestern ties the highest-ranked opponent in school history with the Titans playing No. 4-ranked Florida in the 2012 season opener.
Schedule
The Titans open the season with five of seven away from Detroit, including Friday's opener at Northwestern. Detroit Mercy hosts Arizona State on Friday, Feb. 14 from Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac in its home opener and following a road game at Butler on Feb. 20, welcomes old ASUN foe Jacksonville to Detroit for a Sunday, Feb. 23 game at 12:30 p.m.
Other home games feature Marquette (March 11) and Presbyterian (March 20) for the first home night women's lacrosse game in school history from Titan Field. The Titans open SoCon play on the road at Wofford (March 27) and Furman (March 29). Detroit Mercy closes the home schedule with three-straight from Titan Field in mid-April, hosting UC-Davis (April 10), Central Michigan (April 12) and Mercer (April 19) for Senior Day. The SoCon Championship is set for April 30 and May 2 on the campus of Furman University in Greenville, S.C.
Southern Conference Preview
The Titans were picked to finish fourth in the 2020 SoConPreseason Poll, it was announced in late January. The defending champions, Mercer, earned four of the six first-place votes and was selected to finish first with 24 points. Furman and Central Michigan both earned first-place votes are were voted to finish second and third, respectively.
Up Next
Detroit Mercy hosts Arizona State next Friday, Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. ET from Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac. Live statistics for the contest will be available, however, there will be no live stream for the game. It's the home opener for the Titans and one of two trips to Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac in 2020.
