BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (3/16/2022) -- Junior Annie Gilbert powered in a career-high five goals and redshirt sophomore Charlotte Dale posted a career-best three goals and three assists - including the game-winner - as the University of Detroit Mercy women's lacrosse team erased a seven-goal second-half deficit to record its biggest come-from-behind win in program history, 15-12, over Akron on Wednesday afternoon.

Kopchia ended with a career-high six assists and career-best seven points. Senior Elise Harder finished with two goals, an assist and four draw controls, while redshirt senior Taylor Cantelon pulled down a team-high six draw controls with three ground balls. 

Detroit Mercy (1-6, 1-3 MAC) was behind 12-5 with 7:36 left in the third when the red, white and blue tallied 10-straight goals to end the game. In fact, in the final 22:36 minutes of play, the Titan defense did not give up a single shot and saw Akron (2-7, 1-3 MAC) turn it over 12 times.

Junior Marina Butler got the rally started with a free position goal and then Kopchia found Gilbert, who beat the keeper to make it 12-7 with 5:11 left. Harder added an unassisted goal a minute later before Kopchia fed Gilbert again for a goal with 1:23 left in the third to cut it to 12-9.

The fourth period started with Dale finding Gilbert for a strike at the 14:09 mark and just over a minute later, Kopchia was the playmaker again as she set up Harder for a goal and it was a 12-11 affair with 12:57 remaining. That duo would strike again 30 seconds later, this time with Harder - after she won the draw - locating Kopchia for the score and it was knotted at 12-12.

Senior Taryn McManus would then win the draw and that led to Kopchia finding Dale and she found the back of the net to give the Titans a 13-12 lead with 12:06 to go. 

After an Akron turnover, Kopchia fed Gilbert for a score at 9:21, and then the Titans took advantage of a Zips' yellow card as Kopchia put sophomore Sarah Meek in position for a man-up score to make it 15-12 with 7:39 left. 

Freshman Maddy Camm had two caused turnovers and McManus added three draw controls and three ground balls. Freshman Meredith Leavell earned her first win with five saves in net. 

The Titans outshot Akron, 31-24, including 13-0 in the final period. Detroit Mercy was also 16-of-17 on clears, won the ground ball battle, 21-18, and just missed winning draw controls, 16-14.

The Titans started the game up 2-0 with goals from McManus and freshman Leah Bodnar in the first five minutes, but Akron would jump back in front, 3-2. Dale then had back-to-back goals for a 4-3 lead with 5:02 left in the first, but the Zips answered with five in a row to take an 8-4 advantage with 7:41 in the second. 

Gilbert stopped that run with a marker off a pass from Dale, but Akron scored four in a row for the 12-5 lead with 7:36 remaining in the third. That is when the Titans charged back with defense and winning eight of the final 12 draws in the contest. 

Detroit Mercy will be back in action on Sunday as the Titans host St. Bonaventure at Noon at Seaholm High School. 

Game Notes:

• The previous biggest comeback in school history was from five down as the Titans trailed at Winthrop, 7-2, at halftime in 2020 before coming back to post an 11-8 victory
• The 12 assists are tied for third in school history
• The six assists are tied for third in school history and are the most since Lexie Kinmond set the school record with eight at Wofford in 2018
• Gilbert had never had more than two goals in a game