DETROIT (8/17/22) – The Detroit Mercy women's soccer team travels to the Sunshine State to open the 2022 season with a pair of matches at Florida Gulf Coast and Florida Atlantic. The Titans and Eagles will play the season opener on Thursday, Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast from Pickering Field at the FGCU Soccer Complex on Facebook Live. Detroit Mercy closes out the road swing at FAU on Sunday, August 21 at noon. The game will be broadcast live from FAU Soccer Stadium on C-USA TV.
 
The Team:
The 2022 season marks the 29th year of the women's soccer program
Head Coach Steve Shelton is in his fourth season with the program
 
Returning Firepower:
The Titans have 25 returners including junior Erica Toupin who led the team last season in goals (4), assists (4) and points (12) followed by graduate student Julie Ann Piechocki who also tied for the lead in goals (4) while ranking third in assists (2) and points (10). Sophomore Sarah Soraghan and senior Taylor Stanley also return after both ranked second on the team in goals (2) and fourth in points (5). Junior Tia Jokic is back after ranking second in goals (2) and fifth in points (4). Graduate student Hailey Wentzloff (1 goal, 1 assist, 3 points) and Sophomore Sophia Butkovich (1 assists) also return to round out the offensive production from the 2021 season.
 
Home Grown Talent:
Detroit Mercy has 27 student-athletes from the state of Michigan and one from California in Grace Brutto.
 
O' Canada:
The 2022 roster also includes seven student-athletes from the Canadian Province of Ontario in Cece Muskovac, Danica Paesano, Tia Jokic, Isabella Kaschalk, Alessandra Pontoni, Mysa Elmokadem and Jen Mateyak.
 
Newcomers:
Detroit Mercy has a diverse group of 11 newcomers in goalkeeper Holli Brown, forwards Gabby Ketola, Brynn White, Sophia Blankenship, midfielders Soraya Puerto-Khalil, Megan Malek, Abby Lodato, Mysa Elmokadem and Grace Brutto and defenders Jen Mateyak and Cecily Hughes who will look to make an immediate impact.
 
Exhibition Recap:
Aug. 14 – Detroit Mercy 6 vs Schoolcraft College 1:
Graduate Student Julie Ann Piechocki netted two goals while freshman Gabby Ketola added a goal and assist to lead the Detroit Mercy women's soccer team to a convincing 6-1 win over visiting Schoolcraft College to conclude exhibition play.
 
Freshman Abby Lodato and sophomores Adriana Mroz and Sophia Butkovich each added a tally with junior Paige Myers, freshman Soraya Puerto-Khalil, freshman Mysa Elmokadem and sophomore Genevieve Crocker each adding an assist.
 
Junior Marisa Silver picked up the win in goal while junior Jazmine Scott, graduate student Cece Muskovac and freshman Holli Brown all saw action in net for the Titans.
 
Aug. 11. – Detroit Mercy 3 vs Eastern Michigan 2:
Sophomore Sarah Soraghan notched the game-winning goal off a feed from freshman Sophia Blankenship in the 65th minute of the second half propelling the Detroit Mercy women's soccer team to a 2-1 exhibition win over Eastern Michigan on Thursday at the Legacy Center Sports Complex. 
 
After trailing 1-0 at the half, freshman Gabby Ketola sparked the comeback notching the equalizer in the 56th minute. Junior Marisa Silver picked up the win in goal making three saves.