MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (3/27/2023) -- Sophomore Leah Bodnar recorded her first career three-goal performance and sophomore Meredith Leavell made 15 saves as the University of Detroit Mercy women's lacrosse team dropped a 13-8 contest at Central Michigan on Wednesday evening.

It was the Mid-American Conference opener for both schools as UDM fell to 1-6 overall and CMU improved to 3-6. 

Junior Cat Kopchia had two goals and an assist, while senior Annie Gilbert, redshirt junior Charlotte Dale and junior Sarah Meek all had a goal. Sophomore Katie Bilello tallied a team-high and tied her career high with four ground balls and sophomore Maddy Camm added two GB's and a caused turnover. 

Despite three saves from Leavell, Central Michigan led 2-0 after the first period. Early in the second, the Titans got on the board off the crosse of Kopchia.

CMU took a 4-1 with 11:25 left in the first half, but the Titans took advantage of a yellow card as Kopchia found Bodnar and she beat the keeper to cut the deficit in half at the 7:25 mark. Leavell made three saves in a nearly three-minute possession to keep CMU off the scoreboard before Camm ended the offensive attempt with a caused turnover, and that led to Dale finishing the back of the net to make it 4-3 with 2:09 remaining. 

The Chippewas scored five in a row to take a 9-3 lead, but Bilello started some offense with a caused turnover and Bodnar ended the spurt with a goal with five seconds left in the third.

The Titans added to their total late in the fourth as Bodnar netted her hat trick with 5:25 remaining to make it 12-5. The red, white and blue then ended the game with three-straight goals as Butler set up Gilbert's marker with 1:48 on the clock. Meek would win the next draw and get the ball back from senior Marina Butler for a score 10 seconds later, and Kopchia drilled in a free position shot with 15 ticks left.

The Titans were 19-of-21 on clears and turned the ball over just 11 times. 

Detroit Mercy will be back in action on Saturday, April 1, as it welcomes new-state rival Eastern Michigan to Titan Field, with first draw set for Noon. 

Game Notes:

• Central Michigan now leads the all-time series, 5-4, and the Titans are 2-3 on the road
• Leavell has posted double-digit saves in five games this season, and in seven of her 18 career games, with her career-best 17 saves against Butler at home earlier in the year
• Gilbert and Kopchia are the only other Titans with hat tricks on the season
• Bodnar has now scored multiple goals in three-straight games and four of the last five
• Bilello also had four ground balls against Lindenwood

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