DETROIT (10-8-25) – The Detroit Mercy women's soccer team prepares for a massive #HLWSOC home stand with a pair of matches against seven-time defending champion Milwaukee, followed by Green Bay. The Titans and Panthers kick off on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m., followed by the Phoenix on Sunday, Oct. 12, at 1 p.m. Both games will be broadcast live from Titan Field on ESPN+ with Steven MacDonald (pxp) and Matt Kibby (analyst) on the call.

A look at the Panthers:
• Milwaukee is 8-4-1 on the season and a perfect 5-0 in conference play, sitting atop the standings.
• The Panthers have won the HL for seven consecutive years
• MKE leads the all-time series against Detroit Mercy 28-7-3
• With the 1-1 draw at Milwaukee last season, UDM recorded its first #HLWSOC point against the Panthers since the 2007 season, snapping a 17-game skid.
• The Panthers were picked to repeat as league champion with 120 points and 10 first-place votes in the 2025 Under Armour #HLWSOC Preseason Poll.
 
Scouting the Phoenix:
• Green Bay is 3-7-2 on the season and 1-2-1 in #HLWSOC play, sitting in an eighth-place tie with Robert Morris at our points.
• Detroit Mercy leads the all-time series 25-5-5 with UDM winning the last five meetings.
• The Phoenix were picked to finish eighth with 47 points in the 2025 Under Armour #HLWSOC Preseason Poll.
 
Last Time Out:
Oct. 4, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 vs IU Indy 2:
Junior Eva Hill posted eight saves, just missing her career-high by one, while juniors Jada Rivera and Leila Lanier, and sophomores Sam Sickinger and Amelia Streberger each recorded a shot on goal as Detroit Mercy was blanked by IU Indy, 2-0, in #HLWSOC action at Titan Field on Sunday afternoon.
 
IU Indy (3-8-1, 2-2 HL) took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute. Just four minutes later, Rivera had a great look at the equalizer, taking a pass inside the box and firing a shot to the low right corner, but the Jags' goalie, Sarah Bambrick, closed in and cut off the angle at point-blank range to save the shot, keeping UDM (2-10-1, 0-4-1 HL) off the board.
 
All Hands-on Deck:
• Detroit Mercy has seven different players score goals, and 10 have recorded points.
 
All Day Abbey:
• Senior Abbey Lodato leads the team in points (18 – 1st HL, 46th Nationally), goals (7 – 2nd HL, 51st Nationally), assists (4 – T-4th HL), and game-winning goals (2 – T-2nd HL).
• Scored two goals in a game three times this season vs CSU (9/18), Madonna (9/11), and Valpo (8/14).
• Posted five points in a game for the second time in her career with two goals and an assist on Senior Night vs Madonna (9/11).
• Recorded first assist of the season at WMU (9/7).
• Posted third goal off a free kick against BGSU (8/28).
• Scored a pair of goals off a free kick, followed by a penalty kick, propelling Detroit Mercy to a 2-1 win over former Horizon League foe Valparaiso (8/14) in the season-opener.
 
PK Specialist:
• Lodato has scored four of her seven goals on penalty kicks.
• Added her third and fourth penalty kick goals in a 3-3 draw vs CSU (9/18).
• Posted second PK goal in 8-0 win over Madonna (9/11).
• Scored first penalty kick goal in 2-1 win over former Horizon League foe Valparaiso (8/14).
 
On the Board:
• Junior Natalia Sobh added her first assist of the season at YSU (9/28).
Freshman Emma Henry scored her first career goal off the first assist from Lodato at WMU (9/7) and her second goal at YSU (9/28).
• Junior Jada Rivera had a breakout game, posting five points with two goals and an assist vs Madonna (9/11).
• Sophomore Camryn Pepper scored her first career goal vs Madonna (9/11).
• Sophomore Sam Sickinger added her first goal of the season vs Madonna (9/11).
• Sophomore Mya Mascaro recorded her fourth career assist from her defensive position vs Madonna (9/11).
• Rivera scored her first career goal in a Titan uniform in the setback at Toledo (9/4).

Defense to Offense:
• Junior defender Leila Lanier scored her first goal of the season at YSU (9/28).
• Sophomore defender Kyleen Bradow recorded her first career goal off a feed from Puerto-Khalil in the 3-3 draw vs CSU (9/18).
 
Solid Soraya:
• Senior Soraya Puerto-Khalil ranks second on the team in assists (3).
• Posted a career-best six points with a pair of goals and two assists on Senior Night vs Madonna (9/11).
 
King of the Hill:
• Junior Eva Hill recorded a career-high nine saves in the 2-0 setback at Kentucky (8/28).
• Posted season second-best eight saves vs IU Indy (10/4).
• Hill made her first career start in goal at Michigan (8/17), making six saves.
 
Symes Named Under Armour® #HLWSOC Defensive Player of the Week:
• Graduate student goalkeeper Chantelle Symes was named Under Armour® #HLWSOC Defensive Player of the Week, announced by the league office on Sept. 15.
 • Symes, a Sydney, Australia native, posted her second career shutout, making four saves in Detroit Mercy's 8-0 win over Madonna on Senior Night, which snapped a five-game skid.
 
Proved Them Wrong in 2024 and Looking for More:
• The 2024 season was a special one for the Titans as they posted a 10-8-2 overall record, winning 10 games for the first time since the 2016 season.
• The Titans went 7-1-2 in #HLWSOC play, which ranks as the most league wins in program history.
• As the No. 3 seed in the #HLWSOC Tournament, UDM secured a quarterfinal victory over No.6 seed Purdue Fort Wayne for the program's first tournament win since 2018, before eventually falling in the semifinals to No. 2 seed Northern Kentucky.
• Went 4-0-2 on the road in league play and secured a second straight Metro Series victory over arch-rival Oakland.
• The Titans' epic 5-0 Metro Series beat down at arch-rival Oakland (10/30) was either team's biggest margin of victory since the Metro Series' inception in 2014.
• It was also UDM's largest margin of victory in HL play since the Titans defeated Green Bay 5-0 in 2015, largest league road win margin since defeating YSU 5-0 in 2002, and the largest road win margin since a 10-0 victory at Marygrove.
• Detroit Mercy's 3-2 come-from-behind win at IU Indy was the first #HLWSOC win for the Titans over the Jags.
• With the 1-1 tie at Milwaukee, UDM recorded its first #HLWSOC point against the Panthers since the 2007 season, snapping a 17-game skid.
 
Brand New Locker Room:
• With a project spearheaded by head coach Steve Shelton and the tremendous support of donors, families, and friends of the program, the women's soccer team unveiled a brand-new locker room located in Calihan Hall on Aug. 27.
 
Senior Night Salute:
Before the game against Madonna, the women's soccer team honored seniors Ashley Bates, Grace Brutto, Jen Mateyak, Abbey Lodato, Soraya Puerto-Khalil, and Chantelle Symes for their hard work and dedication to the program.
 
Return of the MAC:
• Detroit Mercy competed against three schools from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) beginning with BGSU (8/27), followed by Toledo (9/4), and Western Michigan (9/7). Additionally, the Titans played exhibition matches against Eastern Michigan (8/3) and Central Michigan (8/7).
 
Power Four Road Swing:
• Detroit Mercy completed a road swing against three consecutive Power Four conference opponents in Michigan, Louisville, and Kentucky.
 
The Team:
The 2025 season marks the 32nd year of the women's soccer program.
 
Movin' On Up:
• For the first time since the 2017 season, the Detroit Mercy women's soccer team was picked to finish third in the 2025 Under Armour #HLWSOC Preseason Poll. The Titans received 98 points and one first-place vote.
• Last season, the Titans finished third in the league standings with 23 points, earning a No. 3 seed in the 2024 #HLWSOC Championships after being picked to finish eighth in the 2024 #HLWSOC Preseason Poll, receiving 54 points.
• With the Metro Series victory over arch-rival Oakland to conclude the 2023 regular season, Detroit Mercy qualified for the #HLWSOC Championship for the first time since the 2018 season as the No. 6 seed. Before the season, UDM was picked to finish ninth in the 2023 Preseason Poll, receiving 40 points and moving up one spot from being picked 10th before the 2022 season.
 
Our COY is Better Than Yours:
• Head Coach Steve Shelton is in his seventh season with the program.
• Shelton earned #HLWSOC Coach of the Year honors, becoming the first UDM head coach to garner this award since the 2012 season after
• Last season, he led the Titans to a third-place regular season finish in the league standings with 23 points, earning a No. 3 seed in the #HLWSOC Championships after being picked to finish eighth in the 2024 pre-season poll.
Newcomers:
• Detroit Mercy has a diverse group of nine newcomers, with two transfers in junior and Michigan native Jada Rivera from Milwaukee, and sophomore Teagan Ferrington from Toledo.
• UDM also added a total of seven freshmen in Elicia Clarkson, Gabby Garcia, Mary Garcia, Emma Henry, Brogan Hughes, Kiely Robinson, and Auden Stauffer, who will look to make an immediate impact.
 
Made in the Mitten:
Detroit Mercy has 19 student-athletes from the state of Michigan
 
Around the U.S.:
• The Titans also have five student-athletes from outside the state of Michigan, with four from Ohio and one from California.
 
O-H-I-O:
• Sophomore Natalie Dye is joined by sophomore transfer Teagan Ferrington and freshmen sisters Gabby and Mary Garcia from the Buckeye State.
 
International Flavor
• The squad also has four international student-athletes
 
Across the Pond:
• Freshmen Brogan Hughes and Elicia Clarkson come to the squad from England.
 
O' Canada:
• Sophomore Mya Mascaro is the lone student-athlete from Canada.
 
The Land Down Under:
Graduate student Chantelle Symes is the lone student-athlete from Australia.
 
Season Rewind:
Sept. 28, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 2 at Youngstown State 4:
Junior defender Leila Lanier scored her first goal of the season, while freshman Emma Henry added her second goal off assists from junior Natalia Sobh and senior Abbey Lodato. However, it was not enough as Detroit Mercy could not hold a 2-1 second-half lead and fell 4-2 at Youngstown State in #HLWSOC action at Farmers National Bank Field on Sunday afternoon.
 
YSU (3-8-2, 2-1-1 HL) took a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute. UDM (2-9-1, 0-3-1 HL) responded in the 20th minute, as Lodato sent in a corner kick cross that bounced around in traffic inside the box. The ball slipped out right to Lanier, who fired it into the upper left 90 for the equalizer.
 
Just five minutes into the second half, Lodato slotted a feed into the box to Sobh, who flicked the ball over to Henry, where she delivered a strike inside the right post, giving the Titans a 2-1 lead. Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived as YSU tied the game at 2-2 off a penalty kick just under a minute later. The Penguins then took the lead in the 60th minute and added an insurance tally in the 63rd minute to seal the win.
 
Sept. 25, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 at Robert Morris 1:
Seniors Abbey Lodato and Soraya Puerto-Khalil combined for 11 of Detroit Mercy's 17 total shots and three of six on goal, but none could find the back of the net as the Titans were edged 1-0 by Robert Morris in #HLWSOC action on Thursday afternoon at the AHN Montour Junction Sports Complex. Juniors Jada Rivera and Leila Lanier, and freshman Auden Stauffer, also each had a shot on goal.
 
UDM (2-8-1, 0-2-1 HL) had a golden chance to take a 1-0 lead as sophomore Sam Sickinger's shot hit the crossbar with just 21 seconds left in the first half, keeping the game scoreless at the half. RMU (3-5-2, 1-1-1 HL) finally broke through in the 56th minute of the second half for a 1-0 lead. Lodato made a bid for the equalizer, but couldn't connect in the 84th minute.
 
Sept. 21, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 at Wright State 1:
Senior Soraya Puerto-Khalil had two shots on goal as Detroit Mercy came up short at Wright State, 1-0, in #HLWSOC action on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Field. Seniors Abbey Lodato and Jen Mateyak, along with junior Jada Rivera, also each had a shot on goal.
 
UDM (2-7-1, 0-1-1 HL) had back-to-back great opportunities to secure the equalizer as Rivera got in on a breakaway in the 86th minute, but her shot was turned aside. Just 10 seconds later, Puerto-Khalil got the ball deep in the corner and sent a cross into the box, where freshman Auden Stauffer connected on a header but couldn't put the ball into the empty net as it rang off the left post.
 
Sept. 18, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 3 vs Cleveland State 3:
Sophomore Kyleen Bradow recorded her first career goal off a feed from senior Soraya Puerto-Khalil, while senior Abbey Lodato added her third and fourth penalty kick goals of the season with an assist, as Detroit Mercy and Cleveland State played to a 3-3 draw in #HLWSOC opening action on Thursday night after a two-hour weather delay.
 
The Titans (2-6-1, 0-0-1 HL) looked to have the game in hand, but CSU (3-3-2, 0-0-1 HL) converted on a corner kick for the equalizer with just 27 seconds remaining in the game. The Vikings opened up scoring in the ninth minute to take a 1-0 lead before Lodato buried her first PK of the game in the 28th minute, drawing the Titans even at 1-1 going into halftime.
 
In the 51st minute, Lodato connected on her second PK, giving the Titans a 2-1 lead. However, CSU got the equalizer just six minutes later. Puerto-Khalil to a feed from Lodato and went on a long run down the right side. After eluding two defenders, she delivered a pinpoint pass to a trailing Bradow, who fired a shot into the upper right 90, moving UDM ahead at 3-2 in the 72nd minute.
 
Sept. 11, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 8 vs Madonna 0:
Seniors Soraya Puerto-Khalil and Abbey Lodato put on a show on Senior Night, combining for 11 total points with four goals and three assists to lead Detroit Mercy to an 8-0 thumping over Madonna to snap a five-game skid on Thursday night at Titan Field. Puerto-Khalil posted six points with a pair of goals and two assists, while Lodato added five points with two goals and an assist. Senior Chantelle Symes also posted her second career shutout, making four saves. The win marked the first 8-0 win since the 2010 season when the Titans defeated Marygrove.
 
Junior Jada Rivera also had a breakout game, posting five points with two goals and an assist, while sophomore Camryn Pepper scored her first career goal. Sophomore Sam Sickinger added her first goal of the season, with sophomore Mya Mascaro notching an assist from her defensive position.
 
Sept. 7, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 1 at Western Michigan 4:
Senior Abbey Lodato posted her third goal of the season, but it was not enough as Detroit Mercy could not hold on in the second half, surrendering four goals in a 4-1 setback to visiting Bowling Green on Thursday night at Titan Field.
 
During the 30th minute, Lodato got the ball in space and fired a shot past BGSU (3-1) goalkeeper Payton O'Malley, giving the Titans (1-4) a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
 
Sept. 9, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 1 at Toledo 2:
Junior Jada Rivera scored her first career goal in a Titan uniform as Detroit Mercy battled but couldn't get the equalizer in the second half, falling 2-1 at Toledo on Thursday night at Paul Homer Field.
 
Toledo took a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute. Senior Soraya Puerto-Khalil had a great look at the equalizer in the 26th minute as she took a pass from senior Abbey Lodato at the top of the box and fired a shot to the left side. Toledo goalkeeper Agnes Stenlund made a diving save, redirecting the ball off the left post that went right to Rivera, who missed the putback high over the crossbar.
 
After the Rockets moved ahead 2-0 to open the second half, Rivera cashed in on her second scoring opportunity in the 71st minute. After Puerto-Khalil sent a cross into traffic in front of the goal, the ball was tapped out by Stenlund right to Rivera, who fired it into the empty net, pulling the Titans within a goal at 2-1.
 
Aug. 28, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 1 vs Bowling Green 2:
Senior Abbey Lodato posted her third goal of the season, but it was not enough as Detroit Mercy could not hold on in the second half, surrendering four goals in a 4-1 setback to visiting Bowling Green on Thursday night at Titan Field.
 
During the 30th minute, Lodato got the ball in space and fired a shot past BGSU (3-1) goalkeeper Payton O'Malley, giving the Titans (1-4) a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
 
Aug. 24, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 at Kentucky 2:
Junior Eva Hill was solid in goal, recording a career-high nine saves as Detroit Mercy battled but concluded their three-game road swing with a 2-0 setback at Kentucky on Sunday afternoon at Bell Soccer Complex.
 
Hill posted three saves in the first half, allowing a goal early in the match, but regrouped, making six saves in the second half to hold Kentucky (4-0) at bay. U-K added their second goal off a penalty kick in the 52nd minute.
 
Aug. 21, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 at Louisville 8:
Senior Abbey Lodato, sophomore Kyleen Bradow, and freshman Gabby Garcia each recorded a shot as Detroit Mercy fell 8-0 at Louisville on Thursday night at Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium.
 
Things didn't go right for the Titans (1-2) from the start as Louisville (2-1) scored three goals over the first 17 minutes of the game. After the Cardinals added a fourth goal in the 25th minute, UDM had an own goal, which proved to be the back-breaker. U-L then scored again to lead 6-0 at the half and never looked back.
 
Aug. 17, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 at Michigan 4:
Junior Eva Hill made her first career start in goal, making six saves as Detroit Mercy suffered a 4-0 setback at Michigan on Sunday afternoon at the U-M Soccer Stadium. Sophomore Camryn Pepper recorded UDM's (1-1) lone shot on goal in the first half, while freshmen Emma Henry and Addison Ayris had a shot each late in the second half.
 
Lodato's Two Goals Power Detroit Mercy to Season-Opening Win Over Valparaiso
Aug. 14, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 2 vs Valparaiso 0:
It was the Abbey Lodato show as the senior scored a pair of goals, propelling Detroit Mercy to a 2-1 win over former Horizon League foe Valparaiso in season-opening action on Thursday night at Titan Field. Graduate student Chantelle Symes picked up the win in goal, making a Titan career-high five saves.
 
Just four minutes into the game, Lodato fired a rocket off a free kick into the upper right side 90 just outside the penalty box, giving the Titans (1-0) a 1-0 lead. Valpo (0-1) didn't waste any time getting the equalizer just six minutes later as both teams entered halftime all square at 1-1.
 
In the 85th minute, Lodato made an aggressive move inside the box and was tripped up by a defender, drawing a penalty kick. She stepped up and delivered another strike to the low left side past Valpo goalkeeper Kate Sheridan for the game-winner.