Detroit women beat IPFW

Detroit women beat IPFW
September 14, 2009
Thirty-five seconds into the start of the second half the University of Detroit Mercy women’s soccer team doubled its lead and withstood a late flurry from IPFW to score a 2-1 victory in Fort Wayne, IN Friday evening.

The Titans (2-2-1) scored their first road victory of the season to even their record and now hold an 8-1-0 lead in the all-time series over the Mastodons (0-4-1).

Freshmen Sarah Dzuris (Rochester Hills, MI/Rochester) and Nina Carter (Clinton Twp., MI/Chippewa Valley) provided the offense for Detroit. After a shot by sophomore Alexandra Suschak (Brecksville, OH/Brecksville) was saved by the Mastodons’ keeper, Dzuris corralled the rebound and gave the Titans a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute.

Dzuris and Carter each tallied their second goal of the season and have accounted for all four Detroit goals this season. The duo notched three shots on goal apiece in the match, while Alexandra Suschak, sophomore Lauren Roffey (West Bloomfield, MI/West Bloomfield) and freshman Danielle Goszczynski (Harrison Twp., MI/L’Anse Creuse) each tallied one shot on goal.

Detroit controlled the action in the first half, outshooting IPFW 10-5 and holding a 6-2 advantage in shots on goal in the opening stanza.

Carter nearly put the Titans ahead less than 15 minutes into the game after beating her defender and cracking a shot off the right post from 25 yards out. She eventually netted the game winner at the start of the second half after beating the defenders on the left side of net and then putting a shot past the goalie into the upper right hand corner.

“The freshmen are starting to realize what it takes at this level,” said UDM head coach Mike Lupenec. “I’ve got to give a lot of credit especially to Sarah (Dzuris). She played well offensively and she had a few real important clearances at the end of the game for us.”

Twenty minutes after taking a 2-0 lead, however, IPFW cut into the lead when the Mastodons’ Rhea Proctor notched her first goal of the season when she took a bouncing ball from Justine LeBlanc and lofted it just over the head of Titans’ keeper Joanna Hinde (Shelby Twp., MI/Chippewa Valley).

After the early second-half goal the Mastodons took control, taking nine shots to the Titans’ three in the second half to hold a 14-13 advantage for the match.

A well-placed corner kick by IPFW would have knotted the score with under 20 minutes remaining, but sophomore Alyssa Korson (Suttons Bay, MI/Lake Leelanau St. Mary’s) had the far side of the net covered and made a leg save to keep the Titans ahead.

“I’m real proud of what we did today and I’m happy that the players got the win they deserved against IUPUI (on Friday),” said Lupenec. “I think we learned from that game how to hold a lead and how to handle adversity late in the game.”

Emotions were running high in the latter stages of the game because of physical play from both sides.

“It’s nice to have games like this before we get into the conference schedule,” Lupenec said. “And you’ve got to give IPFW credit because they didn’t quit. They showed us that you can’t relax and that you’ve got to respect your opponent.”

Next up for the Titans is a trip to East Lansing for an interstate matchup with the Spartans of Michigan State. The Titans fell 5-1 at Michigan State last season and are 1-13-1 all-time against the Spartans. Michigan State is 4-0-1 on the season and shutout Illinois State 2-0 on Friday.
Trending Videos
IMG Academy Top 200/150 Rankings
see full ranking:
Boys Girls