Freshman forward Nina Carter (Clinton Twp., MI/Chippewa Valley) found the back of the net in her first career match and the Detroit defense was stifling as the Titans topped Notre Dame College (OH) 1-0 at Titan Field Wednesday.

 
A youthful UDM squad featured three freshman and five sophomores in the starting lineup of its season opener against the Falcons who entered the contest with a 1-1-0 record. But old and new worked together to lift the Titans past the Falcons when senior midfielder Trina Kochanski (Royal Oak, MI/Kimball) found Carter inside the box to net the game’s lone goal.

 
Detroit was on the attack throughout, outshooting Notre Dame (1-2-0) 19-4 and notching 10 shots on goal to the visitor’s two. Kochanski and junior forward Selena Stanski (Tecumseh, ON/St. Anne’s Secondary) led the Titans in shots with four and five, respectively, while also putting three shots apiece on goal. In addition to her goal, Carter also put one other shot on goal, and sophomore defender Alexandra Suschak (Brecksville, OH/Brecksville) also had a pair of shots on goal, both headers off of corner kicks.

 
“Anytime you come away with any win you’re happy,” said Titans head coach Mike Lupenec. “I think we really saw today how important it is to have two key pieces of your offense in the game that we were missing in our exhibition matches. Selena and Nina were dominant up front for us and gave us a lot of opportunities.”

 
Despite controlling the ball in the Falcons’ territory and taking 11 shots in the second half, both sides played to a stalemate in the final stanza.

 
“You’ve got to give a lot of credit to Notre Dame because they really hung in there and battled,” Lupenec said. “They made it tough for us by really bearing down and defending their goal in the second half to keep us off the scoreboard.”

 
Sophomore goalkeeper Joanna Hinde (Shelby Twp., MI/Eisenhower) played all 90 minutes in the net, making two saves and earning her fifth career shutout. Lupenec credited the shutout to the entire defense.

 
“Our back line didn’t give them any dangerous opportunities to score,” he said.

 
Detroit (1-0-0) will returns to action Friday as Bowling Green State University (1-2-0) comes to Titan Field. In their last outing on Sunday the Falcons fell 4-0 to Michigan State in East Lansing.

 
“We’re going to see a different type of team,” said Lupenec. “Bowling Green is always in contention in the Mid American Conference. They’re big, athletic and they make you pay for any mistakes.

 
“I think we’re up for the task and ready for the challenge. Defensively I think we can play with just about anyone.”

 
The Titans fell by a score of 4-0 last season when they met at Bowling Green on Sept. 19, but leads the all-time series 4-2-0. Game time is 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 13 and under while UDM students get in free.