Senior Day Brings 2-0 Victory for Detroit Titans

October 18, 2011

Senior Day Brings 2-0 Victory for Titans

Oct.15, 2011

DETROIT -- The Titans (12-4-1, 5-1 Horizon League) honored five players on senior day with a 2-0 defeat over Valparaiso (7-6-2, 3-2 Horizon League) Saturday afternoon. Alyssa Korson's goal in the 30th minute and Kaitlyn Quarrell's insurance tally in the 58th minute held up as Detroit won its fourth straight conference game.

Detroit remains the No. 9 team in the Great Lakes Region and also stays in second place in the Horizon League with two regular season contests remaining.

The first goal of today's match came at 29:53 as Alyssa Riley took a hard shot that hit the crossbar and deflected high in the air. When the ball came down, Korson was on the goal line waiting for it and tapped it in the net for her second of the season and second career game-winning goal.

Detroit's second goal came off the foot of sophomore Kaitlyn Quarrell as she netted her sixth of the season matching her goal total from her freshman year. She took a shot on the left side from 12 yards away and the save was initially made by the goalkeeper but Quarrell hit it hard enough to carry on into the net for the score.

It was senior recognition day as Korson, Lauren Roffey, Rebecca Pidgeon, Alexandra Suschak and Alison Suschak were all honored before the game. The five have played in a combined 344 games as Titans.

“We can't help but think of all the hard work we've put in over the years. We have built a close bond with each other. We're a good senior class and a good group of friends,” said Alison Suschak.

Pidgeon has played in 59 career games and has scored four goals including two game-winners. Korson is the lone senior who has played and started in all 73 games since the class of 2011 came to Detroit in 2008. In 69 games, Alexandra Suschak has been a big part of the team's back line and was named to the Horizon League First Team and the Horizon League All-Tournament Team in 2010. Her twin sister Alison played in her 70th game today and has accumulated five goals and six assists. Three of those goals have come on assists from Alexandra. Roffey has exploded for a career high five goals this year including a hat trick in a 4-0 win over Eastern Michigan on Aug. 23. The midfielder has now been on the field for 73 games as a Titan.

In the game against Valparaiso, the Titans controlled most of the game and the back line kept the Crusaders from developing many good scoring opportunities. Detroit held a 9-3 shooting advantage on the day and goaltender Nora Abolins posted her fourth straight shutout, all conference games, pushing her streak without allowing a goal to 385:06. It was the seventh blanking of the year for Abolins and the 10th for the team in 2011 setting a new school record breaking the old mark of nine that was set in 2005.

“We have done well this year so we just want to keep building upon what we've done throughout the season,” said Korson as she talked about heading into next week's final two regular season matches.

Detroit will host Wright State at Titan Field Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. The regular season will come to a close next weekend as Detroit will play at Cleveland on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.