DETROIT, MI - Toledo kicks off its much-anticipated 2013 season on Friday, Aug. 16 with an exhibition match at Horizon League member Detroit. The preseason contest is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Titan Field.

UT and UDM played to a 0-0 draw at rainy Scott Park last fall in preseason action.

The record-tying four-time Mid-American Conference Tournament champion Rockets reported for fall camp on Tuesday, Aug. 6 and have been through almost a dozen training sessions over the course of the last eight days. 

UT returns 16 letterwinners and welcomes 10 newcomers to two-time MAC Coach of the Year Brad Evans’ 2013 squad. The Midnight Blue & Gold will be led by senior forward Rachel MacLeod, junior midfielder Meghan Topolewski and junior defender Kirsten Catloth against a talented Titans team.

A two-time all-league performer, MacLeod registered a team-high 13 points (five goals, three assists) in 2012. The 2013 captain currently sits tied for fourth in the UT annals in career helpers (14), sixth in points (56) and shots (149) and seventh in markers (21).

Topolewski has started 17 of 36 matches in two seasons at Toledo, while blossoming into a respected team leader because of her consistent level of effort. A year ago, she appeared in all 21 contests and totaled three points (one goal, one assist).

Catloth appeared in the starting ‘11’ on 16 occasions in 2012, including each of Toledo’s final 14 matches. A 2013 College Sports Madness Preseason All-MAC second-team honoree, Catloth saw at least 75 minutes of match action 11 times and played every minute on five occasions. 

In 2012, Toledo was decimated by injuries from the start and limped to a 7-12-2 overall record. This included a 5-5-1 conference mark which was good enough to qualify for the MAC Tournament for a school-record eighth consecutive season.

In the conference tourney, the Rockets enjoyed one of their highlights of the season with an upset victory in penalty kicks against No. 3 seed Eastern Michigan. The magic was short-lived, however, as UT suffered a 1-0 loss to No. 2 seed Central Michigan in the semifinals.

Detroit posted a respectable 9-7-1 overall ledger last fall, 5-2-0 in the Horizon League, earning a share of the regular-season title. The Titans will be paced by reigning league Offensive Player of the Year Kaitlyn Quarrell (11 points, four goals, three assists) and Alyssa Riley (four points, four assists). Quarrell was also named to the All-Great Lakes Region third-team and all-conference first-team in 2012, while Riley was an all-league first-team honoree.

Toledo opens its regular season at Big Ten member Minnesota on Friday, Aug. 23 at 7:00 p.m. as part of the Gopher Tournament. UT’s home opener is Sunday, Sept. 1 vs. Southeastern Conference (SEC) participant Kentucky at Scott Park at 1:00 p.m.

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