Top Four Teams Win as Women's Soccer Standings Stay Tight

Saturday, October 26 Results
Detroit 2, Valparaiso 0
Milwaukee 3, Youngstown State 2
Oakland 1, Cleveland State 0
Wright State 1, Green Bay 0

Detroit 2, Valparaiso 0
Freshman Kristen Tobin had a goal and an assist and senior Kaitlyn Quarrell added a marker as the University of Detroit Mercy women's soccer team kept its hope alive for a home playoff game with a 2-0 victory over Valparaiso on Senior Day Saturday afternoon.

The win was the 11h-straight at home for Detroit, including a perfect 7-0 mark this season to tie a record for the second-straight year for most home wins. In the last 11 home games, the Titans have not even yelided a goal in outscoring their opponents 30-0.

The day was also Senior Day for UDM as Quarrell along with Abby McCollum and Ashley Welch were honored prior to the start of the contest. Welch has seen just two losses at home in her two years with Detroit, while for Quarrell and McCollum, Titan Field has been a special place where they have helped the team to a 24-5-2 record during their four years, with the red, white and blue posting a 73-11 margin in goals scored.

The victory moved Detroit to 9-7-1 and 3-3 in the Horizon League with Valparaiso dropping to 8-6-2, 2-3-1 in the league. It gave the Titans a much needed tiebreaker over the Crusaders in the chase for a playoff berth and set them up for a battle for a possible home playoff game with a win over Youngstown State next week - pending a loss by Cleveland State against Oakland or at Wright State in the next week.

With the wind playing havoc with the ball, both teams were looking to find their way offensively and each had a few scoring opportunities that were shut down.

The Titans finally broke through off some great team play nearly 33 minutes into the game as junior Alyssa Lotito set up a corner kick that found its way to junior Alyssa Riley, who then headed it towards the goal and eventually to Tobin, who knocked it in her first collegiate goal.

The rookie was not then as just over 11 minutes later, she got the ball at midfield and was able to find the veteran Quarrell who was ahead of her and she did the rest for her 21st career goal, moving her to a tie with Tanya Tiselj (1999-02) for ninth all-time in school history.

With the Crusaders trying to mount a comeback, the Titans kept up the defensive intensity in the second half, not allowing Valpo any clean looks. Despite VU outshooting UDM, 8-2, in the second stanza, sophomore goalie Martha Dunbar recorded five saves – six total in the game – and the Titans were able to once again keep their opponent with a goose egg on the scoreboard.

Milwaukee 3, Youngstown State 2
Kelsey Holbert's blast with just 3:40 remaining gave the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team a thrilling 3-2, comeback victory over Youngstown State University on Senior Day Saturday afternoon from Engelmann Stadium.

Krissy Dorre assisted on all three goals to help Milwaukee (7-8-1, 5-1-0 Horizon) came back from deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 to tie the game in the 79th minute before Holbert's goal in the 87th minute gave the Panthers the victory over the Penguins (4-11-1, 2-4-0).

Youngstown State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after Allison Ludwig netted her first goal just 4:15 into the contest. Chelsey Haney got behind the Panther defense and fired a shot from just inside the box. UWM keeper Paige Lincicum made the initial save but the rebound fell right to the feet of Ludwig who put away the easy goal.

It didn't take long for Milwaukee to answer back, though. Morgan LaPlant brought the ball down the right wing and found Dorre in the middle of the field. Dorre took a touch before threading the needle to find Kelly Lewers streaking behind the defense and Lewers one-timed the ball far post for her third goal in the last two games.

Ludwig scored again, however, and the Penguins took a 2-1 lead into the halftime locker room.

After both teams struggle to get anything going most of the second half, it looked like it might not be UWM's day.

That all changed quickly.

At the 78:10 mark, Dorre again took a pass in the middle of the field and took a few touches before finding a streaking LaPlant, who took one touch in the box before burying her shot near post to knot the game up at 2 goals a piece.

With momentum on its side, the Panther attack was relentless in the final 10 minutes and seemingly would not be denied the winner.

Lewers started it all off after taking a feed just inside the center of the box. The junior kept the ball at her feet and drew numerous defenders around her before playing the ball back to Dorre, who one-touched it to Holbert. The captain fired the ball through the congested box and past a diving keeper into the far-side netting to give the Panthers the win.

Milwaukee outshot YSU 19-9 on the game and also held the edge in corners (4-2) and fouls (11-8). Penguin keeper Jackie Podolsky was credited with five saves while Lincicum made two in the win.

Oakland 1, Cleveland State 0
Abigail Haelewyn scored her third goal of the season and second game-winner of the fall while the Golden Grizzlies' defense registered their fifth consecutive shutout as the Oakland women's soccer team (9-7-1, 4-2-0 HL) remained in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Horizon League Championship with a 1-0 win at Cleveland State (8-8-1, 2-4 HL) Saturday evening at Krenzler Field.

Oakland dominated throughout the cold and blustery contest, out-shooting the Vikings 17-3, with an 11-2 margin in shots on goal. Alice Palmer led with six shots.

The Golden Grizzlies missed getting on the board in the first half when Cleveland State was whistled for a hand ball in the penalty box. On the ensuing spot kick, Meghan Reynolds' attempt was stopped by Cleveland State goalkeeper Sarah Wood. It was one of Wood's 10 saves on the day.

After out-shooting CSU 12-1 in a wind-aided first half, Oakland continued to press in the second stanza. On a free kick by Kyla Kellermann in the 49th minute, it looked as though the Golden Grizzlies would get on the board only to be denied by the post.

In the 56th minute Oakland finally got through for the game's lone score. Meghan Reynolds sent a through ball into the box to find Haelewyn, who found a spot past CSU's Wood at the far post from 12 yards away.

The Golden Grizzlies defense including Sarah Reynolds, Katrina Stencel, Kourtney Grant and Aly Rawson held Cleveland State to their lowest shots total (3) at home this season. Of note, Oakland's team defense has held six opponents and four of their last six foes under 10 shot attempts this season.

Goalkeeper Payj O'Shea anchored the defense, making two saves for Oakland's fourth Horizon League shutout and seventh of the season.

With one game to play in the regular season, Oakland still has a chance to claim the No. 1 seed and with it the right to host the semifinals and final of the Horizon League Championship Friday, Nov. 8 and Sunday, Nov. 10. With a win over Milwaukee and a Wright State tie or loss to Cleveland State, the Golden Grizzlies would be the tournament's top seed. Oakland is guaranteed of finishing no lower than third place, owning tiebreakers over fourth-place Detroit. Seeds three and four host seeds six and five, respectively, in quarterfinal action Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Wright State 1, Green Bay 0
Behind an early Kalee Thompson goal, the Wright State women's soccer team picked up a key 1-0 Horizon League win Saturday afternoon at Green Bay.

The Phoenix fired three shots in the opening 10 minutes, including a shot by freshman Katie Schulz in the 10th minute that hit the post.

In the 12th minute, Wright State’s Emilie Fillion’ through ball connected with Kalee Thompson behind the Phoenix defense. Thompson was able to get past Green Bay keeper Nastacia Behle and tap the ball into the open net for the 1-0 lead.

In the 16th minute, Schulz again nearly found the back of the net, but this time her header ricocheted off the crossbar and over the goal. Just moments later, Therrien ripped a shot toward the net but WSU keeper Brooke McCurdy made a diving save.

Green Bay led the Raiders in shots 8-6 in the opening half, but WSU used tight defense in the second half to limit the Phoenix to just one shot and prevent the equalizer.

The Thompson goal came at the 11:38 mark of the first half as the sophomore midiflelder got behind the defense and won a one-on-one with the Phoenix goalkeeper with a close shots.  It was the third goal of the season for Thompson with the assist going to senior forward Emilie Fillion, her fourth of the year.

From there, the Raider defense took over in posting the shutout, their seventh of the season and fifth in the last seven contests.  Senior goalkeeper Brooke McCurdy recorded her sixth complete shutout of 2013 and had three saves.

The win keeps WSU in second place in the Horizon League standings, a half-game back of leader Milwaukee with one match remaining.