Detroit Takes Down Butler 2-1

Sept. 18, 2011

BOX SCORE

DETROIT -- Junior Sarah Dzuris scored on a free kick at 27:14 to put Detroit (7-3-1/1-0 Horizon League) up 1-0 and junior Rebekah Dornbos added a goal on a penalty kick in the 46th minute as the Titans held on for a 2-1 win over Butler (5-5-0/0-1 Horizon League) Sunday afternoon at Titan Field.

“Butler is our rival and they have won against us the last few years and getting ahead and a win today felt good. The win gives us momentum heading into Oakland and the rest of the conference schedule,” said Dzuris who also had two helpers in Wednesday’s double overtime loss at Michigan State.

It was the first Horizon League match for both teams.

On the first goal, the aggressiveness of sophomore Kaitlyn Quarrell led to a Butler foul and Dzuris took a Detroit free kick from 25 yards out. The next stop for the ball was the left upper corner of the net as her shot bended around the wall and into the goal for her fourth of the season.

“We're big on set pieces and we practice them before every game so the goal was nice to see,” added Dzuris.

Quarrell was also involved on the second Titan goal as she was breaking for the net and was fouled in the box setting up the penalty kick attempt. For Dornbos, it was her third successful penalty kick attempt of the year and she has made all four penalty kick attempts in her career. It was her first career game-winning goal.

The 2-1 win was the eighth victory for Detroit in 26 women's soccer matches between the schools and the first for the Titans since a 3-2 home defeat on Oct. 8, 2006.

“I think it all goes to what the attitude of the team was from the start today and from some of our upperclassmen. Butler has had our number the last few years and they beat us twice last year. We competed with them but didn't get over the top in regards to beating this team,” said women’s soccer head coach Mike Lupenec.

Detroit came out with an aggressive mindset and started the game controlling the first half with possession in the middle of the field and in both the team's offensive and defensive third. The opening half saw the Titans hold a 5-2 shooting advantage.

The second half saw the Bulldogs come out trying to get back in the game taking possession for most of the opening 15 minutes. 

With the score 2-0, the ball was played short on a Butler free kick in line with Detroit's back line producing a great shot opportunity inside the six-yard box. The first shot was blocked resulting in a loose ball but sophomore goaltender Nora Abolins came out to challenge and made the save and smothered the ball to keep the score the same. Abolins finished with five saves on the day.

The Bulldogs would get on the board in the 78th minute as a long ball from just over the midfield line was played to Katie Griswold who made a move on the defender and took a low hard shot to making it 2-1.

The final 12 minutes of the game, right down to the final 10 seconds, made the Detroit lead anything but safe. Butler took seven shots in the final half, finishing with nine shots in the contest, but the Titans closed the door and moved to 1-0 in conference play.

“I think what I get from today is that our back line did an excellent job. Last game we gave up four goals to a real good Michigan State team but we gave up counter attacks and were allowing them in over the top and today that didn't happen. We made one mistake and they scored but overall our back line contained their forwards,” said Lupenec.

We beat a good soccer team today and we need to build on that and not take it for granted because all of our conference games come down to set pieces and mistakes.”

Detroit will face its final non-conference opponent of the regular season this Thursday at Titan Field. Oakland will make the trip from Rochester for a 4:00 p.m. match.

 

-Detroit Titans-