PONTIAC, Mich. -- In front of a sold-out jam packed crowd of 1,800 fans, the Detroit men's lacrosse used a third-period surge to down Michigan, 13-9, at Ultimate Soccer Arenas on Sunday afternoon.
“We made a lot of mistakes in the first half, especially clearing the ball,” said head coach Matt Holtz. “This was a big game for us. It is good to have it out of the way, but we will savor the victory.”
Sophomores Alex Maini (Lynbrook, NY/Lynbrook) and Joel Matthews (St. Catharines, ON/Holy Cross) each had five points, while sophomore Shayne Adams (St. Catharines, ON/Denis Morris) tallied four goals.
“I had Maini in the office this week and I told him that he has to take advantage of his opportunities,” said Holtz. “It was his three goals that changed the game and sparked the run in the second half.”
Playing its third game in the last eight days, the Titans got off to a slow start and twice trailed by two goals in the contest. Michigan (0-1) scored the first two goals of the game and then another two to take a 4-2 advantage early in the second.
Matthews got UDM on the board with back-to-back tallies in the first. Detroit then scored three-straight in the first four minutes of the second to take a 5-4 lead. Matthews assisted on the first two as Adams and freshman Brandon Beauregard (Clarkston, MI/Notre Dame Prep) found the back of the net. Sophomore Troy Dennis (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) then fired one past the netminder.
The Wolverines tied it at 5-all going into the half and the game would be knotted once again at 6-all at the 6:12 mark in the third when the Titans started to pull away scoring six of the next seven goals.
Maini – who opened the third period with a goal – had two more in the frame to give UDM an 8-6 lead. After a Wolverines' tally, freshman Mike Birney (Plymouth, MI/Catholic Central) – who had two assists for his first two career points – found Adams for a goal. Maini then created the time to find Adams who again beat the goalie to give the red, white and blue a 10-7 advantage.
The fourth started with Maini locating sophomore Scott Drummond (Birmingham, MI/Seaholm) and the first-year Titan registered his first collegiate goal with 12:18 left in the game. Just a little over a minute later, Matthews teamed up with Adams and the 2011 MAAC Rookie of the Year gave Detroit its biggest lead on the day, 12-7.
Senior Tim Lehto (Farmington, MI/North Farmington) would have the final goal of the evening for UDM as Detroit went on to victory in the Great Lake State's newest rivalry.
Junior Jordan Houtby (St. Catharines, ON/Holy Cross) had a game-high 10 ground balls and junior goalie A.J. Levell (Columbus, OH/Dublin Scioto) made nine saves in between the pipes.
Detroit (1-2) outshot Michigan, 37-28, and won 14-of-25 face-offs. UDM also held the Wolverines scoreless on five extra-man attempts, while netting a man-up goal of their own.
The Wolverines were led by Thomas Paras' three points on two goals and an assist. Trevor Yealy and Douglas Bryant also had two goals, while Will Meter picked up a team-high six ground balls.
The Titans will return to action next Saturday as the Titans travel to face No. 6 North Carolina. Game time is set for Noon.
