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DETROIT (8/28/2015) -- Senior Alyssa Lotito equaled her goal output from last season in the first half in Friday's game against Ohio, scoring two markers in the opening frame to help lift the University of Detroit Mercy women's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over the Bobcats at Titan Field. 

With the win, Detroit evened its record on the season to 1-1, while Ohio fell to 0-2. 

Lotito (Macomb, Mich. / Eisenhower) scored the first goal of a penalty kick early in the first half. Detroit was awarded its first penalty kick of the season after senior forward Sara Zawacki (Dearborn, Mich. / Marian) was hauled down in the box by Ohio's Stephanie Rowland in the 12th minute. Lotito fired the penalty kick into the left side of the goal to give Detroit a 1-0 lead.

Detroit kept the pressure on Ohio in the first half and had the first six shots of the game. The UDM defense didn't allow an Ohio shot until the 37:50 mark in the opening frame. Just minutes later, Lotito found herself all alone roughly 25 yards outside of the goal and punished a perfect, curling ball into the top left corner of the net. Her second goal of the game and the season gave Detroit a 2-0 lead in the 40th minute.

The Titans finished the first half with a 7-1 shots advantage. Detroit also had all four of the corner kicks in the first half.

Ohio had the edge in shots in the second half, but Detroit kept the Bobcats off the scoreboard. Ohio had just two in the final 20 minutes of the second stanza after opening with five shots in the first 25 minutes. Junior Anna Mindling (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Christian) helped keep the pressure on goal for the Titans, firing two of the three Detroit second-half attempts. 

Sophomore goalkeeper Marina Manzo (Washington Twp., Mich. / Romeo), making her first start of the season in goal, turned away three shots for the shutout in net. Lotito, Mindling and freshman midfielder Molly Kane (Caledonia, Mich. / Grand Rapids Catholic Central) each finished with two shots for the game.

It was the 16th shutout for the Titans in the last 21 games at Titan Field. Detroit improved to 26-6-2 at Titan Field since the start of the 2011 season.

The Titans return to the pitch Sunday, traveling to the University of Michigan to face the Wolverines in a 7:30 p.m. match.