INDIANAPOLIS - The Jaguars held on to an early 2-0 lead, and later a 3-1 lead, to earn a win over Detroit Mercy's Titans on Thursday evening at Carroll Stadium. IUPUI moved to 1-0-2 in conference play, and 7-2-2 overall on the season.

IUPUI's 21-year tenured coach Chris Johnson criticized his squad's effort after in the first two conference games, and the offense responded with blistering pace out-the-gate, scoring the first goal at the five-minute mark, and the second at the seven-minute mark. Senior forward Sam Slimak was quoted after the game, saying, "the NKU game and the [Cleveland State] game just were not the games we wanted," and stated how important it was to get those first two goals in this match.
 
For the first goal, Caroline Kelley, IUPUI's now definitive goals-scored leader for the season so far with five, went down after a hit from Detroit Mercy's normally savvy veteran Paige Myers, allowing Slimak to smack a penalty shot into the top left corner from point blank range, 1-0, Jags.
 
Only about thirty seconds went by when Emma "Bean" Antoine, points leader for the Horizon League and offensive hub for the Jaguars, who was quoted after the Jags' tie against Cleveland State saying that the team hasn't quite played up to their potential yet, rolled one by Detroit Mercy's goalkeeper after an accurate through-ball assist from Emily Tobin, 2-0, Jags.
 
IUPUI women's soccer assistant coach Rachel Lantz stated after the game that "that's what we talk about, is setting our own tone and not playing to their level…"
 
The Jaguars are currently in second place for the assist-per-game column in the Horizon League, and with two more Thursday, shouldn't have a problem holding on to that spot behind Robert Morris. Antoine and Kelley have the second most points between two players in the Horizon League with 25.
 
IUPUI learned from the tie against Cleveland State not to assume the opposing squad will lay down facing an early deficit, and did everything necessary to thwart the comeback. Detroit Mercy's defense had a tough time even getting the ball out of their backfield, with constant challenges from the Jags' frontline.
 
Detroit Mercy's offense picked up mightily towards the end of the first half with a dual-attack from Abbey Lodato and Soraya Puerto-Khalil, and stayed fiery in the second half, especially after a goal by Detroit Mercy junior Adriana Mroz, but most of the attacks were kept at bay by sophomore Cailynn Junk.
 
Junk, a secondary goalkeeper whose minutes started to swell towards the end of non-conference play, started for the Jags in replacement of a sick Ashton Kudlo. Junk had an exceedingly solid game, blocking eight shots-on-target, and showcasing both quick reflexes and great hands in some threatening attacks from the Titans, including two diving blocks after solid shots from Titans midfielder Megan Malek and forwards Sophia Blankenship and Hailey Matthews. Most of the other targets from the Titans were less threatening, outside-of-the-box shots, which Junk easily collected.
 
Luntz, when asked about Junk, stated, "[Junk] provided some different things with playing with her feet, playing out short, providing guidance on where to go and what to do and setting people up…we rely on all three keepers equally and they're all strong."
 
The Jags snuffed out the Titans' comeback hopes, namely Kelley, who careened a shot into the top-left of the goal post after an assist from Slimak.
 
Antoine, Junk, Slimak, and Kelley weren't the only Jags who had a hand in the win according to Lantz, who stated, "I think everybody contributed, which was nice to get everybody off the bench, giving solid minutes…" Lantz continued, "It was a different energy that we brought out today than we had this past weekend."
 
The Jags entered the game in seventh place in the Horizon League standings, one spot above Oakland and one spot below Detroit Mercy. With the win, worth three points in league standings, the Jaguars climbed to fourth-place in a volatile early conference-play environment.
 
The Jags will head to Eastern Ohio to play Youngstown State at 1pm on Sunday, September 24th on ESPN+.