Box Score
DETROIT (10/27/12) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team celebrated senior day as it defeated Loyola, 2-1, to clinch a first-round bye in the Horizon League Championship on Saturday afternoon at Titan Field.
UDM improved to 9-7-0 (5-1-0 HL), while Loyola fell to 2-10-2 (1-3-2 HL) after today's match.
Adam Bedell and
Patrick Soltys both scored goals to give Detroit it's fourth home win this season as well as the Titans first win over Jesuit-rival Loyola since 2005.
The Titans drew blood first when
Kevin Pinkos sent a free kick into the box and Bedell headed the ball into the upper-right corner for his 10th goal of the year. Minutes later, Detroit nearly struck for another as
Mike Pugh lobbed a cross into the box for Pinkos, who got a bicycle kick off but the Ramblers' keeper made a diving save the keep the Titans at a one goal advantage.
In the 60th minute,
Jeremy Stoychoff served a ball into the box for Soltys. Soltys fired a shot that went over the leaping keeper, but under the crossbar to put UDM up by two goals with 30 minutes left in regulation.
Loyola got on the board in the 68th minute of play as the Ramblers drew a foul in the box resulting in a penalty kick opportunity. James Howe converted on the PK to pull Loyola within one, 2-1.
The Titans defense stood strong and held the Ramblers to only three shots, but only one on goal, on the tough Titan defense all day.
Nathan Steinwascher was able to make the save and preserve his ninth win of the season.
Detroit can clinch the top seed in the Horizon League Championships if UIC and Cleveland State draw tonight. If Cleveland State wins, then Detroit will need a win or a draw against UIC next week to clinch the top seed. If UIC wins, then the match between the Titans and the Flames next Friday will determine who is the number one seed and earn the right to host the semifinals and the HL title game.
The Titans will have one more non-conference game on the slate as they travel to Ann Arbor to battle Michigan onTuesday, Oct. 30, at 7:00 p.m., before traveling to Chicago to wrap-up the regular season at UIC on Friday at 8:00 p.m.
