Box Score

CHICAGO (11/2/12) - Adam Bedell converted on a penalty kick in the 85th minute to lift the University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team to a Horizon League Regular Season Championship after it defeated UIC, 2-1, in its regular-season finale on Friday night at Flames Field.

The victory gives UDM (10-8, 6-1 HL) the No. 1 overall seed in the conference tournament and home-field advantage throughout the Horizon League Championship. Detroit will host the semifinals next Friday (Nov. 9) and the championship game on Sunday (Nov. 11).

The regular season title is the third in school history as the red, white and blue claimed regular season crowns in 1995 and 2005. Detroit won its lone conference tournament championship in 1996, advancing to its only NCAA Tournament.

Nathan Steinwascher made seven saves for his 10th win of the season as UIC outshot Detroit, 20-12, and held a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks.

With six minutes left in regulation, Matt Harkema was able to draw a penalty kick for UDM after he split two defenders inside the box. Bedell then converted the penalty kick for his 11th goal of the season to give the Titans their first regular-season title since 2005.

Detroit got on the board first in the 73rd minute as Jeremy Stoychoff served a ball into the Flames' box, where a UIC defender mishandled the ball and passed it by the keeper to give UDM a 1-0 lead. The lead was short-lived as four minutes later, UIC (7-7, 3-3-1 HL) converted on a penalty kick to tie the game at a goal a piece with 14 minutes remaining.

The Titan defense stood strong, denying passes through the box and blocking shots, while Steinwascher stood his line and kept the Flames off the board. He stopped UIC's Jesus Torres as he got behind UDM's defense and was able to get a shot on net with 23 minutes left in regulation.

The Flames threatened in the final 10 minutes of the first half as they were able to get a shot off in the 38th minute and again in the 43rd, but Steinwascher stood strong and grabbed both shots to keep the game scoreless going into halftime.

UIC came out in the second half looking to score early as it got a shot off in the first five minutes, but Matt Nedwicki stood his ground and steered the ball wide of net. Detroit was able to clear the ball on the ensuing corner to keep the match scoreless.

Detroit will have a bye in the first round and play the lowest remaining seed in the HL tournament as quarterfinals action will be on Tuesday.  Head coach Nicholas Deren will serve the final two games of his three-game suspension in the Horizon League Championship.  The full tournament bracket and times will be released once the regular season ends on Saturday.