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Postgame interview with Coach Deren

DETROIT (10/25/2014) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team tied a season-high with three goals in earning its fourth-straight shutout Saturday in a 3-0 Senior Day victory over visiting Cleveland State at Titan Field.
 
Detroit (8-4-3 overall) improved to 5-1 in the Horizon League with the win. The Titans also clinched a spot in the Horizon League Championship and have ensured themselves at least a top-three finish in the regular season standings. UDM is currently in second place, one point behind Oakland (5-0-1).

"It's a great win," UDM head coach Nicholas Deren '99 said. "We have goals in mind here and we're starting to get there. We're starting to put some things together and trying to make a run at this conference title. That's what our whole goal is here."
 
The Titans honored their four seniors -- Trevor Flynn, Jesus Ginez, Cameron Roberts and Matt Ybarra -- prior to the contest. Detroit then dominated on the pitch, not allowing a shot on goal all contest. Detroit earned its fourth shutout in its last four games (3-0-1) and upped its shutout streak to 411 minutes.
 
UDM scored its first goal of the game off a free kick in the 23rd minute. After senior Cameron Roberts (Redford, Mich. / University of Detroit Jesuit) sent a ball into the box after a free kick, classmate Matt Ybarra (Irvine, Calif. / Ann Arbor Huron) fed freshman Spiro Pliakos (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester), who beat the goalkeeper to the ball and scored the game's first goal. The goal was Pliakos' fourth of the season, tying him for the team lead.
 
Detroit added two goals late in the game. The Titans were awarded a penalty kick following a hand ball in the box in the 74th minute. Sophomore Adam Clauss (Grand Haven, Mich. / Spring Lake) took the kick and fired the ball into the right side of the goal to give Detroit a 2-0 lead. Clauss has scored on both of Detroit's penalty kicks this season.
 
The Titans completed the scoring in the 87th minute as Ybarra sent a pass to junior Jacob Prud'homme (South Lyon, Mich. / South Lyon), who from the left side of the box, got a shot past CSU goalkeeper Aleksandar Drobac and into the right side of the goal. It was the first collegiate goal for Prud'homme.
 
Ybarra finished the day with two assists and now has six on the season, a career high.
 
Junior goalkeeper Nathan Steinwascher (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson) earned his sixth shutout of the season. Steinwascher and the Detroit defense was strong all day, allowing just one shot in the first half and seven overall for the game.
 
The Titans had 16 shots, including eight shots on goal. Detroit also had the advantage in corner kicks during the match (8-4). Junior Matt Harkema (Hudsonville, Mich. / Unity Christian) posted a game-high three shots and, along with Pliakos, had two shots on goal.
 
Detroit returns to the pitch Wednesday for its final regular-season home match, hosting Bowling Green at 3:00 p.m. at Titan Field.