The Basics
Final Score: Detroit Mercy 1, High Point 1
Records: Detroit Mercy 0-1-2, High Point 1-0-1
Location: High Point, N.C. (Vert Stadium)
HIGH POINT, N.C. (9/2/2016) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team fought its way to a hard-earned draw on the road, tying host High Point University, 1-1, on Friday night at Vert Stadium. It was the Titans' second tie in three games to begin the 2016 season after Detroit Mercy battled Pittsburgh to a scoreless draw in the season opener.
High Point had chances, but couldn't crack the Titan defense early in the first half. Detroit Mercy put several shots on net late in the half as junior
Adam Clauss, senior
Tyler Moorman and junior
Matt DeVries all had looks on goal. High Point would get on the scoreboard first in the 38th minute on a shot from the right side of the box.
The Titans scored the equalizer just minutes later, however, after the team was presented with a penalty kick situation after HPU committed a hard foul on DeVries in the box. Moorman, the team's leading goal scorer last season, punched home the PK, finding the right side of the net in the 41st minute.
Neither team had good looks on the net early in the second half, but both teams nearly converted on goals late in the contest. Junior
Spencer Steinwascher found an opening from the left side of the box in the 86th minute, but fired a shot just wide of the net. Freshman
Aleks Vushaj, playing in his first collegiate game, found space just minutes later in the first few minutes of overtime, but his shot from a tough angle found the mitts of High Point goalkeeper Keegan Meyer.
Early in the second overtime, redshirt-freshman
James Solomon also had a golden opportunity behind the defense and from the top of the box, but he pushed his shot just high of the goal. Senior
Tommy Bowman later had a look on goal, but his attempt was also high. It was the last Detroit Mercy shot of the game.
Junior goalkeeper
Robbie Beckwell tied a career-high by turning away eight shots in net. Beckwell and the Titan defense helped thwart 13 corner kick attempts and 17 shots for High Point. Beckwell made two saves in the second overtime to help preserve the draw on the road, including the game's last save with 27 seconds left on the clock. His save sealed the draw for the Titans and ended High Point's last-second effort to win.
Clauss led the team with three shots, while both of Moorman's shots were on goal. The Titans finished with 12 shots for the game, five of them on goal. Detroit Mercy also had three corner kicks. Each team was booked for 18 fouls.
Titan News & Notes
• Moorman's goal was his 10th career marker. He led the Titans with seven goals last season. It was his first PK goal.
• Beckwell's eight saves tied a career-high. He made eight stops last season against IPFW.
• The Titans have allowed just four goals through three games in 2016.
On Tap
Detroit Mercy has one more game in North Carolina, playing at 7 p.m. Sunday night at Elon University. It's the fourth of five games on the road for the Titans to start the 2016 campaign. The Titans have never met Elon before.
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