The Basics
Final Score: Titans 2, Milwaukee 2 (Titans advance on PKs, 5-4)
Records: Detroit Mercy 7-7-4, Milwaukee 10-5-4
Location: Milwaukee, Wis. (Engelmann Stadium)
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (11/6/2017) -- Robbie Beckwell knocked away Milwaukee's fifth penalty kick attempt and seconds later
Max Becker ripped the fifth-straight Detroit Mercy PK to seal the victory and send the Titans into a celebration.
For the first time since the 2008 season, the University of Detroit Mercy has advanced in the Horizon League Championship postseason tournament after defeating third-seeded Milwaukee on Monday in a penalty kick shootout, 5-4. The two teams were tied at the end of regulation, 2-2, after a back-and-forth battle at Engelmann Stadium.
The No. 6 seed Titans (7-7-4) are on to the semifinals for the first time since the 2014 season. Detroit Mercy plays top-seeded Green Bay in the first semifinal match on Thursday, Nov. 9, set for 5 p.m. ET on the campus of UIC in Chicago, Illinois.
Following two scoreless overtime frames, the Titans and Panthers geared up for penalty kicks to decide the contest. Detroit Mercy was participating in PKs during postseason play for the first time since Nov. 6, 2008, when Detroit Mercy advanced past Green Bay on penalty kicks, 4-1.
The Panthers and Titans went through four rounds of penalty kicks without a miss. Milwaukee started each round and was answered each time by Detroit Mercy strikes.
Dalton Amez,
Adam Clauss,
Tyler Moorman and
Kyle Bandyk each found the back of the net on their PKs.
In the fifth round, senior goalkeeper
Robbie Beckwell made a great diving save on Milwaukee's Francesco Saporito to give the Titans a chance to win. Sophomore
Max Becker, who earlier this year scored a golden goal on a quick restart, ripped a shot inside the post to secure the win.
On a frigid night in Milwaukee, it was the Titans who looked like the more aggressive team more times than not. Detroit Mercy out-shot Milwaukee in the contest, 14-9, including a 10-3 advantage in the first half. The Titans had five corner kicks in the opening 45 minutes and had a 5-3 edge for the match.
Detroit Mercy got goals from
Dalton Amez and
Kyle Bandyk during regulation with the Panthers answering both goals in each half. Amez scored in the 14th minute on a free kick that was slightly deflected at the wall and went bar-down off the crossbar. Amez's second goal of the season gave Detroit Mercy a 1-0 lead.
Milwaukee scored midway through the first half and the 1-1 score stood until halftime. In the second half, Bandyk re-directed a cross in the box from Moorman and into the back of the net. It was Bandyk's first collegiate goal and gave Detroit Mercy a 2-1 edge in the 53rd minute. Twenty minutes later, Milwaukee would again tie the match on a free kick that went over the wall and inside the near post.
Neither team had a great look on net in the remainder of the second half and overtime. There was just one shot total in the 20 minutes of overtime play. It all set up for a thrilling finish with the Titans showing their composure and earning the triumph.
Six Titans played all 110 minutes in the game -- Beckwell,
Garret Weaver,
Tyler Hughes, Bandyk, Moorman and
Grant Harrison. Moorman led the team with four shots, while Clauss added three first-half shots. Beckwell made one save in net for the Titans.
