The Basics
Final Score: #1-Green Bay 3, #6-Detroit Mercy 1
Records: Detroit Mercy 7-8-4, Green Bay 9-4-3
Location: Chicago, Ill. (Flames Field)
CHICAGO, Ill. (11/9/2017) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team's postseason run came to an end Thursday night in a 3-1 loss to top-seeded Green Bay in the semifinals of the 2017 Horizon League Championship. The tournament is being hosted by UIC and the semifinals were played at Flames Field in Chicago.
The sixth-seeded Titans (7-8-4 overall) were tied 1-1 with the Phoenix (9-4-3) after the first half with freshman
Kyle Bandyk scoring his second goal in as many games late in the half.
Green Bay scored early in the second half and tacked on a third goal later in the 73rd minute of the contest. Detroit Mercy had some late chances, but were unable to cut the deficit.
Detroit Mercy was the aggressor on the offensive end of the pitch early, earning two corner kicks and a dangerous free kick in the opening 10 minutes of the match. Senior
Spiro Pliakos had Detroit Mercy's first shot on goal in the 19th minute and sophomore
Garret Weaver added a header on net in the 25th minute after two straight Titan corner kicks.
The Phoenix got on the board in the 30th minute, but Detroit Mercy would respond just minutes later. On a free kick from 25 yards out,
Dalton Amez hit a ball into the box that was directed by sophomore
Jake Reitzloff out to Bandyk, who fired a long shot that curved past the defenders and inside the far post. It was Bandyk's second goal of the season with assists being credited to Amez and Reitzloff.
Green Bay scored in the 50th minute of the match just after the halftime break. Detroit Mercy had some good chances following the Phoenix goal with Weaver putting another header on net in the box, but the attempt was turned away. After Green Bay's third goal, Amez hit the far post straight off a corner kick in the 81st minute that nearly crossed the goal line. Moorman followed in the 83rd minute with a header that Green Bay's keeper had to make a diving save on. Amez added a shot in the 88th minute, but it was again turned away.
Weaver had two shots on goal, while Bandyk and Amez each added two shots for the Titans. Senior goalkeeper
Robbie Beckwell made four saves in net for the Titans.
Detroit Mercy and Green Bay were even on shots (10) and shots on goal (7). The Titans led the Phoenix in corner kicks for the contest, 9-5. Just 18 fouls were whistled in the contest, including only one yellow card.
The game was the final one for a great group of seniors who all had integral roles with the 2017 squad.
Dalton Amez,
Robbie Beckwell,
Adam Clauss,
Matt DeVries,
Tyler Hughes,
Tyler Moorman,
Spiro Pliakos and
Spencer Steinwascher all saw time in their final match as Titans.
It was the first appearance for the Titans in the HL semifinals since the 2014 season. With Detroit Mercy's quarterfinal triumph on Monday in penalty kicks over Milwaukee, the squad advanced in the conference tournament for the first time since the 2008 campaign.
