The Basics
Final Score: Detroit Mercy 1, LIU-Brooklyn 0
Records: Detroit Mercy 2-0, LIU-Brooklyn 0-2
Location: Detroit, Mich. (Titan Field)
DETROIT (8/27/2017) -- Behind a dominating defensive effort and another quick start offensively, the University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team earned a 1-0 victory Sunday over visiting LIU-Brooklyn, a NCAA Tournament team from a year ago.
With the victory, the Titans moved to 2-0 for the first time since the 2011 season and sixth time in program history. Detroit Mercy got a goal in just the 4th minute of the match, as senior
Tyler Moorman (Caledonia, Mich. / East Kentwood) moved through the Blackbird defense and fired a shot past a charging goalkeeper to make it 1-0 Titans.
The match was a physical one with 11 cards being issued total, six to LIU-Brooklyn, including a red card in the 53rd minute. Nine of the 11 cards came after the 53rd-minute mark of the second half. There were also 37 fouls total in the contest.
Detroit Mercy held LIU-Brooklyn, the No. 3 team in the NCAA in scoring last season, to just seven shots in the game and only two looks on goal -- both in the second half. The Titans had 10 shots in the match, five in each half. The red, white and blue also led in corner kicks, 6-1.
It was the first shutout of the season for the Titans, who have allowed just one goal in the opening two games. Senior goalkeeper
Robbie Beckwell (Shelby Township, Mich. / Henry Ford II) made two saves in net, while the Titan defense didn't allow many good looks on net.
First Half
• Detroit Mercy had a great look in the first 30 seconds of the game, as senior
Spiro Pliakos (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester) sent a cross into the box with sophomore
Jake Reitzloff (Northville, Mich. / Northville) sending the shot just wide of the net.
• The Titans earned two corner kicks before Moorman found the back of the net at the 4:01 mark of the first half.
• Pliakos added a shot on goal in the 18th minute, but the shot was turned away.
• The Titans held the shot advantage in the first half, 5-2. Detroit Mercy took all five corners in the opening 45 minutes.
Second Half
• Beckwell made his first save in net in the opening minutes of the second half.
• Freshman
Jake Poorman (Brighton, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central), making his first collegiate appearance, made a great run behind the LIU-Brooklyn defense and was taken out by Blackbird goalie Cole Palmer, who received a red card as a result of the play.
• Pliakos sent the ensuing free kick following the red card, curving it just high of the goal.
• Just minutes later, freshman
Kyle Bandyk (Novi, Mich. / Novi) boomed a shot just high of the crossbar.
• Moorman had another chance in the 68th minute, but he just ran out of room next to the goal on a cross from Pliakos.
• Seven yellow cards were issued from the 58th minute to the 77th minute.
• Reitzloff had another look on goal, but his shot was saved after he subbed in for Pliakos.
• LIU-Brooklyn had its best look of the game in the 87th minute, hitting the post.
• Detroit Mercy defended well down the stretch, thwarting many opportunities and sending the ball back into the offensive end.
Game Notes
• It's the sixth time in 31 seasons that Detroit Mercy has started out 2-0 ('93, '95, '01, '02, '11, '17).
• The Titans are 2-0 at home for the first time since 2012, when they opened 3-0 on Titan Field.
• Beckwell earned the fourth shutout in his Titan career.
• It was the 11th career goal for
Tyler Moorman.
• The meeting between the two programs was the first in men's soccer.
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Up Next
Detroit Mercy visits the West Coast next weekend, playing Saint Mary's in Moraga, Calif. The game time is set for 7 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. PT for the non-conference game. Tickets for the match are $8 for adult and $5 for children/seniors.
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