The Basics
Final Score: Detroit Mercy 2, Purdue Fort Wayne 2 (2OT)
Records: Detroit Mercy 1-9-1, Purdue Fort Wayne 6-4-1
Location: Detroit, Mich. (Titan Field)
DETROIT (10/2/2018) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team rallied in the final 10 minutes of regulation Tuesday afternoon from Titan Field as the Titans scored an 82nd minute goal that would stand as the final goal in a 2-2 draw with visiting Purdue Fort Wayne.
Detroit Mercy scored off a long throw-in by freshman
Ryan Halloran, who chucked the ball into the box that was shot on net by senior
Grant Harrison. After an initial save, freshman forward
Jason Blackwell capitalized on the rebound opportunity and knocked the loose ball into the back of the net to tie the score up, 2-2. It was Blackwell's first collegiate goal.
The goal came just minutes after Purdue Fort Wayne had taken a 2-1 lead over the Titans. Both teams were unable to score in either overtime sessions as Detroit Mercy played to its first draw of the 2018 season. The Titans gave up just one shot in the combined 20 minutes of overtime.
Sophomore
Demetri Pliakos had an opportunity in the 100th minute of the contest as the Mastodon keeper was out of position, but Pliakos shot on net was just turned aside by the keeper. The Titans again had a final push near the end of the second overtime frame in the final minute, but couldn't push across the golden goal.
The Titans had a furious start to the match, firing five shots in the first eight minutes of the contest. Junior
Garret Weaver had a header attempt that was turned away and Pliakos had a shot heading towards the line that was kicked away by a defender with the Purdue Fort Wayne keeper off the line again. Freshman
Dominic Gatson also had another look just seconds after Pliakos' attempt on net, but Gatson hit his shot high of the crossbar.
Detroit Mercy earned a penalty kick in the 25th minute of the match after Gatson was fouled in the box, but Pliakos attempt for a second-straight game with a PK goal was turned aside by the Mastodons.
The red, white and blue would get on the scoreboard just minutes later, however, as off a
Ben Al-Gharabally corner kick, junior
Justin Murray headed the ball towards net and found the foot of classmate
Garret Weaver, who knocked the loose ball past the keeper, towards the corner of the goal and into the back of the net. Weaver's 27th minute goal was his first goal of the season and second career tally.
Purdue Fort Wayne would even the match in the first half off a long strike in the 35th minute. The 1-1 score would stand until the halftime break.
The Mastodons had nine shots in the second half with Detroit Mercy freshman keeper
Devin Mendez turning away one shot on goal in the second half. Mendez would finish the game with three saves, making his sixth-straight start.
The match was fairly even on the stat sheet with Detroit Mercy having a slight advantage in shots (19-18). The Titans did have nine shots on goal against five for the Mastodons and Detroit Mercy also had a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.
Pliakos led the red, white and blue with six shots, four of them on frame. Weaver had two shots on goal, while juniors
Jake Reitzloff and
James Solomon and Gatson each had two shots for the Titans.
Titan News & Notes
• Weaver scored his second career goal and first since the 2016 season as a freshman.
• Six of the seven goals scored by the Titans in 2018 have been the first career goals for the players scoring them.
• Pliakos' six shots and four shots on goal were both career-highs.
• Murray earned his first career assist, while Harrison notched his second career helper on the Titan goals.
• The 19 shots and nine shots on goal offered by Detroit Mercy were both season-bests.
• Detroit Mercy was playing in its second overtime match, with both of them being at Titan Field.
• The Titans are 11-3-4 all-time against Purdue Fort Wayne, including 5-1-3 at home.
Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to Horizon League play on Saturday, hosting Green Bay for a 1 p.m. from Titan Field. The game is part of a doubleheader that day in Detroit with the Titan women's soccer squad playing host to Milwaukee at 4 p.m.
