The Basics
Final Score: RV-California 2, Detroit Mercy 1
Records: Detroit Mercy 0-1, California 1-0
Location: Berkeley, Calif. (Edwards Stadium)
BERKELEY, Calif. (8/24/2018) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team started strong in the 2018 season opener, scoring first at California, a team ranked just outside the Top 25, but the Titans ultimately fell on the road to the Bears, 2-1, from Edwards Stadium.
The Titans (0-1) earned a penalty kick midway through the first half after junior
Jake Reitzloff (Northville, Mich.) was fouled in the box. Sophomore midfielder
Daniel Iyok (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester) stepped up to the spot and converted on the PK, scoring his first collegiate goal and giving Detroit Mercy a 1-0 advantage in the 22nd minute.
Redshirt freshman goalkeeper
Devin Mendez (Tecumseh, Mich.) made two saves in the next few minutes of the game as Cal was able to get a few looks on goal. The Bears evened the match in the 33rd minute and that 1-1 score would stand until the halftime break.
The Bears had a 5-1 shot advantage in the first half with Mendez making three saves in goal for the Titans.
Cal had several offensive chances in the beginning of the second half and scored the go-ahead goal in the 62nd minute on a header. The Titans played the final 20 minutes of the match down a man after receiving a red card in the 69th minute.
Sophomore
Demetri Pliakos (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester) recorded a shot in the 75th minute, but it would prove to be the final shot for the Titans on the evening. The Bears had the advantage in shots, 11-3, and corner kicks, 5-2. Detroit Mercy put two of its three shots on goal.
Mendez turned away five shots on goal in his first collegiate game and start. Iyok's goal were the first points on his career. Iyok and junior
Aleks Vushaj (Macomb, Mich. / De La Salle Collegiate) each had shots on goal for the Titans.
Several Titans were seeing their first official collegiate action with freshman
Ryan Halloran (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Central) earning a start in his first game. Freshmen
Jason Blackwell (Wilmington, Del. / Salesianum School),
Bennett Brooks (Plymouth, Mich.),
Trevor Deon (Woodhaven, Mich.) and junior
Dylan Fillwock (Niles, Mich.) all saw their first Division I college action.
It was the first meeting in men's soccer between the two programs. Cal went to the NCAA Tournament last season.
Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to the pitch at 4 p.m. ET and 1 p.m. PT on Sunday afternoon, visiting Saint Mary's in Moraga, Calif. The game is set to be streamed live. The Titans and the Gaels played to a 3-3 draw last season in Moraga with Detroit Mercy rallying multiple times during the match.
