The Basics
Final Score: Detroit Mercy 2, Green Bay 0
Records: Detroit Mercy 5-9-1 (2-3-1 HL), Green Bay 4-7-2 (3-4-0 HL)
Location: Green Bay, Wis. (Aldo Santaga Stadium)
GREEN BAY, Wis. (10/26/2019) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team scored a goal in each half on the road Saturday, spoiling Green Bay's Senior Night in a 2-0 victory from Aldo Santaga Stadium. Detroit Mercy out-shot the Phoenix in the match, 14-8, and held Green Bay scoreless, notching its fourth shutout of the season.
It was Detroit Mercy's first victory over the Phoenix in Green Bay since the 2005 season. The Titans (5-9-1 overall) improved to 2-3-1 in Horizon League play and with seven points, is in the thick of the postseason race with two Horizon League contests remaining. Senior
Garret Weaver and sophomore
Kyle Bandyk each found the back of the net in the victory for the red, white and blue.
The Titans looked strong early in the match, tallying the first four shots of the contest. Detroit Mercy had the better chances early on and capitalized in the 31st minute after earning a free kick. Junior midfielder
Collin Cavanaugh played the free kick and played it short to junior
Demetri Pliakos, who lifted a cross to the far post in the box and a wide open Weaver, who headed the ball past the Green Bay keeper and into the back of the net. It was Weaver's first goal of the season.
Detroit Mercy held a 1-0 lead at halftime and wasted little time in the second half to increase its lead. Bandyk, who had a game-high five shots, corralled a loose ball in the midfield and dribbled up the field, booming a long shot from 30 yards out that cleared a diving keeper and connected with the bottom of the crossbar and into the back of the net. Bandyk's rifle was his third goal of the season and made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute.
The Titans had a couple of looks at making it 3-0 with Bandyk nearly scoring twice more -- once when senior
Jake Reitzloff got behind the defense and with the goalkeeper out of net, Reitzloff passed it back to Bandyk, who fired a shot that was blocked by a Green Bay defender. Bandyk ripped another shot, this time left-footed from outside of the box, but his shot was tipped just high of the bar.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Devin Mendez, making his 15th start of the season, made five saves in net to collect his fourth shutout of the season. Both teams had five shots on goal in the contest. Detroit Mercy held the advantage in corner kicks, 7-2, while 24 fouls were called in the match, 14 of them against the Phoenix. Three yellow cards were issued, two to the Titans.
Four of Bandyk's five shots came in the second half. Pliakos had three shots for the Titans, while Cavanaugh posted two shots for the red, white and blue. Weaver and junior defender
Jake Poorman, who was making his first start of the season, also had shots on goal.
Titan News & Notes
• Detroit Mercy hadn't won over Green Bay since 2014 and also won for the first time in Green Bay since 2005.
• Bandyk scored his team-best third goal of the season and fifth goal of his Titan career.
• Weaver's goal was the third of his Titan career and first of the season.
• Cavanaugh notched his team-best third assist of the season, a career-high.
• Mendez posted his fourth shutout of the season and second in Horizon League play; He entered the game first in the Horizon League in saves per game (5.8) in league games.
• The Titans improved to 13-11-7 all-time against Green Bay in the 31st meeting between the two programs.
Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to play Tuesday, Oct. 29, hosting Western Michigan in the final non-league match of the regular season. The Titans then host IUPUI on Saturday for Senior Night from Titan Field. Both matches are set for 7 p.m. ET starts and admission into both contests is free for all fans. A Titan Tailgate event will precede Tuesday's match with WMU, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
