DETROIT (11/6/21) – The No. 5 seed Detroit Mercy men's soccer team opens the 2021 Horizon League Championships quarterfinal round on the road at No. 4 seed UIC on Sunday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live from the Flames Field on ESPN+.
 
What is at stake:
If Detroit Mercy wins, they will advance to the semifinal round hosted by arch-rival and No. 1 seed Oakland in Rochester, Mich. If No. 6 seed Robert Morris upsets No. 3 seed Milwaukee, the Titans will play No. 2 seed Cleveland State. If Milwaukee wins, the Titans will play against the Golden Grizzlies.
 
All-Time Series vs UIC:
Both schools are tied 12-12-5 all-time with UIC winning the last three meetings. The Titans won five out of six matches from 2009 to 2014 including a four-game win streak from 2009 to 2012.
 
Last Time vs UIC:
Detroit Mercy 0 at UIC 2 - (10/30/21)
Redshirt senior Demetri Pliakos recorded a team-high four shots with two on goal while sophomore Samory Powder also added two shots on goal as Detroit Mercy fell 2-0 at UIC on Saturday night at Flames Field. Redshirt freshman Jonathan Kliewer recorded five saves in goal.
 
For the game, UIC held a 20-10 shot advantage and slim 7-6 shots on goal advantage over the Titans.
The Flames took a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute of the first half.
 
In the 38th minute, the Titans' best scoring chance for the equalizer came as Gabriel Parra broke in down the left side behind the last UIC defender and sent in a low shot that UIC goalkeeper Andres Vasquez was able to get a hand on the ball redirecting it just past the far-right post.
 
Trailing 2-0 in the second half, Powder sent in a missile of a shot that Vasquez stopped but could not control the rebound. However, the Titans could not put in the loose ball to get on the board.
 
Last time out:
Detroit Mercy 1 vs Wright State 0 - (11/3/21)
Junior Matthew Andres picked the perfect time to score his first goal of the season as he delivered the game-winner in the second half off an assist from Demetri Pliakos giving Detroit Mercy a 1-0 win over visiting Wright State that secured a birth in the #HLMSOC Championships. Redshirt freshman Jonathan Kliewer recorded his sixth shutout of the year making three saves.
 
After a scoreless first half, Andres and Pliakos worked a give-and-go to perfection to get the Titans (5-6-5, 4-3-3 HL) on the board in the 56th minute. Andres took the ball deep down the right side and passed it out to Pliakos who then split two Wright State (5-10-1, 4-5-1 HL) defenders and slotted the ball back over Andres who was left unmarked in space. Andres then fired a rightfooted shot into the upper right 90 past WSU goalkeeper Sebastian Jimenez for the game-winner.
 
Kliewer, Pliakos and Bandyk Earn Men's Soccer Horizon League Honors:
The Detroit Mercy men's soccer team had three student-athletes garner All-Horizon League honors as voted on the by league's 11 head coaches and announced by the league office on Friday. Redshirt freshman Jonathan Kliewer was named Goalkeeper of the Year and earned first team honors while graduate seniors Demetri Pliakos and Kyle Bandyk garnered second team honors.
 
Kliewer, a Grand Rapids, Mich. native, started in all 15 matches played leading the league in goals against average (0.856) while ranking second in shutouts (6) and save percentage (.797) and seventh in saves per game (3.71). After posting back-to-back clean sheets against Purdue Fort Wayne and Milwaukee making a total of five saves to help the Titans earn six points in league play, he was named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week. Kliewer's other shutouts came against UIW, IUPUI, Robert Morris and in the regular season finale against Wright State which clinched a berth in the 2021 Horizon League Championships for the Titans as a No. 5 seed. He also posted a season-best eight saves in the 2-2 draw against arch-rival Oakland.
 
Pliakos, a team captain from Rochester Hills, Michigan, has started in all 16 games and leads the team in points (12), assists (6, T-6th HL) and is tied for the team lead in goals (3). Pliakos assisted on the game-winning goal against Wright State that clinched a berth in the 2021 Horizon League Championships as a No. 5 seed. He also netted the lone goal at Michigan in a 1-1 draw earning Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors and had the game-winner against Milwaukee. Pliakos also recorded a goal and an assist in the 2-0 road win at IUPU and assisted on the game-winning goal at Purdue Fort Wayne.
 
Bandyk, a Novi, Mich. native, holds and is two-time All-Academic Team selection. He has started in all 14 games played and is tied for the team lead in goals (3) while ranking second in points (8) and third in assists (2). Bandyk scored the game-winner at Chicago State and also scored both goals in a 2-2 draw with Oakland.

Pliakos and Bandyk Earn Horizon League All-Academic Honors:
Midfielder Demetri Pliakos was named to the Horizon League Men's Soccer All-Academic Team, while midfielder Kyle Bandyk earned Honorable Mention Team honors announced by the league office.
 
Pliakos holds a 3.82 GPA while working towards a Master of Business Administration (MBA). For his career, Pliakos is a four-year member of the Detroit Mercy Athletic Director's Honor Roll and a three-time member of the HL Fall and Spring Academic Honor Roll.
 
Bandyk holds a 3.86 GPA while also working towards an MBA. For his career, he is a two-time All-Academic Team selection, four-year member of the Detroit Mercy Athletic Director's Honor Roll and a three-time member of the HL Fall and Spring Academic Honor Roll.
 
Titans Among Horizon League Leaders:
Freshman forward Samory Powder is sixth in the league in shots per game firing off 2.93 shots per contest on average and eighth in game-winning goals (2).
 
Pliakos sits third in the Horizon League in assists (6).
 
Kliewer leads the league in goals against average (0.856) while ranking second in shutouts (6) and save percentage (.797) and seventh in saves per game (3.71).
 
Kliewer Earns Horizon League Honor:
After posting back-to-back clean sheets against Purdue Fort Wayne and Milwaukee and helping the Titans earn six points in league play, goalkeeper Jonathan Kliewer was named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week. Kliewer made a total of five saves, raising his save percentage to a Horizon League best .789 on the year. Additionally, Kliewer now has four shutouts on his rookie season while starting all 12 contests so far in 2021.
 
Pliakos Legacy Continues:
Pliakos leads Detroit Mercy in points (12) and assists (6) while being tied for the team lead in goals (3).
 
A Pliakos has been scoring at Detroit Mercy since 2014 as his older brother, Spiro, had a great career earning All-Horizon League accolades in all four seasons (First Team twice) and was the 2014 Horizon League Freshman of the Year, ending his career with 53 points on 18 goals and 17 assists in 62 career games.
 
More Offense:
Bandyk and Powder also rank second on the team in goals (3). Rocco Galati, Ryan Halloran, Stephen Kosto and Andres also have a tally each.
 
Dish the assists:
Redshirt senior Daniel Iyok ranks second on the team in assists (3) behind Pliakos while Bandyk ranks third (2) followed by Brooks Bennett in fourth (1).