DETROIT (3/12/2021) -- Behind a pair of second-half goals in a span of 4 minutes, the University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team rallied for a 2-1 home victory Friday over visiting IUPUI. The game was played on a windy, but sunny day from Titan Field, the first outdoor men's soccer game for the Titans since 2019.

The Titans trailed IUPUI, 1-0, after the opening half with the Jaguars scoring off a curling free kick from just outside of the box, that seemed aided by the wind gusts.

Detroit Mercy were the aggressors in the second half offensively and tied the match up in the 62nd minute as a long throw-in from junior Ryan Halloran went to the far post and was on target and found the head of senior Demetri Pliakos, who knocked the ball past IUPUI goalkeeper Lucas Morefield and into the back of the net. The goal tied the match, 1-1.

Just minutes later, the Titans earned the lead off freshman forward Samory Powder's second goal of the season. Powder was played in on a long pass by senior defender Jake Poorman and then did the rest, juking an IUPUI defender and sending a rocket to the far side of the net, that tucked inside the post.

Powder nearly scored again just minutes later, but his shot attempt inside the box deflected off an IUPUI defender and away from the goal.

The Titan defense was up to the task the rest of the way, only allowing one corner kick and no shots of any kind after Detroit Mercy went ahead, 2-1.

The red, white and blue held the advantage in shots in the game, 18-7, which included an 11-4 ledger in the second half alone. The Titans also had nine corner kicks against five corner kicks for the Jaguars.

Pliakos led the Titans with seven shots, while Powder had four shots for Detroit Mercy. Both players had two shots on goal. Poorman, junior Ryan Pierson and sophomore Rocco Galati all each had two shots and one shot on goal.

Redshirt junior goalkeeper Devin Mendez made three saves in net for the Titans.

Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to the pitch next weekend, hitting the road for a match at Green Bay on Thursday, March 18. The first kick is set for 2 p.m. ET and 1 p.m. locally in Wisconsin.