DETROIT (9/17/2021) -- Idle for almost two weeks, the University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team will return to the pitch with the start of the Horizon League season as the Titans visit Cleveland State on Saturday night.

Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. at Krenzler Field and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. 

Detroit Mercy is 1-1-2 on the season and last played on Sept. 6 at Dayton, a 2-0 setback, while Cleveland State is 2-2-0 and 1-0-0 after opening the league slate with a 4-1 win at Green Bay. 

The Titans are 13-15-4 all-time in HL openers and 12-14-6 in HL openers, winning last year at NKU, 2-1. 

Last Time Out
The Titans kept Dayton off the scoreboard for the majority of the contest, but the host Flyers were able to push across two late goals in the final 13 minutes of the contest as the Titans fell 2-0 from Baujan Field.

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Jonathan Kliewer stopped a penalty kick and made four saves in the match. The Titans were edged in shots, 13-12, while Detroit Mercy held the advantage in corner kicks, 5-4.

Pliakos Named Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week
Senior Demetri Pliakos had a hand in all three goals and earned Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts on Aug. 30. Pliakos scored the first goal of the season at Michigan and then assisted on Halloran's game-tying goal at Chicago State. Pliakos helped set up the game-winning PK in double overtime as he was fouled in the box.

Pliakos also had a team-high three shots at Michigan and added two more shots against Chicago State for a team-high five after two matches. His goal at Michigan was his fifth career goal. It was the first time in his Titan career that Pliakos has received a weekly honor from the league office.

All-Time Series
The Titans lead the all-time series 18-12-3, but are 6-9-2 on the road in the match-up.

Detroit Mercy is 2-1-1 in the last four meetings with both the wins on the road, but lost at CSU in the spring, 3-0. 

#HLMSOC Preseason Poll
The Titans were selected to finish in eighth out of 11 teams in the HL preseason poll, it was announced on Tuesday. Detroit Mercy received 40 points in the poll. Four different teams earned first-place votes with Oakland earning seven of the 11 to earn the top spot in the poll with 113 points. OU was followed by Milwaukee (102 points), UIC (93), Northern Kentucky (87) and Wright State (82) to round out the top-five.

Up Next
The Titans will step out of conference play with a game at Bowling Green on Tuesday, Sept. 21, starting at 7:00 p.m.