DETROIT (10/11/22) – The Detroit Mercy men's soccer team closes out the home slate with a Horizon League match against Purdue Fort Wayne on Wednesday, Oct.12 at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast live from Titan Field on ESPN+ with Steven MacDonald on the call. The Titans then open a five-game road swing beginning at Milwaukee on Saturday, Oct. 15 with the match being broadcast live from Engelmann Stadium on ESPN+. (note broadcast was canceled due to weather)
 
A Look at the Competition:
PFW sits at the bottom of the HL standings at 0-3-2 with a 1-7-3 overall mark. The Dons have dropped their last two league matches to Cleveland State and Wright State.
 
Milwaukee sits eighth in the league standings at 0-2-3 with a 1-6-5 overall record. The Panthers have tied their last three league matches against Wright State, IUPUI and Green Bay.
 
The Team:
The 2022 season marks the 35th year of the men's soccer program

Head Coach Nick Deren is in his 13th season as head coach and 19th season overall with the program.
 
Powder Named Nike® #HLMSOC Offensive Player of the Week:
Detroit Mercy men's soccer student-athlete Samory Powder was named Nike® Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week announced by the league office on Monday.
 
Powder, a junior forward from Maplewood, N.J, recoded four total points having a hand in all three goals in Detroit Mercy's 3-2 win over Northern Kentucky. He sent a long cross into the box for the lone assist in Ryan Pierson's first goal just eight minutes into the match.
 
Powder then took a cross in from Pierson, trapped the pass on his chest, let the ball bounce and then ripped a rocket of a shot into the back of the net for his team-leading third goal of the season giving the Titans a 2-0 lead.
 
After NKU tied the game at 2-2, Powder took the ball deep into the right corner with a defender pressing him. He turned left and sent a long cross over into the box for the lone assist on John Nino's game-winning goal giving the Titans their first #HLMSOC win of the season.
 
Nino in the Nick of Time:
Freshman John Nino picked the perfect time to score his first collegiate goal as he headed in the game-winner against NKU (10/8) giving their first #HLMSOC win of the season.
 
Follow the Leaders:
Junior Samory Powder leads the team in goals (3), assists (4) and points (10). Graduate student Ryan Pierson is tied for second in goals (2) and is second in points (5). Senior Rocco Galati is also tied on the team lead in goals (2) and ranks third in points (4). Junior Saeid Jannoun and freshman Guershom Sylvain both rank third in points (3) with a goal and assist each.
 
Sylvain Saves the Day:
Sylvain also picked the perfect time to score his first collegiate goal. With just 10 seconds left in the game and Detroit Mercy trailing 1-0, freshman he connected on a header for the equalizer off a corner kick feed from Samory Powder helping the Titans escape Green Bay with a 1-1 draw.
 
Last Line of Defense:
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Kliewer posted his first shutout in the Titans' 0-0 draw against IUPUI (9/24). He recorded a career-high 11 saves while facing 20 shots in Detroit Mercy's season opening 2-2 draw at Jacksonville. He also picked up his first win of the season against Chicago State (9/1). He added his first #HLMSOC win of the season against NKU.
 
Salute to Saied:
Jannoun also picked the perfect time to score his first career goal as his first half equalizer helped Detroit Mercy play Cleveland State to a 1-1 draw in #HLMSOC opening action (9/17).

Feel the Powder:
Powder scored his first goal of the season in the Titans 3-2 setback at UMKC (9/5), added his second goal in the 2-1 setback at Michigan (9/12) and his team-leading third tally against NKU. He also added two assists vs NKU and assisted on the game-tying goal off a corner kick with 10 seconds remaining in Detroit Mercy's 1-1 tie at Green Bay (9/28). His first assist of the season came in the 2-2 draw at Jacksonville (8/25).
 
On the Board:
Pierson scored his first goal of the season in the Titans 3-2 setback at UMKC. He added his second goal against NKU. Senior Matthew Andres also posted his first goal of the season connecting on a header off a cross from Powder to open scoring just six minutes into the game in the Titans' 2-2 draw at Jacksonville (8/25).
 
Rocco was Rolling:
Galati scored both goals to lead Detroit Mercy to a 2-1 home opening win over Chicago State (9/1) in the home opener at Titan Field on Thursday.
 
Assists All-Around:
-Graduate student Bennett Brooks, sophomore Stephen Kosto and junior Saeid Jannoun each added their first assists of the season in the Titans' first win of the season over Chicago State.
 
-Sophomore Baldeep Gill added his first career assist at UMKC
 
Freshman Firsts:
-The freshman tandem of Tim Allos and Casey McCarthy recorded their first career collegiate points as Allos scored his first career goal off an assist from McCarthy in the 81st minute giving Detroit Mercy a 2-1 lead in the season opener at Jacksonville.
 
-Sylvain posted his first career assist at Michigan.
 
Senior Night Salute:
Prior to the match against NKU, the men's soccer team honored Bennett Brooks, Rocco Galati, Ryan Halloran, Ryan Pierson, Moody Sharara, Aidan Spratt and Liam Spratt for their hard work and dedication to the program.
 
Titans picked fifth in 2022 #HLMSOC Preseason Poll:
The Detroit Mercy men's soccer team was picked to finish fifth in the 2022 Horizon League Men's Soccer (#HLMSOC) Preseason Poll as announced by the league office on Wednesday and voted on by the league's 10 head coaches. The Titans received 56 points.
 
Defending 2021 #HLMSOC regular season and tournament champion Oakland was picked to repeat with 93 points and six first place votes. Cleveland State was picked second with 90 points and two first place votes followed by Milwaukee in third with 81 points and a first-place vote. Wright State was slated fourth with 68 points and first place vote while the Titans rounded out the top-five.
 
Returning Firepower:
Detroit Mercy returns junior Samory Powder who ranked second on the team in goals (3) and third in points (6) while leading the team and ranking fourth in the league in total shots per game (3.07). Powder was selected as one of 24 players to enter the Residential Camp for the Trinidad & Tobago Men's Senior National Football Team Provisional Squad in March in preparation for the Confederation of North America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nation's League in June. The National Team played two international friendly matches against the national teams from Barbados and Guyana at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain in Trinidad.
 
Graduate student Ryan Halloran, senior Matthew Andres, junior Rocco Galati and sophomore Stephen Kosto all return after each recorded a goal last season. Graduate student Brooks Bennett also recoded an assist.
 
Lost Firepower:
The Titans lost their top two offensive leaders from last season in All-League Second Team selections Demetri Pliakos, who led the team in points (12) and assists (6) while ranking second in goals (3), and Kyle Bandyk who led the team in goals (4) while ranking second in points (10) and assists (2). In addition, Daniel Iyok lead the team in assists (3).
 
Last Line of Defense:
The Titans return Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year and All-HL First Team selection Jonathan Kliewer. Kliewer, a Grand Rapids, Mich. native, started in 16 played leading the league in goals against average (0.91) while ranking second in shutouts (6) and save percentage (.800) and sixth in saves per game (4.00). 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.
 
Home Grown Talent:
Detroit Mercy has 30 student-athletes from the state of Michigan with three others from New Jersey, Texas and Ohio.
 
International Flavor:
The Titans have two student-athletes from Canada and one from Norway.
 
Newcomers:
Detroit Mercy has a diverse group of 14 newcomers in goalkeepers Robby Spradlin III and Quinn Tews; forwards Zander Crooks, Tim Allos, Guershom Sylvain and Mardig Alajajian; midfielders Vincent Stockton, Clayton Lafayette and Andri Myftari; defenders Mateo Phillips, Kendell Howard, Casey McCarthy, Spencer Powe and John Nino who will look to make an immediate impact.
 
Season Rewind:
Detroit Mercy 3 vs Northern Kentucky 2 – (10/10/22)
Freshman John Nino posted his first career goal by delivering the game-winner in the 78th minute propelling Detroit Mercy to a thrilling 3-2 win over Northern Kentucky in #HLMSOC action on Saturday night at Titan Field. Graduate student Ryan Pierson scored a goal on Senior Night while Junior Samory Powder put on quite the performance scoring a goal while assisting on Nino's and Pierson's goal. Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Kliewer picked up his first league win of the season making four saves.
 
Detroit Mercy 0 vs Western Michigan 4 – (10/5/22)
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Kliewer posted a career second-best nine saves while facing 21 shorts while junior Samory Powder recorded a shot on goal and junior Rocco Galati hit the crossbar as Detroit Mercy fell 4-0 to Western Michigan in non-conference action on Wednesday night at Titan Field.
 
Detroit Mercy 0 at Oakland 1 – (10/1/22)
Junior Samory Powder had nine total shots with two on goal while sophomores Stephen Kosto, Daniel Larsson and Fisher Hudak and freshman Spencer Powe each accounted for five total shots on goal but Detroit Mercy could not erase an early deficit as the Titans dropped their first #HLMSOC match of the season with a 1-0 setback at arch-rival Oakland in Metro Series action on Saturday night.
Oakland (2-6-2, 2-0-1 HL) wasted little time getting on the board as Doug Hainer scored on a long shot just a 1:32 into the match. Detroit Mercy (1-4-4, 0-1-3 HL) was busy playing catch-up for the rest of the game. Freshman Guershom Sylvain and Powder proved to be a match-up problem for the Golden Grizzlies in the first half as they got a few quality chances but could not get the equalizer.
 
Detroit Mercy 1 at Green Bay 1 – (9/28/22)
With just 10 seconds left in the game and Detroit Mercy trailing 1-0, freshman Guershom Sylvain connected on a header for the equalizer off a corner kick feed from junior Samory Powder helping the Titans escape Green Bay with a 1-1 draw in #HLMSOC action on Wednesday afternoon at Aldo Santaga Stadium. Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Kliewer kept Detroit Mercy (1-3-4, 0-0-3 HL) in the game making seven saves including one off a penalty kick in the first half.  With time winding down in the 89th minute, Powder sent a corner kick cross into the box where Sylvain leaped up high in the air and hit a solid header past Green Bay (3-2-3, 0-1-1 HL) goalkeeper Tobias Jahn to the left side for his first career goal.
 
Detroit Mercy 0 vs IUPUI 0 – (9/24/22)
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Kliewer recorded his first shutout of the season while junior Luke Winters, junior Samory Powder, sophomore Fisher Hudak and freshman Tim Allos each posted a shot on goal as Detroit Mercy played IUPUI to a scoreless draw in #HLMSOC action on Saturday night.
 
Detroit Mercy 1 vs Cleveland State 1 – (9/17/22)
Junior Saeid Jannoun picked the perfect time to score his first career goal as his first half equalizer helped Detroit Mercy play Cleveland State to a 1-1 draw in #HLMSOC opening action. Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Kliewer made six saves on 21 shots faced.
 
Cleveland State (4-1-1, 0-0-1 HL) took an early 1-0 lead in the 15th minute of the game. However, in the 30th minute, Jannoun made CSU pay off a failed clear attempt. He pressured a CSU defender who passed the ball back to goalkeeper Omeed Naeemy who mis-played the ball right to Jannoun who took the ball and flicked it into the wide-open goal for the equalizer.
 
Detroit Mercy 1 at Michigan 2 – (9/12/22)
Junior Samory Powder scored his second goal of the season off the first career assist from freshman Guershom Sylvain as Detroit Mercy took a 1-0 second half lead but could not hold on as the Titans fell 2-1 at Michigan on Monday night. In the 67th minute, Power took a feed from Sylvain on the left side, turned, and ripped a shot into the upper 90 past U-M goalkeeper Hayden Evans giving Detroit Mercy (1-3-1) a 1-0 lead.
 
Detroit Mercy 0 at No. 13 Charlotte 5 – (9/9/22)
Sophomore Andri Myftari posted three total shots with two on goal while junior Samory Powder added two shots as Detroit Mercy fell 5-0 at No. 13 Charlotte on Friday night. Detroit Mercy (1-2-1) had two corner kick chances in the first half and five for the game but were unable to convert. In the 61st minute of the second half, Myftari connected on a solid header to the right post off a corner kick but Charlotte (4-0) goalkeeper Thomas Wallis made a nice diving save to keep the Titans off the board.
 
Detroit Mercy 2 at UMKC 3 – (9/5/22)
Graduate student Ryan Pierson and junior Samory Powder each scored their first goals of the season while sophomore Baldeep Gill added his first career assist as Detroit Mercy dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 setback at UMKC on Monday. With the game tied at 2-2, the Roos got the game-winning goal late in the 88th minute.
 
Detroit Mercy 2 vs Chicago State 1 – (9/1/22)
Senior Rocco Galati scored both goals to lead Detroit Mercy to a 2-1 home opening win over Chicago State at Titan Field. Sophomore Stephen Kosto assisted on Galati's first goal while graduate student Bennett Brooks and junior Saeid Jannoun assisted on the game-winner. Redshirt sophomore Jonahan Kliewer picked up the win in goal making three saves.
 
Detroit Mercy at Jacksonville – No Contest (8/28/22)
The road match between Detroit Mercy and Stetson was deemed a no contest due to rainy weather conditions. The Titans took a 1-0 lead early in the first half but thunderstorms and constant lightning in the area didn't allow for the game to be resumed.
 
Detroit Mercy 2 at Jacksonville 2 - (8/25/22)
The freshman tandem of Tim Allos and Casey McCarthy recorded their first career collegiate points as Allos scored his first career goal off an assist from McCarthy in the 81st minute giving Detroit Mercy a 2-1 lead. However, Jacksonville got a late equalizer in the 87th minute as the Titans and Dolphins played to a 2-2 draw in the season opener on Thursday night. Senior Matthew Andres also connected on a header off a cross from junior Samory Powder to open scoring for the Titans just six minutes into the game. Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Kliewer posted a career-high 11 saves while facing 20 shots.
 
Exhibition Rewind:
Detroit Mercy 0 Northern Illinois 2 - (8/20/22)
Junior Samory Powder and graduate student Ryan Pierson each recorded two shots on goal followed by one each from junior Luke Winters and freshman Tim Allos as Detroit Mercy fell 2-0 to defending Mid-American Conference champion Northern Illinois on Saturday afternoon at Titan Field to conclude exhibition play.
 
Detroit Mercy 0 vs Duquesne 0 - (8/17/22)
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Kliewer posted six saves as the Detroit Mercy men's soccer team opened exhibition play with a scoreless draw against visiting Duquesne. Junior Samory Powder and senior Matthew Andres led the Titans recording three shots each. For the game, the Dukes held a 18-10 shots advantage while both teams had five corner kick chances.