DETROIT (10-23-25) – The Detroit Mercy men's soccer team enters the home stretch of the #HLMSOC schedule with just three league games remaining. The Titans travel to IU Indy for a pivotal match on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 5 p.m. that will be broadcast live from Michael A. Carroll Stadium on ESPN+.
A Look at the Jaguars:
• IU Indy is 4-7-3 on the season and 1-4-1 in #HLMSOC play, sitting in last place with four points.
• Detroit Mercy leads the all-time series 9-5-5, but IU Indy is undefeated over the last four matches with a 2-0-2 mark against the Titans.
• The Jags were picked eighth with 33 points in the 2025 Under Armour #HLMSOC Preseason Poll.
Last Time Out:
Oct. 18, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 vs Cleveland State 2:
Senior
Louis Simon, sophomore
Mano Karjian, and redshirt junior
Zander Crooks each recorded a shot on goal while redshirt junior
Quinn Tews made five saves as Detroit Mercy put forth a valiant effort but fell 2-0 to Cleveland State in #HLMSOC action on Saturday night at Titan Field.
Cleveland State (5-2-5, 3-0-3 HL) took a 1-0 lead off a counterattack in the 15th minute. Detroit Mercy (5-7-2, 2-3-1 HL) had four corner kick chances in the game, with three coming in the first half, but could not capitalize to trail at the half.
CSU had 10 total shots in the second half, but Tews and the back line stood tall over the first 23 minutes. However, the Vikings finally broke through with their second tally in the 59th minute to take a 2-0 advantage. The Titans pressed the attack down the stretch and had two free-kick chances just outside the box, but were unable to get on the board.
Senior Night Salute:
Before UDM's match against Cleveland State, the team honored its eight seniors,
John Nino,
Mateo Phillips,
Silas Rustin,
Louis Simon,
Ryan Sommerfeld,
Vincent Stockton,
Viktor Sulc, and
Guershom Sylvain, for their hard work and dedication to the program. Additionally, the team will also recognize TEAM IMPACT honorary member
Adam Clarke, who spent the last four seasons with the team and will graduate from high school in the Spring.
Spread the Wealth:
• Nine different players have scored 14 total goals.
Captain Clutch:
• Junior captain
Drew Pierson leads the team in points (10) and goals (4) and is tied for the team lead in assists (2) from his defensive position.
• Posted second consecutive penalty kick goal vs NKU (10/4).
• Scored third goal in a penalty kick at Duquesne (9/30).
• Ranks second in the Horizon League in game-winning goals (2), scoring consecutive game-winners from his defensive position against Mercyhurst and Butler.
• Recorded a pair of assists on both goals on his birthday in UDM's 2-1 win over #HLMSOC preseason favorite Green Bay (9/20).
• His second game-winning tally came in a 2-0 win at Butler.
• His first-career game-winner was a 52-yard free kick strike in Detroit Mercy's 2-0 win over Mercyhurst.
ESPN SCTop-10 No. 1 Spot:
• Pierson's first career game-winning goal was a memorable one. He connected on a 52-yard free kick strike in Detroit Mercy's 2-0 win over Mercyhurst, which earned the No. 1 play on the ESPN SCTop-10 on Aug. 24, 2025.
Pierson Named Under Armour® #HLMSOC Offensive Player of the Week:
• Pierson was named Under Armour® #HLMSOC Offensive Player of the Week (9/2)
• Pierson scored his second consecutive game-winning goal in Detroit Mercy's 2-0 win at Butler, moving the Titans to 2-0-1 before a setback at MSU on Labor Day.
Super G:
• Senior
Guershom Sylvain is tied for second on the team in goals (2) and points (6) and is tied for the team lead in assists (2).
• With Detroit Mercy playing a man down due to a red card for a majority of the second half, Sylvain came up clutch, delivering the game-winning goal in the 85th minute, propelling the Titans to a pivotal 2-1 #HLMSOC win over Northern Kentucky (10/4).
• Added second assists at WMU (8/28).
• Delivered the game-winner for his first goal of the season in the 2-1 victory over #HLMSOC preseason favorite Green Bay (9/20).
• Recorded first assist of the season at Butler (8/28).
Big Play Clay:
• Redshirt junior
Clayton Lafayette is also tied for second on the team in goals (2) and points (6) and is tied for the team lead in assists (2).
• Scored a goal and assisted on senior
Guershom Sylvain's game-winner in the 2-1 win over #HLMSOC preseason favorite Green Bay (9/20).
• Posted points in two consecutive matches, recording his first goal of the season in UDM's 2-0 win at Butler and his first assist on the second goal in the 2-0 win over Mercyhurst.
Tews Gets the Call:
• Redshirt junior
Quinn Tews ranks second on the team in saves (36).
• Was solid in goal, making a career-high eight saves as Detroit Mercy battled arch-rival Oakland to a 1-1 draw in Metro Series action (10/11).
• Posted second win, making three saves in 2-1 win over NKU (10/4).
• Picked up the win in his first start of the season, making four saves in UDM's 2-1 win over #HLMSOC preseason favorite Green Bay (9/20).
Mano is the Man:
• Sophomore
Mano Karjian is tied for the team lead in assists (2) and is third in points (4).
• Scored his first career goal at WMU (10/8).
• Added second assist at CSU (9/5).
• Posted first career assist in UDM's 2-0 home-opening win over Mercyhurst (8/24).
Dish the Assists:
• Six players have recorded assists, and four players in Pierson, Lafayette, Sylvain, and Karjian are tied for the team lead with two.
On the Board:
• Redshirt sophomore
John Palomino scored his first career goal off a penalty kick in UDM's 1-1 Metro Series draw at arch-rival Oakland (10/11).
• Redshirt junior
Zander Crooks, senior
Silas Rustin, and junior
Rex Pearce each recorded their first career goals in UDM's 3-0 win at Chicago State (9/5).
• Sophomore
Rafael Moro Galvez added his first career assist, while sophomore
Samuel Speen posted his second career assist at CSU.
Lending a Helping Hand for a Good Cause:
• UDM's match vs Green Bay was a Gold Out Game, where the team raised money to support the Wreck-It Like Beckett Foundation for Childhood Cancer Awareness.
• The foundation's name was inspired by Beckett's love for monster trucks, but even more by his heroic journey. The Fowlers say "Wreck It" comes from their mission to destroy barriers and challenges faced by families dealing with pediatric cancer.
It's Been a While:
• When UDM defeated #HLMSOC preseason favorite Green Bay, 2-1, it marked the first time the Titans beat the Phoenix since 2019 and the first time at home since 2014.
• Detroit Mercy's 3-1-1 start was the best since the 2017 season.
• UDM's season-opening scoreless draw at No. 12 Dayton marked the first time the Titans earned a draw against a ranked team on the road since a 2-2 result at No. 16 Ohio State on Sept. 26, 2017.
Instant Impact:
• Graduate student transfer
Ryan Sommerfeld scored his first goal in a Titan uniform, assisted by Lafayette and the first career assist from Karjian in UDM's 2-0 home-opening win over Mercyhurst.
Stackin' Up Clean Sheets:
• Sophomore goalkeeper
Colin Monroe ranks second in the Horizon League lead in shutouts (4) after the Titans' 3-0 win at Chicago State (9/5).
• He posted three consecutive clean sheets, leading Detroit Mercy to a 2-0-1 record to start the season.
• Monroe and the backline did not allow a goal in 374:21 total minutes before surrendering the first goal of the season at MSU (9/1).
Monroe Says NO:
• Monroe ranks fourth in the league in saves (36) and leads the league in saves per game (4.50).
• Made a career-high 10 saves at No. 18 Kentucky (9/9).
Monroe Named #HLMSOC Under Armour® #HLMSOC Defensive Player of the Week and TopDrawerSoccer Men's Soccer Team of the Week:
• To the victor go the spoils for sophomore goalkeeper
Colin Monroe. After being named Under Armour® #HLMSOC Defensive Player of the Week (8/25), Monroe was named to the TopDrawerSoccer Men's Team of the Week (Aug. 18-24).
• Monroe made 10 total saves, posting back-to-back shutouts to lead Detroit Mercy to a 1-0-1 record against solid competition.
• He had quite the homecoming as the Willoughby, Ohio native made a career-high eight saves to record his first-career shutout, leading UDM to a scoreless draw at No. 12 Dayton.
• This marked the first time the Titans earned a draw against a ranked team on the road since a 2-2 result at No. 16 Ohio State on Sept. 26, 2017.
• Monroe followed that performance, making two saves to record his first career win and second consecutive shutout between the pipes in UDM's 2-0 win over 2024 Northeast Conference (NEC) regular season champion Mercyhurst, who was picked to repeat as champions in the 2025 NEC preseason poll.
Battle Tested:
• UDM has played two nationally ranked teams on the road in No. 18 Kentucky (9/9) and posted a scoreless draw at No. 12 Dayton (8/21) to open the season.
Season Rewind:
Detroit Mercy Battles Arch-Rival Oakland to Metro Series Draw
Oct. 11, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 1 at Oakland 1:
Redshirt sophomore
John Palomino scored his first career goal off a penalty kick while redshirt junior
Quinn Tews was solid in goal, making a career-high eight saves as Detroit Mercy battled arch-rival Oakland to a 1-1 draw in Metro Series action on Saturday night at the Oakland Soccer Field.
The first half was a tightly contested affair between the two teams. Oakland (1-6-5, 1-2-2 HL) was able to take a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute off a penalty kick. Detroit Mercy (5-6-2, 2-2-1 HL) returned the favor in the 59th minute of the second half as redshirt senior
Ryan Sanborn was taken down inside the box, drawing a penalty. Palomino stepped up and buried the ensuing penalty kick for the equalizer.
Oakland almost took the lead in the 65th minute, but Tews stood tall, making the save of the match, stopping a shot with a spectacular diving header. He followed that with a diving save in the 71st minute to turn the Golden Grizzlies aside once again. UDM had back-to-back corner kick chances in the final seconds but were unable to capitalize as time expired.
Oct. 8, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 1 at Western Michigan 2:
Sophomore
Mano Karjian scored his first career goal in a Detroit Mercy uniform off a feed from senior
Guershom Sylvain. However, it was not enough as the Titans were edged, 2-1, at Western Michigan, who added a late second-half goal on Wednesday afternoon at the WMU Soccer Complex. Junior
Viktor Sulc got his first start in goal, making two saves.
The game was deadlocked for a majority of the first half before WMU (3-8-1) got on the board in the 40th minute to take a 1-0 lead into the half. Detroit Mercy (5-6-1) responded in the 47th minute with the equalizer to open the second half. Sylvain took the ball deep down the right side and sent a cross into the box over Karjian in traffic. With a pair of defenders on his back, Karjian held them off and fired a shot into the back of the net, tying the game at 1-1.
Sylvain's Clutch Goal Lifts Detroit Mercy Past Northern Kentucky
Oct. 4, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 2 vs Northern Kentucky 1:
Senior
Guershom Sylvain came up clutch, delivering the game-winning goal in the 85th minute, propelling Detroit Mercy to a pivotal 2-1 #HLMSOC win over Northern Kentucky on Saturday night at Titan Field. For the second consecutive game, junior
Drew Pierson scored on a penalty kick while junior
Quinn Tews picked up his first win in goal, making four saves.
Just six minutes into the game, NKU (2-6-3, 0-2-2 HL) got called for a handball inside the box. Pierson connected on the ensuing penalty kick, giving the Detroit Mercy (5-5-1, 2-2 HL) a 1-0 lead, which held until halftime. In the 57th minute, UDM was issued a red card and had to play the rest of the game with 10 men.
UDM's defense stood tall until the 75th minute, when they were called for a foul inside the box. NKU took advantage, getting the equalizer on the ensuing penalty kick to draw even at 1-1. 10 minutes later, Sylvain took a pass, got past one defender, and was off to the races on a breakaway. He made a nifty fake to split two defenders inside the box and then flicked a shot with a quick touch into the lower left 90 that froze the NKU goalie, Alex Kron, in his tracks for the game-winner.
Sept. 30, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 at Duquesne 1:
Junior
Drew Pierson scored his team-best third goal of the season off a penalty kick as Detroit Mercy could not overcome a late second-half deficit, falling 3-1 in non-conference action at Duquesne on Tuesday night at Rooney Field.
Detroit Mercy (4-5-1) had the best chance to get on the board in the first half during the 25th minute. Senior
Silas Rustin got the ball just inside the box on the left side in traffic and ripped a shot to the low right side, where Duquesne (6-2-2) goalkeeper Diego Chavez made a diving save, just tipping the ball, preventing it from going in. The Titans could not capitalize on the ensuing corner kick, as sophomore
Travis Zeleji just missed putting a loose ball home to the left side, and the game remained scoreless at halftime.
Duquesne opened the second half with a goal in the 47th minute and added two more tallies in the 68th and 71st minutes to take a 3-0 lead. The Titans kept battling as redshirt junior
Clayton Lafayette stole the ball, raced into space, and fired a strike that beat Chavez clean, but the ball rang off the right post and bounced across the front of the goal, but didn't cross the line in the 77th minute.
UDM was not to be denied in the 82nd minute, as Pearson connected on the penalty kick, cutting the deficit to 3-1. The Titans continued to press but couldn't inch any closer over the final eight minutes.
Sept. 27, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 at Wright State 1:
Senior
Guershom Sylvain and sophomore
Evan Peleska each recorded a shot on goal while sophomore
Mano Karjian had three total shots as Detroit Mercy came up short, 1-0, at Wright State in #HLMSOC action on Saturday night at Alumni Field. Redshirt junior
Quinn Tews made five saves in his second consecutive game in net.
Wright State (1-7-1, 1-2 HL) took a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute and maintained the advantage into halftime. UDM (4-4-1, 1-2 HL) had a golden opportunity in the 47th minute as Sylvain was taken down just outside the left side of the penalty box. Junior
Drew Pierson sent the ball into the box, and it was deflected on frame, where WSU goalkeeper Alessandro Malterer was able to tip it over the crossbar, keeping the Titans off the board.
Detroit Mercy Tops Green Bay in #HLMSOC Home Opener
Sept. 20, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 2 vs Green Bay 1:
Redshirt junior
Clayton Lafayette posted a goal and assisted on senior
Guershom Sylvain's game-winner while junior
Drew Pierson recorded a pair of assists on his birthday as Detroit Mercy secured a 2-1 win over Green Bay in their #HLMSOC home opener and Wreck-It Like Beckett Foundation for Childhood Cancer Awareness Fundraiser Game on Saturday afternoon at Titan Field. This marked the first time the Titans defeated the Phoenix since 2019 and the first time at home since 2014. Redshirt junior
Quinn Tews picked up the win in his first start of the season, making four saves.
UDM (4-3-1, 1-1 HL) got on the board in the 23rd minute as Pierson dropped a beautiful cross into Lafayette as he got behind the last defender and flicked the ball past GB (3-3, 1-1 HL) goalkeeper Philip Oesterbaek for a 1-0 lead.
After redshirt freshman
John Palomino hit the crossbar in the 58th minute, the Titans broke through in the 71st minute as Lafayette sent in a long ball down the right side to Pierson. Pierson turned and once again delivered a pinpoint feed into the box, allowing Sylvain to let the ball bounce up to him before heading it into the net for a 2-0 advantage.
Sept. 13, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 at Robert Morris 4:
Sophomore
Mano Karjian posted six shots with three on goal while sophomore
Johnny Strickler had a shot hit the post as Detroit Mercy fell 4-0 at Robert Morris in #HLMSOC opening action on Saturday afternoon at the North Complex. Junior
Drew Pierson had four shots with one on goal, while junior
Rex Pearce and senior
Louis Simon also recorded a shot on goal.
Sept. 9, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 at No. 18 Kentucky 4:
Sophomore
Colin Monroe made a career-best 10 saves while facing 19 total shots as Detroit Mercy dropped only their second road match of the season with a 4-0 setback at No. 18 Kentucky at the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex.
Three Players Record First Career Goals as Titans Tame Cougars
Sept. 5, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 3 at Chicago State 0:
Detroit Mercy had three players score their first career goals in redshirt junior
Zander Crooks, senior
Silas Rustin, and junior
Rex Pearce as the Titans rolled past Chicago State, 3-0, on Friday Night at the Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center.
Colin Monroe anchored the back line with his fourth shutout of the season, making two saves.
In the 22nd minute, senior
Mateo Phillips took the ball deep down the right side and sent in a cross into the box that went directly to sophomore
Samuel Speen. He hit a shot that was saved by CSU (0-5) goalkeeper Johan Morales, who could not contain the rebound, as Crooks pounced on the loose ball, firing it into the back of the net for the eventual game-winner, giving the Titans a 1-0 lead heading into the half.
In the 84th minute, Crooks was pulled down in the box, drawing a penalty kick. Rustin stepped up and delivered a strike to convert the penalty kick, moving UDM (3-1-1) ahead 2-0. Just five minutes later, the Titans converted on a counterattack as sophomore
Mano Karjian passed the ball up to sophomore
Rafael Moro Galvez, who hit Pearce on the fly as he got behind the last defender on a breakaway. Pearce then cashed in a tally with just 37 seconds left on the clock.
Sept. 1, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 at Michigan State 1:
After 374:21 minutes of shutout soccer and three consecutive clean sheets, sophomore
Colin Monroe surrendered the first goal of the season as Detroit Mercy battled but came up short, 1-0, at Michigan State on Labor Day at DeMartin Soccer Stadium.
Junior
Drew Pierson had UDM's (2-1-1) best chance near the end of the first half in the 43rd minute as he almost connected on yet another long-range free kick, but MSU (2-1) goalkeeper Zac Kelly saved his shot. After both teams entered halftime scoreless, senior
Guershom Sylvain almost got the Titans on the board in the 55th minute of the second half. He broke into the box one-on-one with the last MSU defender and flicked a low shot to the far right post past Kelly, but just missed in the lower 90.
Monroe and Pierson Lift Titans to Third Consecutive Shutout
Aug. 28, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 2 at Butler 0:
Sophomore
Colin Monroe posted his third consecutive shutout, making six saves, while junior
Drew Pierson notched his second straight game-winning goal off an assist from senior
Guershom Sylvain as Detroit Mercy blanked Butler 2-0 on Thursday night at the Sellick Bowl. Redshirt junior
Clayton Lafayette added his second career goal with an insurance tally in the second half.
Pearson opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, giving Detroit Mercy (2-0-1) a 1-0 lead going into halftime. After recording an assist during the last game against Mercyhurst, Lafayette added his first goal of the season in the 59th minute to seal the deal. The defense stood tall the rest of the way, keeping Butler (1-2) off the board to uphold the Titans' third straight clean sheet.
Pierson's Game-Winning Strike Lifts Detroit Mercy Over Mercyhurst
Aug. 24, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 2 vs. Mercyhurst 0:
Junior
Drew Pierson scored his first-career game-winning goal with a 52-yard free kick strike in the first half, while sophomore
Colin Monroe picked up his first career win and second consecutive shutout between the pipes as Detroit Mercy blanked Mercyhurst 2-0 on Sunday afternoon. Graduate student
Ryan Sommerfeld scored his first goal in a Titan uniform, assisted by redshirt junior
Clayton Lafayette and sophomore
Mano Karjian, late in the second half.
Monroe Shines with First Career Shutout as Titans Battle No. 12 Dayton to Scoreless Draw
Aug. 21, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 0 at No. 12 Dayton 0:
It was quite the homecoming for sophomore and Ohio native
Colin Monroe, who was lights out, making a career-high eight saves to record his first-career shutout as Detroit Mercy played a solid match, battling No. 12 Dayton to a scoreless draw on Thursday night at Baujan Field. This marked the first time the Titans earned a draw against a ranked team on the road since a 2-2 result at No. 16 Ohio State on Sept. 26, 2017.
Senior
Guershom Sylvain had the best chance for UDM (0-0-1) early in the game off a corner kick set piece in the sixth minute. Junior
Drew Pierson sent in a cross that went directly to sophomore
Evan Peleska just outside the top of the box. He sent in a pass to Sylvain, who took a shot and beat Dayton (0-0-1) goalkeeper Gavin Krenecki clean to the low right side, but it rang off the post.
UDM's defense was on point for the majority of the second half. However, Dayton had two one-on-one chances late in the game from Andrew Armstrong. In the 88th minute, he found space inside the box and ripped a shot, but Monroe challenged and cut off the angle to turn the ball away with a leg save. With just 14 seconds left, Armstrong broke free down the right side, moved into the box, and fired a low shot that Monroe stood tall making the save to preserve the shutout. Monroe's performance earned him Meijer Player of the Match honors.
The Team:
• The 2025 season marks the 38th year of the men's soccer program.
Follow the Leader:
• Head Coach
Nate Kopunek begins his third season at the helm of the program.
Home Grown Talent:
• Detroit Mercy has 20 student-athletes from the state of Michigan.
Around the Country:
• Detroit Mercy has five student-athletes from outside the state of Michigan in sophomore
Evan Peleska (Minnesota), along with four from the Buckeye State in graduate student
Ryan Sommerfeld (Ohio), redshirt senior
Ryan Sanborn (Ohio), and sophomores
Noah Sandahl (Ohio) and
Colin Monroe (Ohio).
International Flavor:
• The Titans have five international student-athletes representing four countries.
• Redshirt junior
Viktor Sulc (Czech Republic), sophomore
Rafael Moro Galvez (Peru), junior
Rex Pearce (Australia)
The French Connection:
• Incoming freshman
Tom Nkassa joins senior
Louis Simon as two student-athletes from France.
Smart Cookies - UDM Earns United Soccer Coaches College Team Academic Award with Third-Highest GPA in the Nation
• The Detroit Mercy men's soccer team continues to demonstrate the program's commitment to academic and athletic success by earning the United Soccer Coaches College Team Academic Award for the 2024-25 academic year. The men's team posted an impressive 3.67 overall GPA to qualify for the 11th time, earning the third-highest GPA among Division I men's soccer programs.
Big Shoes to Fill:
• The Titans will look to replace the offensive firepower of
Josh Copeland who was drafted by the Colorado Rapids with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLS SuperDraft, becoming the first student-athlete in program history to be drafted in the first round, and the second to be drafted, following Adam Bedell who was taken in the third round (45th pick overall) by the Columbus Crew in 2014.
• Copeland started in all 17 games and was a 2024 #HLMSOC All-League Third Team selection, finishing tied for the team lead in assists (5 – T-3rd HL), and tied for second in points (11) and goals (3).
Time to Prove Them Wrong:
• Detroit Mercy was picked to finish ninth with 32 points in the 2025 Under Armour #HLMSOC Preseason Poll.
• UDM secured a spot in the 2023 #HLMSOC Championships after being picked to finish last in the 2023 Under Armour Horizon League Men's Soccer Preseason Poll.
