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DETROIT (10/1/2014) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team battled local-rival Oakland University all the way into double overtime Wednesday afternoon at Titan Field, but the Titans (4-4-1, 1-1 Horizon League) dropped a 2-1 match against the Golden Grizzlies (1-5-1, 1-0-1 HL). The game was the first in the newly-created Metro Series, which was announced to the public and fans earlier on Monday.

Both teams had some opportunities to score in the first half. A shot by Oakland's John DeLeon nicked the crossbar in the first stanza, while just minutes later, Detroit had a good look at the net as UDM junior defender Jason Leslie (Troy, Mich. / Troy) received a pass in the box and sent a shot towards the left side of the net. Oakland goalkeeper Wes Mink was up to the task, making a sprawling save.

The game was scoreless after the first 45 minutes of play with Oakland leading in the shot column, 10-3.

The Titans would get on the scoreboard first in the 66th minute of the game. Detroit junior Matt Harkema (Hudsonville, Mich. / Unity Christian) received a pass from sophomore Adam Clauss (Grand Haven, Mich. / Spring Lake) and navigated past Mink, who left a wide open net to challenge the ball. Harkema angled the shot into the wide open net to give the Titans a 1-0 lead.

Harkema's goal was his second of the season to tie Clauss for the team lead.

The score would stand all the way until the 85th minute when the Golden Grizzlies tied the game up. Oakland's Shawn Claud Lawson scored the equalizer right in front of the goal after an initial save was made by UDM goalkeeper Nathan Steinwascher (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson).

Each team made final pushes in the remaining seconds of the game -- resulting in two corner kicks apiece in the final six minutes of regulation -- but the game went into overtime. Both teams failed to get good looks on goal in the first overtime and the game was sent to a second extra session.

In double overtime, Oakland was fouled just outside of the box near the left sideline. On the free kick, Matt Dudley fired the ball into the top right corner of the goal, hooking the ball past a jumping Steinwascher for the game-winner with 5:33 remaining on the clock.

Steinwascher made a season-high eight saves in net for Detroit, while Leslie and Harkema led the Titans with three shots each.

There were a total of 37 fouls called in the game, while Oakland led in shots (18-10) and in corner kicks (7-3). 

Detroit next plays Saturday at UIC for an 8 p.m. local time contest.