The BasicsScore: Oakland 2, Detroit 0
Records: Detroit 3-3-8 (0-1-5 HL), Oakland 6-6-1 (3-2-1 HL)
Location: Oakland Soccer Stadium (Rochester, Mich.)
ROCHESTER, Mich. (10/21/2015) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer team dropped its first match in its last 10 contests on Wednesday evening, falling 2-0 to Metro Series rival Oakland. The defeat was Detroit's first loss in Horizon League play this year and ended a streak of six-straight draws for the Titans.
Oakland takes a 3-1 lead in the Metro Series in the second head-to-head matchup of the 2015-16 season. The Titans earned a 1-1 split after women's soccer tied with Oakland in late September before the Golden Grizzlies earned two points with the win on Wednesday.
The two teams played through a lightning delay early in the game, just after the Golden Grizzlies had scored the first goal in 13th minute of the game. Matt Dudley scored off a free kick from 35 yards out to give Oakland a 1-0 lead. Lightning struck in the area just after Dudley's goal and halted the contest for a little more than half an hour.
When play resumed, the two sides traded offensive chances. Oakland received a penalty kick in the 32nd minute after a Detroit foul was called in the box. Gerald Ben took the PK chance for the Golden Grizzlies, but pushed the chance wide right.
Detroit's best chance in the first half came on a header by
Tyler Moorman in the 35th minute that was saved by Oakland goalkeeper Eliott Tarney.
Don Nakashima also had a good look earlier in the half, but his shot on goal was also saved. Oakland held the shot advantage in the first half, 10-3.
The Golden Grizzlies tallied their second goal off the first corner kick of the game for Oakland. Dudley's corner kick found Jacob VanderLaan, who headed it towards the goal. Gerald Ben re-directed the header past Detroit keeper
Nathan Steinwascher for the second goal of the match. The goal in the 57th minute gave Oakland a 2-0 lead.
Detroit, which entered Wednesday's game with the longest unbeaten streak in 22 years, put offensive pressure on the net in the final 10 minutes of the match, but Oakland held strong.
Spiro Pliakos had a shot on goal that was saved and
Adam Clauss also had a diving header chance, but Tarney made a one-handed save over the crossbar.
Tyler Hughes also fired one from the top of the box, but his shot was turned away.
The game was a physical one between both squads and featured a number of stoppages during the match, although just two yellow cards were handed out -- one to each side. Detroit was whistled for 13 fouls, while Oakland was called 12 times for fouls in the game.
It was just the third loss of the season in the team's 14th match and first in Detroit's last 10 matches. Detroit hadn't lost since a Sept. 6 road contest at Jacksonville.
Inside the Box Score• Detroit finished with five corner kicks in the game, while Oakland had just one.
• The Golden Grizzlies had 10 shots in the first half and finished with a 14-8 shot edge.
• The Titans had more shots in the second half than OU, 5-4.
• Both teams made four saves in goal.
• Both
Don Nakashima and
Tyler Moorman finished with two shots.
Titan Notes• It was the first loss for the Titans in 10 matches, dating back to Sept. 6. Detroit had tied its last six matches and was 3-0-6 overall in the past nine contests.
• Detroit remains one draw away from tying the NCAA record of nine, which is held by five teams.
• UDM's nine-match unbeaten streak was the longest in program history since 1993, when that squad held a 12-match unbeaten streak during the season.
• It was the first Horizon League match of the season in which Detroit didn't play overtime. The Titans had five draws in conference play entering the contest.
• The Titans are in eighth place in the Horizon League after Wednesday's contest. Detroit has three Horizon League matches remaining, two of them at home against Belmont and Milwaukee, the two teams that are below them in the standings.
Up NextThe Titans return to the pitch Saturday, visiting regionally-ranked Wright State at 7 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio. The game is set to broadcast on ESPN3.com.
