Detroit Mercy Sticks to Winning Ways
from press release
Seven Titans scored goals, led by freshman Joel Matthews’
(St. Catharines, ON/Holy Cross Secondary) four scores, and rookie
netminder A.J. Levell (Columbus, OH/Dublin Scioto) had 12 saves as
Detroit won its second straight game, 11-8, over VMI on Saturday
afternoon on Titan Field. The win was also the first-ever MAAC
victory for Detroit, playing just its second league game of the
season.
“We got a complete game out of everybody and played well
offensively and defensively,” said head coach Matt Holtz.
“They have some potent scorers that we needed to keep in
check and I thought we did that. Chris (Butts) and Jordan (Houtby)
did a real good job in keeping Tim Moran in check and he is a very
good player.”
Besides his four scores, Matthews also had four caused turnovers
and three groundballs. Sophomore John Nowicki (Clinton Twp., MI/De
La Salle Collegiate) was all over the action on the day ending with
two goals and two assists, while sophomore Scott Harris (Saline,
MI/Saline) and freshman Tyler Staruch (Brighton, MI/Brighton) and
had a goal and a helper on the day.
Detroit (2-6, 1-1 MAAC) started the game down by two, but would go
on a 5-0 run to take a lead that they would have for the rest of
the day. Sophomore Jon Bemben (Hartland, MI/Hartland) got UDM on
the scoreboard late in the first when he caused a turnover, picked
up the groundball and then fired a shot on net for his first
collegiate goal. Detroit would then knot the score with 1:32 left
in the first period as Matthews tallied his first of the day.
The second period started with Matthews tallying again just one
minute in. The Titans then took advantage of a VMI (2-7, 0-2 MAAC)
penalty as Nowicki fed Harris for a goal. Just two minutes later,
UDM was down a man, but junior Matt Gregson (Flint, MI/Powers
Catholic) took advantage of a turnover and streaked down the field
beating the keeper with shot to put Detroit up 5-2. After a Keydet
score, the Titans regained their three-goal lead as freshman
Nowicki came up with another assist, this time finding Staruch who
put one in with just 52 seconds left in the half.
Nowicki added his two markers in the third, but the Titans did see
the Keydets cut the advantage to just one, 8-7, in the fourth when
sophomore Ty Maruyama (Lakewood, CO/Green Mountain) notched his
third-straight game with a goal, taking a feed from freshman Chris
Nemes (Novi, MI/Detroit Catholic Central) and depositing it in the
back of the net.
The Titans then put the game away with Matthews’ final two
goals of the day and a great defensive effort in the fourth,
holding VMI scoreless for just under 13 minutes in the last
period.
The Titans forced 28 turnovers on the day, led by Matthews’
four as well as four from freshman Jordan Houtby (St. Catharines,
ON/Holy Cross Secondary), who also collected three groundballs, and
three cause TO’s by freshman Jamie Hebden (Farmington Hills,
MI/Brother Rice).
The Titans will now have a week off before playing two road games
on Easter Weekend. Detroit will play at defending MAAC championship
Siena on Saturday and at Yale on Easter Sunday.
