Titans Clinch Playoffs With 1-0 Win at WSU

October 26, 2018

DAYTON, Ohio (10/26/2018) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's soccer team is heading back to the postseason as freshman Nasreen Kobeissi's double overtime goal lifted the Titans to a 1-0 victory at Wright State.

The win was the fifth in a row for Detroit Mercy (8-7-3, 4-4-1 HL) – all by shutout which set a new school mark – as the Titans clinched the No. 5 seed in the upcoming Horizon League Championship and will meet fourth-seeded Wright State (6-8-2, 5-3-1 HL) in the first round on Monday. 

Detroit Mercy, who started the year 0-4-1 in league play, saw its freshman step up when it counted as Kobeissi fired in a shot from just over 25 yards out and beat the keeper in the bottom right corner with less than five minutes left in the contest. 

Senior Marina Manzo made five saves on the night and crossed the 100-save plateau on the year, moving to third in school history in that category with 104. She registered her eighth shutout on the year - tied for second in the Titan record book - and set a new school record with 25 in her career. 

The Horizon League Championship will begin on Monday night at 7 p.m. as the Titans and Raiders once again square off. 

First Half:

  • Each team had just three shots apiece and only one was on net
  • Wright State had a shot high in the 16th minute and one that was blocked at 26:10
  • Freshman Julie Ann Piechocki rocketed a shot high in the 32nd minute
  • Senior Carly Fiorido had an attempt that was saved at 36:01 and a shot that was blocked at 41:14


Second Half:

  • The Titans had an early chance as Kobeissi's shot was blocked and Piechocki's was saved in the 48th minute
  • Manzo came up with a save at 48:06
  • Piechocki started a great offensive attack off a corner kick that produced several scoring opportunities, but one shot hit the post, two were blocked and two were saved in the 56th minute
  • Wright State then had a few chances, but two boots were high and another was blocked by the Titan defense in the 60th minute
  • Manzo kept the Raiders off the scoreboard with a stop at 67:55
  • Wright State thought it had a goal at 72:32, but offsides was called as the ball went in the net
  • Fiorido had a good look on the net, but it was turned aside in the 75th minute
  • Manzo made two more saves at 74:57 and 77:45
  • The Titans had one more scoring chance in regulation as Fiorido picked the ball up midfield and got just outside the box, firing a shot that was saved at 88:03


First Overtime:

  • Wright State controlled the first extra session with two shots and three corner kicks
  • Manzo picked up a save at 93:11 to keep it at 0-0
  • Piechocki had a shot blocked in the 95th minute


Second Overtime:

  • WSU had the first shot that was high
  • After a corner kick and a shot that was high by the Titans, Kobeissi was able to corral the ball and send one in from 25 yards out to put the Titans in the postseason


Game Notes:

  • The Titans trail the all-time series, 14-11-5, and are 7-6-2 all-time on the road
  • Fiorido and junior Megan Pace were honored on the HL All-Academic Team earlier in the day
  • Manzo's five saves give her 104 on the year, third in a single season in school history behind Alisson Dube's 142 in 2004) and Nikki Thomas' 141 in 1996
  • Manzo now has 25 career shutouts, first in school history passing Nora Abolins (2010-12)
  • Kobeissi now has three goals in her last five games and two have been game-winners on the road in overtime (at Green Bay)
Trending Videos
IMG Academy Top 200/150 Rankings
see full ranking:
Boys Girls