Michigan to Face Detroit Mercy, Indiana in Two-Match Week

» The Wolverines will step out of Big Ten play briefly Wednesday, when they host Detroit Mercy on Wednesday (Oct. 9) at U-M Soccer Stadium. The match will begin at 7:30 p.m.
» Michigan then will travel to Bloomington, Ind., for a Sunday (Oct. 13) match against defending Big Ten champion Indiana. The match will begin at 3 p.m. and be broadcast live on ESPNU.

• Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

The University of Michigan men's soccer team (5-2-3, 2-0-2 Big Ten) rolls on with two matches this week, beginning with a non-conference matchup with Detroit Mercy (3-6-1) on Wednesday (Oct. 9) at 7:30 p.m. at U-M Soccer Stadium.

The Wolverines then will hit the road for a matchup against conference leader and defending Big Ten champion and No. 4 Indiana (7-1-2, 3-0-0 Big Ten) on Sunday (Oct. 13) in Bloomington. The match will begin at 3 p.m. at Jerry Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium, and it will be broadcast live on ESPNU. Mike Watts (play-by-play) and Devon Kerr (analyst) will be on the call.

Team Notes

• After a two-win week, Michigan sits second in the Big Ten standings with eight points (2-0-2). Indiana is atop of the league table at nine points (3-0-0) with a match in-hand. The Wolverines lead the Big Ten in goal differential at +10 (18 goals for, eight goals against).

• The Wolverines enter the week on a six-match unbeaten streak (3-0-3), outscoring opponents by a 9-2 margin.

• Several Michigan players lead the Big Ten in statistical categories. Graduate student Nebojsa Popovic leads the Big Ten in goals (six) and points (15), while junior Marc Ybarra and senior Jack Hallahan rank 1-2 in assists (six and five, respectively). Senior goalkeeper Andrew Verdi ranks second in goals-against average (0.78).

• A few Michigan players had career firsts against Northwestern last Sunday (Oct. 6), including the first career goal from junior Carlos Tellez and the first career point from sophomore Kevin Buca (an assist). Sophomore Declan Gaffney made his season debut and sophomore Aidan Nam made his collegiate debut.

• Since it allowed four goals in the season opener to Florida Gulf Coast, the Michigan defense has clamped down, allowing only four goals over its last nine matches. The Wolverines are carrying a shutout streak that spans nearly 338 minutes (337:48) and last allowed a goal (on a penalty kick) at the 24:09 mark of the weather-shortened Sept. 21 match against Rutgers. U-M ranks 25th nationally and first in the Big Ten in goals-against average (.781), and only has allowed 7.1 shots per game (2.3 shots-on-goal per game).

• Thus far, 13 players have recorded at least one point this season.

Opponent Preview

Detroit Mercy is 3-6-1 on the season and 0-2-1 in the Horizon League. The Titans are coming off a 1-0 road win at Purdue Fort Wayne last Friday (Oct. 4). They have been competitive nearly every match this season, as seven of their last eight matches have been decided by one goal. Seven players have scored a goal, led by Kyle Bandyk (six points -- two goals, two assists), who is one of five field players to start all 10 matches this season. Devin Mendez has played every minute in goal, recording 32 saves with a 2.05 goals-against average.

Series: U-M is 12-1-3 in the all-time against Detroit Mercy. The Wolverines won last year's contest, 5-0, in Ann Arbor (Oct. 10, 2018).

Indiana is 7-1-2 and 3-0-0 in the Big Ten. Prior to Sunday's match, the Hoosiers will play No. 19 Kentucky on Wednesday in Bloomington. Indiana, ranked No. 4 in this week's United Soccer Coaches poll, began the season with five consecutive overtime matches (3-0-2), and are coming off a 3-1 win at Penn State last Sunday (Oct. 6). The lone blemish for Indiana this year was a 2-1 loss at Butler on Sept. 24. The Hoosiers lost nearly the entire starting lineup off last year's Big Ten championship and College Cup team, but have found scoring balance with its newcomers, as 11 players have scored a goal. Ian Black and Joshua Penn lead the team with three goals apiece this season. Sean Caufield started the first eight matches in goal (22 saves, 0.91 GAA), but Roman Celetano has started the last two (four saves, 1.00 GAA).

Series: U-M is 3-20-2 in the all-time against Indiana. The Wolverines played Indiana to a 1-1 (2OT) draw in the teams' last meeting in Bloomington (Sept. 13, 2017). The Hoosiers won both matchups last season: a 1-0 win in the regular-season meeting (Oct. 7 in Ann Arbor) and 3-0 win in the Big Ten Tournament championship (Nov. 11 in Westfield, Ind.).

Up Next

Thursday, Oct. 17 -- vs. Western Michigan (U-M Soccer Stadium), 7:30 p.m. [ Tickets ]