INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI men's soccer team is back on the pitch on Friday (Mar. 12) when the Jaguars take on Detroit Mercy (1-4) at 1:00 p.m. on ESPN+. The Jaguars are looking to stop a three-game skid to start the season while the Titans are among a four-game skid of their own.
IUPUI (0-3) has yielded two goals in each of the season's first three games, but have finally hit a somewhat consistent training regimen after missing the season's opening two matches due to COVID-19 protocols. Head coach Brian Barnett's squad showed well on the road on its most recent road trip, dropping a 2-1 count at UIC on Feb. 28. IUPUI struck first as
Chris Workman setup a
Matthew Skaar goal in the game's 24th minute, but UIC fired back with a pair of second half scores to take the win.
The IUPUI-Detroit Mercy series has been incredibly tight as the two teams have played to overtime seven times in 13 meetings. The Titans won the most recent meeting in double overtime, outlasting the Jaguars 1-0 on Nov. 2, 2019 with a goal in the 101st minute.
Quinn McCallion had his shutout ripped away with the go-ahead score at the start of the second overtime of that league loss.
DEEPER DIVE
Read about how Barnett's initial recruiting class has helped change the culture and narrative surrounding the program -
BARNETT'S FIRST RECRUITING CLASS CHANGING THE FACE OF IUPUI SOCCER
SCOUTING THE JAGUARS
IUPUI is 0-3 to start the season and 0-1 on the road. Skaar has the team's lone score while Workman has IUPUI's lone assist. In goal,
Lucas Morefield has started two of the Jaguars' three matches in goal and has a 2.00 goals against average and eight saves. McCallion also has a 2.00 GAA in his lone start with two saves. Skaar has a team-high eight shot attempts while
Tommy Patacca and
Gianni Catenacci have attempted five apiece. Patacca leads the team with three shots on goal. Patacca,
Ethan Diedel and
Corey Goede have played all 270 minutes in the field this season.
PRESEASON POLLS
IUPUI was picked to finish ninth among the 11-team #HLMSOC Preseason Poll.
#HLMSOC STANDINGS
RETURNING STARTERS (7)
Gianni Catenacci - Sr. - D (1 goal, 4 assists)
Ethan Diedel - Jr. - D (17 appearances, 11 starts)
Corey Goede - Jr. - D (15 starts)
Caleb Hussain - Soph. - D (13 starts)
Quinn McCallion - Jr. - GK (1.84 GAA, 84 saves)
Tommy Patacca - Sr. - D (3 goals, 1 GWG)
Chris Workman - Soph. - MF (1 goal)
HONOREES AND LEADERS
Workman was the lone IUPUI player to earn postseason accolades last season, being named to the 11-man All-Freshman Team. Workman appeared in 16 games and made 13 starts in the midfield while tallying a goal at Northern Kentucky in front of a large contingent of family and friends. Workman was fourth among IUPUI's field players with 1,280 minutes played and played 90 or more minutes seven different times.
ON THE SIDELINES
Head coach Brian Barnett is in his fifth year on the Jaguars' sidelines, having taken over the program just prior to the 2016 campaign. He led the team to the #HLMSOC Tournament Semifinals in 2018 before falling to eventual league champion UIC on penalty kicks. Barnett is joined on the sidelines by John Schwien, who enters his first year with the program.
NEW FACES
IUPUI has six new faces on the roster this year in true freshmen
Rayan Choukri,
Mandela Cybahiro,
Max Guidry,
Logan Finnegan,
Owen Jarrell and
Tyler Kaput. Choukri and Cybahiro were teammates for Millennium Indy and Finnegan, Jarrell and Kaput were all three teammates for Galaxy SC. Four other Jaguars -
Tylin Broaders,
Nate Pendleton,
Lucas Morefield and
Ethan Miller - are all in line to make their IUPUI debuts after redshirting last season.
SCOUTING DETROIT MERCY
Detroit Mercy opened the season with a 2-1 win at Northern Kentucky, but have since dropped four straight, two of which came in overtime. The Titans are 0-2 at Titan Field this season, having lost overtime decisions to Wright State (2-3) and Milwaukee (0-1). Most recently, the Titans lost a road contest at crosstown rival Oakland by a 3-1 score. UDM has been outscored 11-5 on the year and their five goals have come from five different scorers. Ryan Halloran has a team-high two assists and Jake Poorman has a team-high three points, including a game-winner. Samory Powder has a team-best 11 shot attempts, putting four on frame. In goal, Devin Mendez has played all 461 minutes, registering a 2.15 GAA and 16 saves for a .593 save percentage.
VERSUS THE TITANS (see the entire history here)
IUPUI is 3-7-3 all-time against Detroit Mercy and 0-3-2 in road contests. UDM won the most recent meeting on Nov. 2, 2019 and has won three of the past four in the series. IUPUI's most recent win was a 1-0 outcome on Sept. 8, 2018 at Carroll Stadium on the strength of a Pedro Valladao score.
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
The Horizon League will compete in a weekly, single round robin format this season that began on Feb. 3. Games will be played every six days.
