INDIANAPOLIS - Senior Kyle Hyland recorded his first career multi-goal game, powering IUPUI to a season opening 2-0 win over Detroit in front of nearly 1,300 fans at Michael A. Carroll Stadium on Friday (Aug. 24). The Ohio-native unloaded a rocket blast for the game-winner in the 57th minute before adding some late insurance in the 87th minute.

Defensively, freshman Eduardo Cortes made six stops to notch his first career shutout.

After a scoreless but highly entertaining first half, the Jaguars used a possession game and took over as the aggressors in the second half. Hyland drilled the game-winner from 28 yards out, slicing a shot just past Detroit goalkeeper Nathan Steinwascher inside the left post. Later, junior Ian Block played Hyland in behind the UDM defensive third, allowing the veteran to angle a shot past Steinwascher to capitalize on a breakaway opportunity.

"It felt great. We had a great fan base. It was a perfect atmosphere - completely perfect," Hyland said. "I couldn't have done it without everyone else around me. I wouldn't have gotten either of those passes if they didn't trust me with the ball."

Despite only outshooting Detroit 15-14, IUPUI had more quality chances and a few others negated by seven offsides calls. Block may have had the best chance of the first half when he got free behind the Detroit backs, but had his attempt deflected away by Steinwascher at the top of the 18 yard box. Junior Gregory Efiom also had a couple of tight offsides calls go against him, thwarting some offensive opportunities.

"It's never bad to have offsides, it just means you're anxious," Hyland said. "We're trying to go forward as much as possible. It's the most we've gone forward in the years I've been here."

Hyland, who led the team in assists last season, hadn't scored since a free kick early last year at Cincinnati. He played primarily in the back as a junior and had just two career goals prior to Friday's outburst.

"It was good for the kids and good for our fans," head coach Isang Jacob said about his team's first goal. "We moved Kyle closer to goal, where he's more effective. My goal this year is to play guys where they're very, very comfortable and where they're going to have fun and going to be more productive. He's comfortable now and he can do his role.

"We're going to score goals. This is our first game; the timing is going to take care of itself in time. But you can see, we're going to push high and we're going to score goals."

The undersized Jaguars used a strong possession game to offset the Titans' height advantage on Friday night, opting to keep the ball on the ground. Jacob heaped praise on the smallest player on the field afterwards.

"Yes Kyle scored the goals, but Devon Orben was the man of the match, in our opinion" Jacob said. "I thought he played absolutely well."

Efiom and Hyland led the Jaguars with three shots each while Adam Bedell led all players with four attempts. Cortes made six saves in his collegiate debut while Steinwascher made five stops at the other end.

IUPUI's lineup consisted of seven newcomers and an eighth (Emile Garcia) who sat out all of last season. Hyland, Joshio Sandoval and Tyler Thatcher were the only three returners to earn a starting nod as four freshmen were in the starting 11.

IUPUI will return to action on Saturday (Aug. 25) when they play a group of alumni in exhibition action at Carroll Stadium at 5:00 p.m.. After that, the Jaguars will take on Butler at the Butler Bowl at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday (Aug. 28) night. The Jags defeated the Bulldogs 3-0 at Kuntz Stadium last season.

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