DETROIT (9/9/18) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's soccer team battled the visiting Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons to a hard-fought 1-1 draw from Titan Field on Sunday afternoon.

Skies were gray all day, and as the game progressed, the wind picked up and it began to drizzle, making the playing conditions much different than the previous games of the season which were played in humid conditions. 

Purdue Fort Wayne (2-4-2) came out applying low pressure and allowed Detroit Mercy (2-3-2) to pass around their backline before stepping up their pressure once the ball reached the midfield layers.

The Titans got on the scoreboard in the 26th minute when freshman Julie Ann Piechocki took a pass from junior Megan Pace, and she brought the ball across her body to her left foot and struck a beautifully shaped ball into the upper left-hand corner for her third goal of the season and second in the past two games. 

The red, white and blue weathered that storm and looked to be headed into halftime with a 1-0 lead, but in the 43rd minute, the Mastodons leveled the score on a great through ball and slotted finish, bringing the score even at halftime.

The second half was very evenly matched, with scoring opportunities far and few between. In overtime, senior goalkeeper Marina Manzo - who finished with four saves - made two phenomenal saves to keep the Titans in the game. The first came just forty five seconds into the extra session and another in the second overtime frame. 

The Titans were also forced to play a man down for the final six minutes. 

Detroit Mercy outshot Purdue Fort Wayne, 12-11, and had more corner kick opportunities, 5-2. 

Detroit Mercy will now get ready for league play as the red, white and blue head to the Windy City to battle the UIC Flames on Thursday, Sept. 13, with kick-off set for 8 p.m. (EST). 

First Half

• Piechocki scored her team high third goal of the season to bring her point total up to seven in the 26th minute
• The Titans controlled possession for much of the half
• Senior Carly Fiorido had a free kick blocked by the wall from just outside the 18-yard box
• Manzo had one save in the half

Second Half

• Junior Casey Couturier connected on a corner kick but was turned away by the post
• The Titans outshot the Mastodons 4-2 in the second half
• Sophomore Olivia Parra received her first yellow in the 76th minute

Overtime

• Manzo made a great diving save to extend the game just one minute into the first overtime period, when she reacted quickly down to her left and just pushed a ball wide of the post
• Parra received a second yellow in the 104', bringing the Titans down to 10 men
• The red, white and blue faced six minutes of continuous pressure from the Mastodons but stood strong
• Manzo turned away another great shot in the 105' diving to her right as she went full extension to her right to pick a ball out of the side netting to keep Purdue Fort Wayne from earning the win

Game Notes

• Detroit Mercy still leads the overall series, 10-1-2, and has not lost a game to Fort Wayne since 2003.
• The Titans are now 4-0-2 all-time at home against the Mastodons, but the last time two times these teams have met at Titan Field, it has ended in a tie 
• Fort Wayne had not scored a goal in the series in almost four games, 355:17 of action against Detroit Mercy, until its score in the 43rd minute
• Detroit Mercy outshot an opponent and had more corner kicks for the first time this year
• Piechocki now has two goals and an assist in the last two games
• Manzo moved past Katie Fortenberry '08 and into second place in school history with 315 career saves, 114 behind the all-time leader Alisson Dube '04 (429)

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