Soccer Game Preview: Marian vs. Mercy

Marian is 9-0-1 against Mercy since April of 2016 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Mustangs will square off against the Marlins at 4:30 p.m. Marian is coming into the match hot, having won their last eight games.

On Wednesday, Marian needed a bit of extra time to put away Cranbrook Kingswood. They walked away with a 3-1 win over the Cranes. The final result isn't all the surprising considering Marian's considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Michigan soccer rankings (they are ranked fifth, while Cranbrook Kingswood are ranked 118th).

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Mercy, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Monday. They were the clear victors by a 7-0 margin over Garden City on Wednesday. The high-scoring effort was just what Mercy needed considering they were shut out in their previous contest.

Marian pushed their record up to 19-2-1 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only given up two goals over those five games. As for Mercy, they now have a winning record of 7-6-6.

Marian beat Mercy by a goal when the teams last played back in April, winning 1-0. Will the Mustangs repeat their success, or do the Marlins have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.