BERKELEY – The Cal men's soccer team expects to rely on a handful of unproven freshmen this season. But it was a couple of proven commodities that got the Golden Bears' off on a winning note Friday.

Seniors Shinya Kadono and Sam Ebstein connected for a dynamite goal in the 63^rd minute, lifting Cal to a 2-1 victory over Detroit Mercy in its season-opener at Edwards Stadium.

With the score tied at 1-1, Kadono unleashed a perfect cross from the right corner and Ebstein headed the ball past Titans goalkeeper Devin Mendez. That was the only goal during a second half in which the Bears dominated play, outshooting Detroit Mercy 6-2 and finishing with an 11-3 edge in shots for the game.

"I just saw Shinya with the ball and he had three defenders around him, and I knew he only had one option, which was to cross it," said Ebstein, an All-Pac-12 honorable mention pick last season. "So I just tried to get my timing right and he hit me on a perfect cross. It was on the dime. He made it really easy."

Kadono, an All-Pac-12 Second Team selection last year, is one of the top returning goal-scorers in the conference. But while Kadono, Ebstein and a few others upperclassmen do give Cal some experience, the Bears have 12 freshmen on the roster and will depend on them to contribute heavily this season.

The Bears started freshmen JJ Foe Nuphaus, Ian Lonergan and Taylor Davila against the Titans while fellow freshmen Christian Gomez and Jonathan Estrada saw significant minutes as substitutions.

"I think all the freshmen played well," Cal coach Kevin Grimes said. "They've been doing well all preseason and we're going to rely on them the rest of the year. They're doing a heck of a job. They won't be freshmen for too long."

The Titans scored first on a penalty kick in the 23^rd minute but Cal tied it on an own goal in the 34^th minute after peppering the net with a pair of shots that ultimately wound up ricocheting off a Detroit Mercy player.

The Bears limited the Titans' opportunities, especially in the second half, then finally broke the tie on Ebstein's header.

"We had good rhythm in the second half and I think we just kind of settled down a little bit," Grimes said. "The first half of the opening game of the season, there is always a tendency to have a little bit of jitters. But we settled down as the game went on."

The Bears return to Edwards Stadium on Sunday when they host Incarnate Word at 2 p.m.