Box Score Rochester, Mich. (Nov. 8, 2003)???C A two-goal performance by sophomore Chris Edwards (Glasgow, Scotland) helped jumpstart an Oakland offense en route to a 5-1 home win over Oral Roberts in its regular season finale. Oakland???s defense allowed only one shot by the Golden Eagles??? Miguel Menduina, who came into the match with four goals and six assists in four games. Oakland came out sharp and focused as they controlled play for the majority of the first half. They had several early chances including three point-blank shots in a two-minute span, two by Philip Braathen (Oslo, Norway) and one by Shahar Ktovim (Holon, Israel). Oral Roberts??? goalkeeper Hector Zapata kept his team in the game though with outstanding play in net, making three of his six saves during the flurry of shots. The Golden Grizzlies eventually got the better of Zapata and converted in the 20th minute on a counter-attack. Oakland defender Ryan Rzepka (Novi, Mich.) got control of the ball and sent a pass down the line to Ktovim who found Edwards unmarked in the Golden Eagles penalty box. Edwards settled the ball at his feet and tucked it by Zapata, who had no time to react. Oakland defender Matt Connor (East Lansing, Mich.) would score his first goal of the season and eventual game-winner in the 34th minute. Connor ran onto a blocked shot taken by Braathen and put all his momentum behind the ball as it screeched by Zapata who was trying to get back into position after the previous attempt. Oral Roberts came back less than three minutes later as they took advantage of Oakland???s inability to clear the ball out of its end. Jason Nussbaum gained possession and took a shot inside the penalty box. Oakland goalkeeper Jeff Wiese (Omaha, Neb.) made the initial save but Nussbaum stayed with the play and converted on his own rebound. Holding onto a slim one-goal lead Edwards came out and scored his second goal of the game five minutes into the second half. An Oral Roberts defender attempted to clear the ball after an Oakland corner kick, but tripped over the ball, leaving it unclaimed in the penalty box. Edwards was right there to gather it up and fired the shot home. Playing in his final regular season home game, senior Anders Vollen (Oslo, Norway) extended Oakland???s lead in the 56th minute. Ktovim picked up his second assist of the game as he collected a loose ball at midfield and sent it down the line to Braathen. Vollen was left unmarked in front of the goal tucking the ball into the left corner off of Braathen???s cross. Wiese prevented Oral Roberts from closing the gap once again as he denied Jonathan Ball???s shot from six yards out on the left side in the 68th minute after keeping another shot by Ball out of the net two minutes earlier. Bret McNabb (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) closed out the scoring in the 79th minute. Brandon Felker (Waterford, Mich.) was able to win the ball away from an Oral Roberts defender and cross it to McNabb who snuck in front of the goal and was left unmarked for the easy put away. Wiese made six saves on the afternoon for Oakland before being relieved in goal by Josh Slaughter (Troy, Mich.) who was not challenged with a shot. The win gives the Golden Grizzlies at least a share of the Mid-Con regular season title and the #1 seed in the upcoming men???s soccer conference tournament as they finished 11-3-5 overall and 5-1-0 in the conference. Oral Roberts will settle for the #4 seed with an 8-9-1 record overall and 3-3-0 conference mark. These two teams will tangle again this Friday in the opening round of the tournament. They will play the second game, which is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.