2014 Men's Soccer Highlights

ROCHESTER, Mich. - When looking back on the 2014 Oakland men's soccer season, it will go down as one of the most successful in program history as the Golden Grizzlies won their first Horizon League regular season, captured their first Horizon League Tournament title and then went on to defeat No. 24 Kentucky in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

TEAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Oakland won its first-ever Horizon League regular season and tournament championship since joining the league in 2013. It was its first regular season title since 2012 and first tournament title since 2010.
• The Golden Grizzlies defeated No. 24 Kentucky, 2-0, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament for its second NCAA College Cup victory and advancing to the second round for the first time since 2007.
• Oakland advanced to its sixth NCAA Tournament since 2000 and first since 2010 after earning a 2-1 victory over Wright State in the Horizon League Championship at the Oakland Soccer Field.
• The Golden Grizzlies defeated No. 10 Michigan State on Oct. 22, 2-0, at the Oakland Soccer Field for its first win over a nationally-ranked opponent since 2010. Oakland also defeated Ohio State 1-0 on Oct. 8 to finish 2-2 against the Big Ten.
• The Oakland defense tied a Division I record with six-straight matches with a shutout including a stretch of over 580 minutes without allowing a goal.
• The Golden Grizzlies finished 72nd in the country in shutout percentage and 73rd in the nation in team goals against average.
• Oakland went 5-0-3 in Horizon League play this season, going undefeated in league play for the first time since 2009.
• Oakland finished the season receiving votes in the final NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA postseason rankings.
• The men's soccer team won the first-ever matchup of the inaugural Metro Series with a 2-1 double overtime win at the University of Detroit Mercy as Matt Dudley sent a free kick from just outside the box into the upper 90 to secure the first points of the rivalry.
• The Golden Grizzlies finished 10-2-3 in its final 15 matches.

INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
• Oakland placed five members on the All-Horizon League first and second teams, the most in the league; Joey Tinnion, Matt Dudley and Shawn Claud Lawson were on the first team, Cody Archibald was on the second team and Wes Mink was on both the second team and All-Freshman Team.
• Head coach Eric Pogue earned his first Horizon League Coach of the Year honor and his third yearly award in just six years at the helm of the Golden Grizzlies.
• Gerald Ben was named Horizon League Tournament MVP after recording 5 points including an assist and converting a penalty kick in the championship game; John DeLeon, Gavin Hoy and Cody Archibald were also named to the All-Tournament Team.
• Oakland won four-straight league Defensive Player of the Week honors from Oct. 6-27 as Wes Mink earned the first of his career on Oct. 6 the won on Oct. 20 and 27, while Archibald won on Oct. 13.
• Wes Mink earned College Sports Madness National Player of the Week and was named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week on Oct. 20.
• Joey Tinnion, Shawn Claud Lawson, Matt Dudley and Cody Archibald were named as to the top-20 players in the Horizon League by Top Drawer Soccer.
• Wes Mink finished the season ranked 48th in goals against average in the NCAA.
• Matt Dudley ended the year ranked 55th in total assists in the country.

POSTSEASON HIGHLIGHTS
• Joey Tinnion earned NSCAA Scholar All-Region honors after posting a 3.66 grade-point average in History and Secondary Education.
• Wes Mink was selected to the 2014 College Soccer News All-Freshman third team and finished ranked as one of the top 100 freshman in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer, selected at No. 73.
• Cody Archibald was honored by Top Drawer Soccer as one of the top players during the NCAA Tournament and a MLS prospect.

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