ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Oakland men's soccer team resumes Horizon League play with a Metro Series showdown against arch-rival Detroit Mercy on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. presented by Ascension Providence Rochester. The game is a White Out and will be broadcast live from the Oakland Soccer Field on ESPN+ with the voice of the Golden Grizzlies Neal Ruhl on the call.
 
Notes:
-Oakland (4-3-1, 2-0 HL) is a perfect 4-0-1 against Detroit Mercy (2-5, 0-2 HL) since the inception of the Metro Series in 2014. The Golden Grizzlies 8-1-1 over the last 10 matches against the Titans.
 
-During last season's match up, it was quite the homecoming for Detroit native Dylan Borczak as he scored the game-winning goal with just 43 seconds left in overtime giving Oakland a 1-0 win at Titan Field.
 
-The last time out in league play Oakland recorded a 3-0 shutout win at Green Bay in which Charlie Braithwaite, Evan Sawula and Borczak each scored a goal over a seven-minute span in the first half. Elliott Bentley recorded two assists from his defensive position with Cameron Wilde, Borczak and Noah Jensen also adding an assist. 
 
-Sullivan Lauderdale recorded his second shutout of the season in league play at Green Bay earning Nike Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week.
 
-Sawula also scored the game-winning goal in the 80th minute to give Oakland a 1-0 home opening Horizon League win over Cleveland State (9/14).
 
-Cameron Wilde and Sawula and lead the team in goals (3) which is tied for fourth in the league. They each rank second (8) and third (6) on the team respectively in points which is eighth and 10th in the league.
 
-Borczak leads the team and league in assists (5) and leads the team in points (9) which also ranks seventh in the league. He scored a goal in Oakland's 3-1 win at Western Illinois (9/6) and the equalizer to rally the Golden Grizzlies from a two-goal deficit to a 2-2 draw at Bradley (9/8).
 
-Bentley is second on the team in assists (3) with Carson Debison-Larabie, Frank Jones, Jenson and Wilde ranking third (2).
 
-Eight different players have accounted for 14 total goals and nine different players have recorded 19 assists through six games this season.
 
-In the season opener, Oakland rolled to a 5-1 win at Robert Morris (8/30) as five players each scored a goal led by Borczak with a goal and two assists recording four points. Wilde and Mikey Ketteman each scored their first career goals while transfer Charlie Braithwaite notched his first goal in a Golden Grizzlies' uniform. Dawsun Schrum also rounded out the scoring with a second half tally.
 
-The 2019 season marks the 46th year of the men's soccer program
 
-Head Coach Eric Pogue is entering his 11th season and 18th overall with the program
 
-Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Andy Wagstaff and Assistant Coach Demir Muftari return to the coaching staff. Both helped Oakland to the program's first Horizon League regular season and tournament championships in 2014. The team went on to defeat Kentucky in the opening round of the NCAA Championships marking the second time the Golden Grizzlies advanced to the second round of the College Cup
 
- Oakland was picked to finish fourth in the 2019 Horizon League Preseason Poll
 
- The Golden Grizzlies have 13 returners including Horizon League All-Freshman Team selections Luke Morrell who finished second on the team in goals (4) and points (8) and Napoleon Outlaw III who also finished second in points (8) scoring three goals with two assists
 
-Seniors Spencer Nolff and Elliott Bentley along with junior Noah Jensen were named team captains
 
-For the second straight season, Oakland welcomes a diverse group of 11 newcomers who will look to make an immediate impact.
The group includes 10 freshmen Carson Debison-Larabie (Ajax, Ont., Canada), Frank Jones (Rochdale, England), Mikey Ketteman (Portage, Mich.), Auston Kranick (Murrysville, Penn.), Adam McAleenan (Crossgar, Northern Ireland), Mitch Meldrum (Chesterfield, Mich.), Marco Navarro (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Alexis Puga (Lawrenceville, Ga.), Micah Sonnenberg (Brooklyn, Mich.), Reid Sproat (Auburn, Ind.) and Georgia Military College transfer Charlie Braithwaite (Doncaster, England) to round out the class.
 
-The 2019 roster also includes 10 international players: Canada (5-Jensen, Evan Sawula, Debison-Larabie, Adam Giorgio, Liam McQueenie), England (3-Braithwaite, Bentley, Jones), France (1-Corentin Diverres), Ireland (1-McAleenan).
 
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