ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Oakland women's soccer team will host DePaul in its home opener Thursday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. from the Oakland soccer field. The first 100 fans in attendance will receive a 2021 Oakland women's soccer schedule poster.

Thursday's match-up against DePaul marks the first meeting between the two squads in program history.
 
The Golden Grizzlies enter Thursday's game coming off a 2-1 win against Stetson with goals coming from Jackie Reilly and Macey Wierenga. 

A LOOK AT DePAUL
DePaul assembled a 3-5 overall record during the shortened campaign, claiming BIG EAST victories versus Butler and Creighton. 

DePaul returns leading-scorer Morgan Turner who found the back of the net on three occasions last year. Turner has totaled 22 goals during her four-year career and was named to the All-BIG EAST second team following the 2020-21 campaign. Turner earned first-team honors following a 10-goal output in the Blue Demons' last full season in 2019.

Defensively, DePaul will be anchored by returning center back Sydney Parker. Parker earned BIG EAST defensive player of the week honors last season after DePaul's shutout of Butler. Parker logged a team-high 736 minutes on the pitch in 2020-21 and also scored a game-winning goal in the Blue Demons season opener versus Valpo. Beside Parker, defender Grace Phillpotts returns after a standout freshman showing. The Fenton, Mich. native started all seven games and was named to the BIG-EAST freshman team.

FAMILIAR FOES
DePaul will face three-straight Horizon League opponents in Oakland (8/26), UIC (8/29) and Milwaukee (9/2).
 
PRESEASON POLL
Oakland was picked to finish third in the 2021 Horizon League women's soccer preseason poll, announced by the league office on Wednesday and voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
 
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
The Golden Grizzlies welcome back 10 seniors to the squad this season, bringing a wealth of knowledge and leadership to the roster, including graduate student, Ashley Postma, who returns for her fifth season.
 
A LOOK AT LAST YEAR
After a canceled 2020 fall season, Oakland competed in a 10-game, conference-only schedule beginning in February. The Golden Grizzlies posted a 5-3-2 record which included a four-game winning streak in the month of March. Oakland was just two of 12 Horizon League teams to play in all 10 games.
 
The Golden Grizzlies tallied 16 goals on the year, tied for second-most among the Horizon League. Oakland's 1.6 goals per game ties the Golden Grizzlies mark in 2013, and is the best since the 2010 season.

The Golden Grizzlies boasted an impressive eight goal scorers, tied for second-best among league foes.

Oakland racked up an impressive 26 assists, a league-best, with 12 Golden Grizzlies tallying one or more. Sami Lopez led with a season-best seven assists, second-most in the Horizon League.
Oakland allowed just .90 goals/game, the fewest in 12-plus seasons. Opponents were only able to find the back of the net nine times, the fourth-fewest in conference play.

ALL LEAGUE HONORS
The Oakland women's soccer team had three student-athletes garner All-Horizon League honors as voted on the by league's head coaches. Sami Lopez and Kendra Zak earned first team honors while Emily Penney was a Horizon League All-Freshman Team selection, marking the first time since the 2016 season Oakland has had a student-athlete represented on the first team, and the first time since 2015 two student-athletes have been recognized as first team honorees.

UNITED SOCCER COACHES HONORS
Zak earned 2020-21 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women's All-Region second team honors, while Lopez and Postma earned third-team honors announced by the national office in May.

Zak earned 2020-21 United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Third Team honors, becoming the first to accomplish this feat in program history. Zak was also named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Scholar All-Region team in addition to All-North Region Second Team honoree.