ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Oakland women's soccer team welcomes Green Bay to the Oakland Soccer Field Sunday, Sept. 19 at 1 p.m.
 
Oakland is looking for its first win in the Horizon League and first win at home, as the Golden Grizzlies are coming off a 1-1 double overtime draw to Youngstown State. Green Bay (3-0-2) is also coming off a 1-1 double overtime draw as the Phoenix opened conference play against Robert Morris on Thursday.

The Golden Grizzlies hold a 6-3-1 overall record against GB, including a 4-1-1 mark at home. 

In the last meeting, Alexa Sabbagh netted the game-winner in thrilling fashion with under a minute left to play as Oakland defeated Green Bay, 2-1 a season ago.
 
Sunday's game will serve as the SAAC-led crayon drive initiative. Fans are encouraged to bring new crayons to Sunday's match, which will then be donated to local children's hospitals. To learn more about the cause, click here.
 
GOAL GETTERS
Sami Lopez,has paced the Golden Grizzlies offensively this season with two goals. While Ashley Postma, Jackie Reilly, Alexa Sabbagh and Macey Wierenga have each recorded a goal. Lopez, Reilly, Wierenga and Kendra Zak have also tallied an assist on the year. 
 
HORIZON LEAGUE LEADERS
Wierenga has tallied a team-best 17 shots on the season, tied for eighth in the Horizon League.
 
Lopez has racked-up five points on the year placing her among the top-10 in the Horizon League
 
SEASON HIGHS
The Golden Grizzlies recorded 23 shots against YSU (9/16), a season-high by more than double as Oakland tallied 11 shots (twice) earlier this season against Kent State and Stetson. 
 
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.