Green Bay, Wisc. - Oakland came into this match with a chance to clinch their first regular season title since their #HLMSOC Championship winning year in 2021.

Both teams came out the game looking to put points on the board fast. Oakland sent out three of their seven first half shots in just the first three minutes of the game. Green Bay, another top three league team playing for seeding and tournament position, responded with full force, taking eight of their own shots in the first half.

With the teams going back and forth in the first half, Oakland would get a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 33' minute as a handball was called on Green Bay inside their own box. Oakland sent the second leading goal scorer in the Horizon League Mikey Ketteman to take the penalty kick. The fifth year forward lined up the kick and found the back of the net for his eight goal of the season, giving Oakland the 1-0 advantage.

Oakland senior Owen Smith did his part to keep the pressure on in the match, taking three shots in the first half, always initiating counter attacks and chances to score.

Green Bay continued to test Oakland goalkeeper Michael Sly Jr and the Golden Grizzlies defense, but both stood tall to hold Oakland's lead at 1-0 going into halftime.

Just three minutes into the second half, Oakland would be on the receiving end of a penalty kick. After a foul was called in the Oakland box on sophomore Marco Mezzei, Green Bay's Chris Album would step up and take the penalty kick. Album took a brief pause, then snuck the ball past Sly Jr. to tie the game at one a piece in the 48' minute.

The penalty kicks seemed to be a result of early physical play, with 17 fouls being called between the two teams up to the point of Green Bay's first goal, along with a yellow card being given to each team up to that point.

The Phoenix continued their second-half surge as they capitalized off a corner kick in the 59' minute. After an initial shot hit the post, Green Bay's Keegan Walker took the loose ball and poked it into the net, giving Green bay the 2-1 lead.

Oakland struggled to keep Green Bay off their side of the field, and even more with corner kick coverage. Those struggles would be lethal as Green Bay set up for their ninth corner kick of the game in the 66' minute. As the ball was lobbed into the box by Green Bay's Jake Parish, the ball was headed by several Oakland players in an attempt to clear the ball, but instead it turned into an own-goal as the Phoenix scored their third unanswered and took a 3-1 lead.

Green Bay has now won five straight games after initially trailing, becoming the comeback kids of the Horizon League.

Oakland was unable to generate a dramatic comeback down the final stretch, dropping their final road match of the season. The Golden Grizzlies were just unable to create accurate and quality looks on goal, only putting five of their 14 shots on goal.

The Golden Grizzlies must now await results to see their updated seeding, but a win in their final match could keep their top-seeded dreams alive. They are back home on Wednesday, Nov. 1 in their final regular season game as they host in-state rival Detroit Mercy.

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