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8-24 Marshall Preview

Men's Soccer David Gibson, Coordinator of Athletic Communications

Preview: Regular Season Opens at No. 11 Marshall on Thursday

ROCHESTER, Mich. – Oakland University Men's Soccer is set to open the 2023 regular season with a road match against No. 11 Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia on Thursday, August 24 at 7:15 pm.

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Oakland came out of the exhibition season with a 1-1-1 finish including a 3-1 win in 90 minutes over NCAA Division I No. 22 ranked University of Akron in Rochester on August 19. 

On Wednesday, the Horizon League released its annual #HLMSOC Preseason Coaches Poll where Oakland was selected third out of the ten competing teams. Cleveland State University and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis occupy the top two spots. 

Freshman Luke Benford had a dazzling game in the win over Akron with two goals to his credit. Kevin Hubbell, Zach Townsend, Gabriel Baylon, and Mikey Ketteman have welcomed the additional attacking potential of Benford, Donovan Phillip, Noah Roka, and others. 

The back line allowed just about two goals a game in 2022 as Noah Bickford, Micah Sonnenberg, Jace Foster, Malik Sylvester, and company will look to improve that mark in the 2023 campaign.

Oakland has thrown a few goalkeepers into the fray this year with Wyatt Appelt, Aiden Smith, and Alex Flowers added to the mix of a returning, solid redshirt sophomore goalie Michael Sly Jr. who saw 17 games last in addition to Finn Jurak who returns from injury. 

SCOUTING THE THUNDERING HERD

Marshall, 2021 NCAA Division I National Champions, are coming off a loss in the 2022 NCAA Tournament to Indiana University in Bloomington which is ironically whom the Thundering Herd defeated for that national title. 

Morris Duggan and Matthew Bell have been named to the pre-season All-Sun Belt Conference team the association announced on August 14 with the Thundering Herd voted second in the preseason standings to the University of Kentucky. 

The green and black have played two exhibitions against the University of Michigan and Robert Morris University without results available. 

Following Thursday's match, Marshall will host Horizon League foe Wright State University at home on Monday, August 28. 

FOLLOW OAKLAND 

Student-athletes, parents, and fans can follow women's soccer on social media using @OaklandWSOC on Twitter and Instagram. The Gold Standard Name, Image, and Likeness Marketplace is available to bridge NIL opportunities for student-athletes and can be found here via Opendorse.
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Players Mentioned

Gabriel Baylon

#6 Gabriel Baylon

MF
5' 8"
Junior
Finn Jurak

#1 Finn Jurak

GK
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
Mikey Ketteman

#9 Mikey Ketteman

F
5' 10"
Senior
Michael Sly Jr.

#0 Michael Sly Jr.

GK
6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
Micah Sonnenberg

#3 Micah Sonnenberg

D
5' 10"
Senior
Zach Townsend

#13 Zach Townsend

F
6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
Noah Bickford

#8 Noah Bickford

D
6' 3"
Freshman
Jace Foster

#21 Jace Foster

D
5' 8"
Freshman
Kevin Hubbell

#4 Kevin Hubbell

F
5' 9"
Freshman
Aiden Smith

#30 Aiden Smith

GK
5' 10"
Freshman
Malik Sylvester

#24 Malik Sylvester

D
6' 2"
Freshman
Alex Flowers

#31 Alex Flowers

GK
6' 0"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Gabriel Baylon

#6 Gabriel Baylon

5' 8"
Junior
MF
Finn Jurak

#1 Finn Jurak

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
GK
Mikey Ketteman

#9 Mikey Ketteman

5' 10"
Senior
F
Michael Sly Jr.

#0 Michael Sly Jr.

6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
GK
Micah Sonnenberg

#3 Micah Sonnenberg

5' 10"
Senior
D
Zach Townsend

#13 Zach Townsend

6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
F
Noah Bickford

#8 Noah Bickford

6' 3"
Freshman
D
Jace Foster

#21 Jace Foster

5' 8"
Freshman
D
Kevin Hubbell

#4 Kevin Hubbell

5' 9"
Freshman
F
Aiden Smith

#30 Aiden Smith

5' 10"
Freshman
GK
Malik Sylvester

#24 Malik Sylvester

6' 2"
Freshman
D
Alex Flowers

#31 Alex Flowers

6' 0"
Senior
GK