CHICAGO, Ill. — The Golden Grizzlies put up a tough fight, but fell 3-1 to DePaul after a series of late-game goals by both teams at Wish Field. The Golden Grizzlies remained competitive throughout, with several key chances and a late goal by Andriy Bilous, but DePaul's second-half offense sealed the game.

Oakland started strong, testing DePaul's defense early. Forward Andrew Darakdjian created the first opportunity for Oakland in the 8th minute, but his shot went wide. Lejs Plicanic followed up with a shot on target in the 12th minute, but DePaul goalkeeper Santiago Davila made the save. Oakland's offense continued to press, with Zach Townsend narrowly missing the mark in the 15th minute.

Despite several promising attacks, the first half ended scoreless, with Oakland taking five shots and DePaul responding with eight. Aiden Smith, Oakland's goalkeeper, was solid in net, making two key saves, including a stop on a shot from DePaul's Noeh Hernandez in the 22nd minute.

At halftime, both teams were evenly matched, with Oakland holding a slight advantage in corners (5-4) and possession, but neither team was able to capitalize on their chances.

The second half saw DePaul find its rhythm, but Oakland refused to back down. After DePaul scored two quick goals—one by Keagan Pace in the 79th minute and another by Hernandez in the 83rd—Oakland responded with a surge of energy. In the 86th minute, midfielder Francesco Mazzei delivered a well-placed assist to Andriy Bilous, who found the back of the net to cut the deficit to 2-1. It was Bilous' second goal of the season and kept Oakland's hopes alive.

However, DePaul's Sam Moore quickly dashed any comeback dreams for the Golden Grizzlies, scoring just a minute later to make it 3-1. Despite a couple of late attempts, including a blocked shot by Andrija Stozinic in the 88th minute, Oakland couldn't close the gap.

Oakland ended the game with 12 shots, three of them on target. Darakdjian was particularly active for the Golden Grizzlies, leading the team with three shots. Jace Foster also tested DePaul's defense with a shot on target in the 76th minute, but Davila was up to the challenge. The Golden Grizzlies continued to battle in the closing moments, but DePaul's defense held firm.

Statistically, Oakland was close to DePaul in several areas, with both teams recording six corner kicks, and Oakland showing strong offensive efforts in the second half, outshooting DePaul 7-6. However, DePaul's ability to finish their chances in the final 15 minutes proved decisive.

Oakland's attack was led by Andriy Bilous, who scored his second goal of the season, assisted by Francesco Mazzei. Andrew Darakdjian was a constant threat up front, leading the team with three shots, while Bilous added two more attempts. Lejs Plicanic and Jace Foster each registered a shot on target, alongside Bilous' goal. In goal, Aiden Smith made two key saves to keep the Golden Grizzlies in the game, but DePaul's late surge proved too much to overcome.

Despite the loss, Oakland showed resilience and attacking potential, with Bilous' goal and solid chances throughout the match. The Golden Grizzlies will look to build on this effort as they move forward in the season, now holding a 3-6-2 record as they return home and resume conference play this weekend against Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m.