ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Golden Grizzlies return to Rochester for their home opener against Bowling Green this week.

Oakland has played a pair of road matches to start the season, tallying a 3-0 win over Mercyhurst (Aug. 13) and a 0-3 loss to Akron (Aug. 16). 

Ava Ruffino and Bailey Giddings have scratched their names on the scoreboard with a goal apiece against Mercyhurst. Lily Boebel has also applied pressure for the Oakland offense, recording a team-high five shots and four shots on goal in a pair of games this season.

The Golden Grizzlies and Falcons will meet for the third consecutive year, ninth time ever, as Oakland looks to break a five game winless streak against BGSU, with their last win against the Falcons coming in 2016. Last year Oakland fell just short of victory at Cochrane Stadium, as the Falcons stole a 1-0 win.

The Falcons will face their second straight Horizon League opponent to start the season, as they beat Robert Morris 2-0 in their season opener. Isabella Mazzaferro and Taylor Green both found the back of the net in the opener for BGSU, as they out shot RMU 15 to six, while putting seven shots on goal to RMU's three.

BGSU was a top team in the MAC in 2025, reaching the conference championship match where they lost to Western Michigan, closing off a season where the Falcons went 10-3-9 (4-1-7 MAC) and ranked third in the conference in goals (26) and first in assists (22). Their most important returner is goalkeeper Payton O'Malley, whose eight shutouts led the conference. SHe helped the Falcons emerge as the only team in the nation who didn't allow more than one goal in any match this season.

The powerful offense of Oakland and the staunch defense of Bowling Green face-off on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Oakland Soccer Field in Rochester, Mich.