The Oakland University men’s soccer team dominated with a 2-0 victory in their league opener against the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons, using a mix of both their offensive talent and stifling defensive efforts. 

Both teams played with tremendous effort on both sides of the ball, leading to an exciting back and forth full of rough plays, exciting rallies and lots of whistles from the referees. With a combined 25 fouls called between the two teams and three yellow cards given out, this game was an all-out physical affair for the ages. 

First things first, the offense in this game took center stage. Both teams were in incredible form as they were looking to score every time down the field, regardless of the defensive squad trying to stop them. Over the course of the game, there were a combined 26 shots on target for both teams — 11 for the Mastodons and 15 for the Golden Grizzlies. 

The first of the two goals was scored by midfielder Ville Ahola, assisted by Noah Jensen 31 minutes into the game. Ahola had one shot throughout the entire game, and he definitely made it count by giving the Golden Grizzlies a lead they would hold for 52 minutes. 

Mikey Ketteman would then score at the 83-minute mark to seal the game away and notch the win. The Fort Wayne Mastodons were no slouches on offense either, but the difference maker for the game was Alessio Carbone.

Carbone, the goalie for the Golden Grizzlies, had two crucial saves that kept the Mastodons scoreless despite their best efforts. His goalkeeping played a vital part in the winning process, but he also helped by being a persistent focal point in the flow of both the offense and the defense — receiving and giving passes, setting up offensive pushes with his passing and ball placement and helping to direct traffic for his team. 

Communication was a big factor in both the win and loss for both teams. The Golden Grizzlies had top tier communication all throughout the game, while the Mastodons seemed to struggle. Missed passes, calls for plays going unanswered and other avoidable mistakes plagued the Mastodons offensively and their defense suffered from the same mistakes. 

Speaking of the defense, let’s talk about the backbone of the game. There were two periods of scoreless play during this game. The first 30 minutes went off the clock without a score, followed by a 52 minute period of solid defensive play from both teams. 

For those 52 minutes, the game was an evenly-matched affair that could have gone either way. Seemingly a war of attrition more than a test of skill, the Mastodons simply fell first and allowed the game clinching score. 

Overall, this game was a phenomenal showcase of teamwork and communication. It showed just how important it is for every player to be on the same page. It can make or break a team’s chances of winning, and helped to propel the Grizzlies to a win. 

The men’s soccer team will return to the field on Tuesday, Sept. 14th to face off against the University of Dayton at 7 p.m. at the Oakland Soccer Field.