On Tuesday, Sept. 19, the Oakland men’s soccer team took care of business at the Oakland Soccer Field, triumphing over the University of Michigan Wolverines, 2-1.
“We dominated all game,” senior Shawn Slater said. “We had a lot of shots on goal — on the eye test, we were the better team. At the end of the day, the better team prevailed.”
This win brings the Grizzlies’ season record to 2-4-1. Notably, this is OU’s first win against the U-M men’s soccer team since 2017.
The Wolverines began the game with possession, attacking quickly and early. However, the Grizzlies maintained their composure on defense, not letting the Wolverines get a single-shot attempt off.
Fifteen minutes into the match, the defensive effort by both teams continued to dominate. U-M was still unable to get a shot off, and the Grizzlies only got a lone look at a goal in the ninth minute of play.
Things would eventually change for the Grizzlies. As the 19th minute came and went, the team started to break through the Wolverine defense, attempting three shots in eight minutes. Unfortunately, all shots were wide of the goal.
In the later part of the first half, the Grizzlies and the Wolverines continued to put up a defensive show. Despite equal control of the ball among the teams and both teams having solid chances at a goal, nothing could come to fruition.
The Grizzlies got a multitude of shot attempts in the final minutes of the first half but failed to convert on all of them. Despite not scoring any points, an OU goal felt on the cusp as the team held superior control of the ball towards the end of the first half.
OU opened the second half of the game with possession and continued to be aggressive on both sides of the pitch.
In the 52nd minute, defender Malik Sylvester put it in the back of the net for the Grizzlies, scoring the first goal of the match and bringing the score to 1-0. Sylvester was assisted by forward Donovan Phillip.
Sylvester’s goal marks his first as a Grizzly and his first of the season. Additionally, the assist from Phillip is his third of the season.
Despite the solid defense the Grizzlies displayed throughout the first half, U-M midfielder Joao Paulo Ramos would find the back of the net for the Wolverines in the 64th minute, tying the game up 1-1.
Following a blocked shot from U-M goalie Isaiah Goldson, an OU shot attempt sailed just above the net, leaving the game still tied with only 14 minutes to go. After the miss, the Grizzlies picked up the intensity on offense, hunting for their second goal.
Luckily, an answer would come from the Grizzlies. With six minutes left in the game, the crowd erupted in noise as Phillip scored his second goal of the season, shifting the score back into OU’s favor at 2-1.
The Wolverines would get one last look at a goal with less than a minute left but failed to convert thanks to Grizzlies goalie Finn Jurak. Seconds later, OU walked off the field victorious.
“Amazing win,” Phillip said. “We were the better team — we put everything together, we practiced on the training ground and we came away victorious.”
Next, the Grizzlies will appear at home on Saturday, Sept. 30, against the Milwaukee Panthers. Following that, they’ll hit the road and play the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons on Saturday, Oct. 7.
