Playing host to the Summit League men’s soccer tournament this weekend, the No. 1-seeded Grizzlies were the favorite to take home the conference championship, but the team was upset by UMKC Friday afternoon by a 2-1 score in the opening round.

The loss ended Oakland University’s hopes for qualifying for the NCAA tournament later this month.

Head coach Eric Pogue knew coming into the match that the game was certainly not going to be any easier than the first time the two teams met this season.

“It was a 2-1 game earlier this year and it could’ve gone either way, I think every time we play (UMKC) it is going to be a one-goal game,” Pogue said. “We got the one in the regular season and they got the one in the postseason, if I had to do it over I would rather have this one.”

Oakland fell behind early when UMKC got hold of a rebound in front of the net and knocked the ball in. The Grizzlies battled back and tied the game 10 minutes into the second half when sophomore Jonathan Evans scored the first goal of his collegiate career.

With five minutes remaining in the game, the Kangaroos took a free kick from near midfield and UMKC defender Coady Andrews lofted a header over the out-stretched arms of goalie Mitch Hildebrandt to put the Grizzlies behind.

Despite some offensive pressure in the final minutes, the clock ran out and the Grizzlies were eliminated.

The game could have very easily turned out differently, however, had the Grizzlies capitalized on one of their many quality scoring chances.

“Anytime you give away chances early and you give the other team the opportunity to stay in the game, you can’t leave chances like that out on the field,” Pogue said. “You put away one or two of those and maybe it’s a different game.”

After the match, Pogue said he was proud of the way his team battled and was complimentary to his goalkeeper.

“The first goal that they scored Mitch would like to have back, but he has saved all us year,” Pogue said. “It’s one thing when you lose and you don’t play with any heart or effort, but that was certainly not the case with our guys.”

Prior to the tournament, the team took home several of the Summit League’s highest honors. Pogue was named Summit League Coach of the Year in his first season as Oakland’s head coach.

Hildebrandt earned the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year award and was an all-conference selection thanks to his league-leading seven shutouts and 0.66 goals against average.

Also making the Summit League First Team were team captains Stefan St. Louis and Machel James, as well as freshman Johnny Dreshaj. Sophomore defender Vuk Popovic, junior forward Makesi Lewis, and freshman midfielder Leshorn Woods-Henry all received Summit League Second Team awards. Freshmen Shane Lyons and James Leutzinger were named to the Summit League All-Newcomer team.

Looking ahead, Oakland will lose some key players next year as co-captains James and St. Louis will graduate. On the bright side, OU does have a wealth of young talent, many of whom will be returning with their first full year of playing time under their belts. Pogue, although not at all satisfied with the way the season ended, is eager to see what this group of players can achieve in coming years.

“I think this team overachieved from the get-go, with a bunch of young players and they worked hard all season and believed in themselves. This one hurts, but we will lick our wounds and get out there working hard after the new year to make sure this does not happen again.”