Box Score ROCHESTER, MI – Despite doubling up Oakland in total shots, the Wright State men's soccer team dropped its first Horizon League match of the season on Saturday, falling 1-0 to the host Golden Grizzlies on a windy afternoon in Michigan.
Wright State (4-4-4, 4-1-2 Horizon) will remain at 14 points in the League standings, staying at least temporarily two points back of first-place Cleveland State as the Raiders await CSU's result from later Saturday night. With the win Oakland (3-7-3, 3-1-2 Horizon) jumps up to 11 points in the standings and into third place.
Wright State has two regular season Horizon League matches remaining but will have to wait for that action until October 29 (at Cleveland State) and November 2 (against Detroit Mercy), with the Raiders playing two non-conference contests before then.
On Saturday, the Raiders had a pair of tremendous chances, one in the closing moments of each half, but were ultimately stuck with nothing to show for it on the scoreboard. In the 45th minute,
Conner Osterholt's header found the back of the net off a cross, but he was called for a foul after pushing off the Oakland defender on the way up to head the ball. In the 88th minute as the Raiders made their final push, a bouncing, deflecting ball found its way onto the foot of
Reece Allbaugh in the box, but Oakland keeper Michael Sly Jr. was able to make the save.
Oakland netted what turned out to be the lone goal of the afternoon in the 54th minute when Ville Ahola found the bottom right corner from about 22 yards out off an assist from Dawsun Schrum.
Wright State finished with a 16-8 overall shot advantage, including a 9-2 lead in shots on goal, with Allbaugh's five shots a match high. Allbaugh and
John Lynam each had two shots on frame to pace the Raiders, while Osterholt was the only other Wright State player with multiple shots with his two attempts.
Sly Jr. turned away six Raider shots, while Wright State keeper
Sebastian Jimenez was only forced to make one save and the only other Oakland chance came on the Ahola goal.
Wright State now steps out of Horizon League play for its next two matches, first traveling to take on Western Michigan next Saturday, October 22 before hosting Marshall in midweek action on Wednesday, October 26 at Alumni Field.
