ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team fell to Oakland on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 3-1. The Golden Grizzlies improve to 6-4-2 overall and 2-2 in the Horizon League. NKU is now 8-4 on the season and 1-3 in league play.
 
"It was an unusual day all around with conditions and field location changes," said NKU head coach Stu Riddle. "We've dug ourselves a hole in league play now and put ourselves under needless pressure due to not consistently putting together a 90 minute performance." 
 
NKU SCORING SUMMARY

• Trailing 2-0, Alex Willis cut the Oakland lead to 2-1 right at the 50^th minute. Willis took a pass from Felix Komolong and put his shot to the left of the goalkeeper.

 
BETWEEN THE POSTS

• Jim Barkei played the full 90 minutes in goal. He faced 14 shots and made four saves.

 
FIRST HALF SUMMARY

• Rikard Lindqvist attempted a shot within the first minute of play, but it went wide of the goal.
• In the seventh minute, Connor Probert took a shot on goal, but his attempt was saved by the Oakland goalkeeper.
• Probert tried to score again in the ninth minute, but his shot hit off of the post.
• Barkei made his first save of the match on a header attempt by Oakland's Dylan Borczak in the 16^th minute.
• In the 22^nd minute, Barkei stopped a shot from Oakland's Nebojsa Popovic to prevent the Golden Grizzlies from scoring.
• Oakland went ahead 1-0 in the 27^th minute. Popovic put his shot to the right of Barkei to give the Golden Grizzlies the lead.
• Barkei was forced into action again in the 28^th minute. He made a save on a shot attempt by Noah Jensen.
• The Norse earned a corner kick in the 29^th minute. Probert played it into the box, but Stian Jørgensen's header was just high of the mark.
• The Golden Grizzlies added to their lead in the 33^rd minute. Oakland took a corner kick and Luke Morrell headed it into the back of the net to make the score 2-0.
• Probert took another shot for NKU in the 37^th minute, but his attempt was high of the mark.

 
SECOND HALF SUMMARY

• Willis scored right at the 50^th minute to cut the Oakland lead to 2-1.
• The Norse had corner kicks in the 55^th and 57^th minutes but couldn't get a shot off on either opportunity.
• Oakland's Jensen had a shot blocked by the NKU defense in the 71^st and 72^nd minutes.
• The Golden Grizzlies' Napolean Outlaw III had a header attempt in the 73^rd minute, but it was wide of the mark.
• Barkei made a save right at the 75^th minute on a shot by Oakland's Borczak.
• Willis tried to tie the match in the 77^th minute, but his header attempt was saved by the Oakland goalkeeper.
• Alex Greive fired a shot on goal in the 82^nd minute, but his attempt was also saved.
• Liam Evans took a shot right at the 88^th minute. However, the Oakland goalkeeper came up with another save.
• Popovic made the score 3-1 in the 89^th minute. He scored on a breakaway by putting his shot to the left side of the goal.

 
MATCH NOTES

• Oakland had a 15-11 shot advantage in the match.
• The Golden Grizzlies also had eight corners, compared to four for the Norse.
• Willis' goal was his 12^th of the season.

 
UP NEXT

• The Norse host Detroit Mercy on Saturday, Oct. 13 for a Horizon League contest. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN3.