Oakland University women's soccer broke a scoreless tie with three goals in six second-half minutes Thursday, beating Mercyhurst 3-0 in Erie, Pa., to claim the Golden Grizzlies' first opening-day win since 2022.

The game was locked at 0-0 through 71 minutes before Mercyhurst put the ball into its own net in the 72nd minute. Less than 60 seconds later, Ava Ruffino launched a shot from well outside the box that found the back of the net, making it 2-0 in the 73rd minute. It was Ruffino's first career collegiate goal.

Adalyn Cameron earned the assist on Ruffino's strike, her first career assist after putting four shots on frame across the match. Bailey Giddings capped the scoring in the 78th minute, converting her only shot on target to seal the shutout.

The team's official X account called Ruffino's goal "a BANGER for our first goal of the season."

Goalkeeper Norah Schmidt kept a clean sheet, making one save across 90 minutes. Her biggest moment came early: a stop on Mercyhurst's Sadie Lewis in the second minute that kept the game level when the Lakers had their best look of the night.

Freshman Lilly Boebel made her Oakland debut and recorded three shots on goal. Cameron's two first-half shots on target were both turned away by Mercyhurst goalkeeper Adri Lika, keeping the scoreline knotted at the break.

Oakland entered the season ranked fifth in the Horizon League preseason poll, the program's highest preseason position in three years. The Golden Grizzlies won their first Horizon League Tournament game since 2021 last season, when Mallory Anderson scored in extra time.

The postgame GRIT Chain award went to Ruffino.

Oakland travels to the University of Akron on Sunday, Aug. 16, for a 1 p.m. kickoff before returning to Rochester for the home opener against Bowling Green on Thursday, Aug. 20, at Oakland Soccer Field.