Oakland University men's soccer opens Horizon League play Wednesday, Sept. 9, with two home matches at Oakland Soccer Field this week.

The Golden Grizzlies (1-2-1) host Cleveland State at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Northern Illinois at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12. Saturday's match is the first conference meeting between Oakland and the Huskies.

Oakland enters the week ranked third in the Horizon League in goals per game (1.750) and tied for second in total goals (7), according to the athletics department. Goalkeeper Cole Thompson is tied for second in the league in saves with 21 and third in saves per game at 5.25.

The Grizzlies are coming off a 7-2 loss at Grand Canyon on Sept. 3, a game in which the Lopes set a program record for goals against a Division I opponent. Andriy Bilous scored in the 51st minute, assisted by Julian Kanzler, and Grant Mateer added a goal in the 55th minute. Both were first goals of the season.

Redshirt freshman Cal Kurzawa, from Carmel, Indiana, scored two goals and added an assist in Oakland's 3-2 win over UIC on Aug. 27. The performance earned him Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors on Aug. 31. He became only the second Oakland freshman to win the weekly award since 2018, joining Christopher Jean-Leger, who earned the honor in 2025.

Wednesday's opponent, Cleveland State (1-2-1), arrives with momentum. Vikings goalkeeper Aleksandar Kolar won Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week after recording seven saves in a scoreless draw against No. 19 FAU. Tom Mertz and Domenic Ruggiero each lead Cleveland State with two goals and one assist. The Vikings rank fourth in the conference in goals allowed per game (1.25). Oakland holds a 12-6 all-time edge in the series but lost 1-0 on the road last season.

Northern Illinois (3-2) poses a different challenge Saturday. The Huskies lead the Horizon League with nine goals this season, spread across Vance Sheffield, Tobias Crear and Luka Vasic, who each have two. NIU has won consecutive 2-1 games over UIC and Eastern Illinois heading into conference play. Oakland has never beaten Northern Illinois in three all-time meetings, the most recent a 2-1 NIU win in 2021.

Both matches are at Oakland Soccer Field in Rochester.