Oakland University women's soccer travels to Wisconsin on Thursday for two Horizon League road matches against the league's reigning champion and only undefeated team.
The Golden Grizzlies (1-5-1 overall, 0-1 Horizon League) open the trip at Milwaukee's Engelmann Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. ET. They close it Sunday, Sept. 27, at Green Bay with a 2 p.m. ET kickoff. Both matches stream on ESPN+.
Oakland enters the week on a two-game losing skid after falling 2-0 to Cleveland State at home on Sept. 19 in its conference opener. Cleveland State's Ryleigh Alcala scored both goals, in the Sept. 19 loss, earning Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Oakland goalkeeper Norah Schmidt made eight saves in the loss but was outshot 19-8.
The Golden Grizzlies opened 2026 with a 3-0 win at Mercyhurst on Aug. 13 but have gone 0-5-1 since, according to Oakland Athletics. Head coach Devin Zvosec, in his third season, has leaned on captains Brae Cole, Brooke Blackstock and Ella Shapiro. Cole, a 2025 All-Horizon League Second Team pick, led the team with six goals and three assists last season and was the only league player to record a hat trick in 2025.
Thursday's match pits Oakland against a Milwaukee program that has dominated the series. The Panthers are 16-3-5 all-time against the Golden Grizzlies and unbeaten in 19 straight meetings since Oakland joined the Horizon League, according to Milwaukee Athletics. Milwaukee has not allowed Oakland a goal since 2019, a stretch spanning more than 720 minutes.
Oakland did shut out Milwaukee in their 2025 regular-season meeting. But the Panthers ended the Golden Grizzlies' season with a 3-0 win in the Horizon League Championship semifinals, en route to a fourth straight regular-season and tournament double.
Milwaukee (3-4-2, 1-0) won its conference opener Sept. 19, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to beat IU Indy 3-2 on Maya Wilson's 85th-minute goal. Head coach Kevin Boyd's Panthers carry a 40-game unbeaten streak in Horizon League regular-season play, a conference record dating to the 2022 season opener. Milwaukee was picked first in the 2026 preseason coaches' poll. Oakland was picked fifth.
Goalkeeper Lauren Nidey anchors the Milwaukee defense with four shutouts, second most in the league. Emily Petring and Abby O'Brien each have two goals, while Sadbh Griffin leads the Panthers with three assists.
Sunday's opponent presents a different challenge. Green Bay (6-0-2, 1-0) has allowed just two goals in eight matches, seven fewer than the next-lowest total in the league. Goalkeeper Anna Scott has a league-best five shutouts, facing just 25 shots and making 12 saves all season.
Sarah Hanes and Laney Stark lead the Phoenix attack with three goals each. Eight different Green Bay players have scored, and five have at least one goal and one assist.
History favors Oakland in this matchup. The Golden Grizzlies are 8-3 in 15 all-time meetings with Green Bay and have not lost to the Phoenix since 2017. Oakland also allowed zero goals against Green Bay in their 2025 regular-season meeting.
Oakland returns home to face Youngstown State on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. at Oakland Soccer Field in Rochester Hills.
