INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI men's soccer team held down one of the top attacks in the Horizon League for much of the day, including stopping a penalty kick, but ultimately allowed a score in the closing minutes in a 1-0 home loss to Oakland on Saturday (Oct. 23). 

Oakland's Dylan Borczak took advantage of an errant clearance and laced a shot past IUPUI goalkeeper Lucas Morefield in the game's 75th minute for the day's only offense. It spoiled an otherwise brilliant effort from the IUPUI defense as the Jaguars allowed just four shots on goal, one of which was a PK, to the Golden Grizzlies. 

"It's unfortunate that on a day in which you hold down one of the best attacks in the Horizon League, you don't get rewarded because ultimately we didn't take full opportunity of the chances that we created. Credit to (Borczak) in that he's an opportunistic attacking player and when the opportunity presented itself, he capitalized. We don't clear a ball out of our end and he gets in between our backs and then hits a shot that our goalkeeper didn't have a chance on. That was the difference in today's game," head coach Brian Barnett said. 

Oakland (8-5-2, 6-1-1 HL) outshot IUPUI 7-4 in the opening half and had easily the best opportunity when Tommy Patacca was called for a foul against OU's Charlie Braithwaite inside the penalty area, leading to a Mikey Ketteman penalty kick in the 41st minute. However, Morefield guessed right, dove left and smothered a well struck attempt to keep the game scoreless at the half. 

The IUPUI (3-10-1, 2-6 HL) offense was much more engaged and connected after halftime as Riley Shives had some early opportunities sent aside, the second of which resulted in a corner kick. Owen Jarrell blazed an attempt just wide in the 54th minute and Chris Workman had a similar attempt fly wide of target in the 56th minute. 

IUPUI's best attempt of the day came in the 73rd minute when Matthew Skaar found himself on the end of a lofted ball near the six-yard box and blindly flicked a header in the direction of the goal, just over the crossbar. Moments later, Oakland tallied the winner when the Jaguars were unable to clear a ball from the right side and Borczak got a poachers goal to open the scoring. 

IUPUI continued to press the pace and try to find creases, but was ultimately unsuccessful against OU keeper Finn Jurak and the Golden Grizzlies defense. The Jaguars finished with 12 shot attempts, none of which were on frame. Shives had a team-high four attempts and Logan Finnegan had three from the midfield. Noah Jensen had five shots for the guests while Morefield finished with three saves. 

IUPUI will return to action next Saturday (Oct. 30) when the Jaguars trek to Purdue Fort Wayne for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.