Oakland University’s women’s soccer team fell to the St. Francis Red Flash on Sunday afternoon in a 3-1 defeat.

In a game where every shot was a little wide and every cross was a little too long the Grizzlies just couldn’t find the right rhythm in the rain.

Interim head coach Dave Morgan said, “We have to finish our scoring opportunities.” 

OU outshot the Red Flash 27-13, but had trouble finding the back of the net. However, both teams ended up having seven shots on net.

OU freshman forward Alice Palmer scored her second goal of the year, coming off an assist from senior forward Meghan Reynolds in the 81^st minute, but it proved to be too little too late, as St. Francis was already ahead 3-0.

Palmer said, “We were unlucky most of the time today.”

Palmer also led the team with seven shots.  The Red Flash’s goalie Jena Lafferty finished with six saves, while OU’s senior Payj O’Shea only had four.  It was Lafferty’s collegiate debut.

OU junior forward Kyla Kellerman had an opportunity early in the first half when she hit the post, with St. Francis mounting a counter attack from the shot. The Red Flash ended up in the corner, and forward Barbara Maros de Carvalho managed to score off a rebound and put it by OU senior goalie Payj O’Shea.

Red Flash All American forward Tesa McKibben scored two goals, one nearing the end of the first half and again in the second half on a header, both coming off an assist from teammate Ellie Gavin. They were McKibben’s 6^th and 7^th goals of the season.

Oakland started the second half with a foul, with a yellow card being issued to sophomore defender Sarah Reynolds.

After Palmer’s goal, Oakland had two more chances, but couldn’t capitalize, as shots by Aly Rawson and Meghan Reynolds sailed wide.

 “We need to work on repetition and patterns, and that’s what we’re gonna work on,” says interim coach Dave Morgan.

Oakland falls to 4-6-1 overall on a one game break from conference play. The Grizzlies have now dropped three of their last four. They’ll try and snap out of their recent rough stretch this Saturday vs. Wright State in Dayton, Ohio. 

Women’s soccer will return home Wednesday Oct. 9th at 7 p.m. vs. Valparaiso.