ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Oakland Golden Grizzlies lost to Detroit Mercy 2-0 on Saturday. The Golden Grizzlies finished with 10 shots and two on goal but were held scoreless as Detroit Mercy scored twice in the second half.
The Golden Grizzlies created the first chances of the half, with
Bailey Giddings forcing a save in the 10th minute before earning a corner kick five seconds later. Detroit Mercy answered with a look of its own, but
Norah Schmidt made a save in the 14th minute to keep the match without a goal. The Golden Grizzlies continued to press through the middle of the half, adding a
Brae Cole shot and a corner kick in the 21st minute. Schmidt added another save in the 27th minute, and Oakland followed with three shots between the 29th and 31st minutes, including
Mia Tuka's attempt that Eva Hill saved. Schmidt made one more save in the 32nd minute, and the teams each finished the half with five shots as the Golden Grizzlies went into halftime tied 0-0.
The Golden Grizzlies kept Detroit Mercy off the board through the first 20-plus minutes of the second half. Schmidt made saves in the 51st and 62nd minutes while the Golden Grizzlies absorbed seven Detroit Mercy attacking actions without conceding, and
Emma Smith put a shot forward in the 58th minute. Gabriella Gojcaj broke through for Detroit Mercy in the 66th minute. The Golden Grizzlies responded with Giddings' shot in the 68th minute and a corner less than a minute later, then earned another corner in the 72nd minute. Gojcaj later converted a penalty kick as the visitors built a 2-0 lead. The final push came in the closing minutes, when Tuka,
Olivia Norton and
Sophia Benavides each recorded shots around a Golden Grizzlies corner in the 89th minute, but Detroit Mercy held the shutout and finished off the 2-0 result.
Schmidt recorded six saves over 90 minutes in goal, with three in each half. Giddings finished with two shots and put one on goal. Tuka also recorded two shots, including one on frame.
