Oakland University lost 1-0 to Youngstown State on Thursday, Oct. 1, at Oakland Soccer Field. Forward Baylee Williams chipped a shot over goalkeeper Norah Schmidt in the 42nd minute for the game's only goal, extending the Golden Grizzlies' Horizon League winless streak to four games.

The loss dropped Oakland to 1-8-1 overall and 0-4 in conference play. It also ended a streak that had stood for more than two decades: YSU had never won in Rochester, going 0-9-1 at Oakland Soccer Field before Thursday's match.

Oakland controlled the early tempo. Mia Tuka, Emma Smith, Ella Shapiro and Sophie Schultz all fired shots between the 10th and 16th minutes. The Golden Grizzlies earned three corner kicks in a two-minute window around the 23rd minute, and Isabella Bierod forced a save from YSU goalkeeper Kendall Sears at 26:17.

None of it produced a goal.

Williams did. Emma Berdiner and Ava Yurko set up the forward, who lifted the ball over Schmidt just before halftime. It was Williams' second goal of the season and her second in consecutive games.

Oakland pushed again after the break. Smith, who led the team with three shots and one on goal, and Nicole Grimaldo created chances in the second half. Brae Cole added two shots, one on frame.

The closest the Golden Grizzlies came to equalizing arrived in the 89th minute, when Lilly Boebel's shot struck the crossbar. Schmidt finished with three saves in 90 minutes of work, including a stop on YSU's Kamryn Rosa in the 76th minute.

YSU improved to 3-7-3 overall and 3-0-1 in Horizon League play, the program's best conference start since joining the league in 2001. The Penguins outshot Oakland 16-13 and put four on goal. Sears recorded her second consecutive shutout with three saves.

The last meeting between the two programs before Thursday was Oakland's 1-0 upset of YSU in the 2025 Horizon League Championship quarterfinals, when Mallory Anderson scored the winner in the 98th minute of extra time.

Oakland hosts Robert Morris on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. at Oakland Soccer Field. Robert Morris enters Sunday’s game at 5-4-2 overall and 2-1-1 in Horizon League play after a scoreless draw at Detroit Mercy on Thursday.