LAMONI, Iowa – The Graceland University women's soccer team faced a tough challenge in their homecoming match on Saturday, falling 3-0 to Benedictine College. Despite a resilient first half, the Yellowjackets were unable to find a breakthrough and conceded three second-half goals to a strong Ravens side.

Benedictine, currently unbeaten in conference play, pressed throughout the match, outshooting Graceland 13-8. Graceland's goalkeeper Maggie Peterson made four saves, but the offensive pressure from the Ravens proved too much in the second half.

"We played a hard-fought first half and created a few chances, but we couldn't quite capitalize," said Graceland head coach Randall Porter. "Benedictine is a talented side, and once they found their rhythm in the second half, it became a real challenge to contain them."

The Yellowjackets started the game strongly, holding their ground against the offensive threat of Benedictine. Graceland's defense, anchored by Peterson and defenders like Aroa Gallego and Callie Clark-Smith, kept the Ravens at bay for the first 45 minutes. Benedictine had four shots on goal in the first half, but Peterson's three saves helped Graceland go into halftime with the score tied 0-0.

Offensively, the Yellowjackets struggled to find clear-cut opportunities in the first half, with their only shot coming from Wissal Rafik, which went wide. Benedictine applied constant pressure with two corner kicks and several attempts on goal, but Graceland's defense held firm.

Benedictine came out strong in the second half and broke the deadlock in the 51st minute when Lizzy Gresch scored the first goal of the match off an unassisted strike, giving the Ravens a 1-0 lead. The pressure continued to mount, and just two minutes later, Benedictine was awarded a penalty kick, which Christine Znidarsic converted to double the Ravens' lead.

Graceland's situation worsened in the 59th minute when midfielder Mayra Gutierrez received a red card, forcing the Yellowjackets to play a man down for the remainder of the match. Despite this setback, Graceland managed to create several offensive chances, with Florencia Campodonic and Emily Carmen each testing Benedictine goalkeeper Mackenzie Korzenecki.

The Ravens sealed the game in the 82nd minute when Audrey Bolan added a third goal, securing a 3-0 victory for Benedictine. Graceland continued to battle despite the numerical disadvantage, with Carmen registering three shots on goal, but the Yellowjackets were unable to break through Benedictine's defense.

"This was a tough result to swallow, especially on homecoming, but I'm proud of the fight our team showed, particularly in the first half," Porter added. "We had our chances but couldn't convert, and in the second half, they made the most of their opportunities. We'll take this as a learning experience and come back stronger. Our focus now turns to William Penn on Wednesday, where we'll look to bounce back against another quality opponent."

The Yellowjackets drop to 4-8-2 on the season and 1-6-0 in conference play. Graceland will return to action this Wednesday in Lamoni, facing the William Penn Statesmen. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. as the Yellowjackets aim to rebound and gain momentum as the season progresses.