LORETTO, Pa. – The Robert Morris University women's soccer team rallied to tie Saint Francis in the second half, but ultimately dropped a 2-1 decision Friday afternoon in Northeast Conference play.
 
RMU junior midfielder and Norwin High School grad Brittany O'Connell buried her third NCAA goal off a 59th-minute free kick, but Emilee Barnett netted the winner 10 minutes later for the Red Flash.
 
The Colonials (4-9-2, 2-4-1 NEC) nearly escaped with a point as freshman Kayla Veloso-Lima had a bid for a late equalizer, but her attempt bounced off the crossbar.
 
"We were able to re-organize at halftime," RMU head coach John Kowalski said. "A bit unlucky."
 
The defeat kept the Colonials three points out of the fourth and final postseason spot in the NEC with three matches remaining in the regular season. All four of RMU's conference losses have been by one goal.
 
Junior goalkeeper Sydney Bruckner kept up her fine form, stopping a season-high 11 shots on target. She could do nothing about Mariana Jaleca's eighth-minute goal for Saint Francis, as Jaleca appeared to be attempting a cross that sailed into the top-right corner of the RMU goal.
 
The Red Flash (5-8-1, 4-3-0 NEC) outshot RMU 15-6 in the opening 45 minutes, but much like two weeks ago at Wagner, the Colonials made some tactical and personnel adjustments at the break that bore fruit.
 
Among those changes: O'Connell moved higher, into the attacking midfield, while senior Kristina Kelley shifted back into a holding position. Also, freshman attacker Gabriella Lecuona saw 43 minutes off the bench at left wing.
 
"Faster transitions to go forward," Kowalski said of his team's second-half goal. "Gabby played well and provided us with some good crosses and attacking opportunities."
 
The Colonials burst out of the locker room and were rewarded when a foul was called on Saint Francis just a few yards beyond the left corner of the penalty area. O'Connell, who nailed the crossbar with an overtime free kick from a similar spot last Sunday against Fairleigh Dickinson, delivered a perfect shot over flailing SFU keeper Julia Hernan.
 
O'Connell's second goal of the season – she also connected from open play at Long Island – provided a payoff, but the Red Flash had an answer against the run of play when Barnett converted an incisive feed from Abigail Tarosky.
 
RMU will stay on the road next weekend when they take on Central Connecticut and Merrimack over a three-day span.