Dominate for 90 minutes on the field, come up empty on the scoreboard. Soccer can be cruel like that sometimes.

The Franklin women fell prey to such heartbreak on Sunday afternoon, taking a 1-0 loss at Bluffton in a match that saw the Grizzlies come out ahead in seemingly every way except the final score.

The Grizzlies (2-11-1, 1-5 HCAC) finished the match with a 19-8 advantage in overall shots, putting nine on net to the Beavers' three. The visitors also had eight corner kicks to Bluffton's five. Yet it was the home side that was able to cash in on one of its few chances, with a Mya Vernon goal just 2:41 into the second half the lone tally for either team.

Franklin got a corner kick in the game's opening minute that produced a Jetta Norris shot, but her attempt was stopped by Bluffton keeper Madison Kutscher. Madison Hill had another dangerous opportunity in the fifth minute, but her shot went off the crossbar.

Norris had two more shots on goal before halftime and Amirah Curry one, but the Grizzlies went into the intermission with the score still at 0-0.

Vernon then made the Beavers' first shot on goal pay off, and Franklin spent the last 42-plus minutes trying to pull even. The Grizzlies had their chances — perhaps none better than in the 61st minute. Kutscher saved a Hill shot and an Amani Kincaid attempt went off the crossbar just 30 seconds later. An Avery Hamilton shot was blocked, setting up an Issy Pridemore corner that yielded a header shot from Adex Bixler-Buquer. Kutscher, though, was up to the task. She finished with nine saves, stopping two more shots by Sydney Lovett and one by Alaina Kellerman in the closing minutes.

Next up for the Grizzlies is the last of four straight road matches, this one at Earlham on Wednesday.