DENTON, Texas — The OU soccer team suffered two heartbreaking losses this weekend — one late in regulation, the other in overtime — to fall to 1-4 this season.

The Sooners were shut out Sunday afternoon by Rice, losing 1-0 on a late goal. Both teams came out playing strong defense and played through a scoreless first half. The two teams combined for a total of 10 shots in the first half in the defensive struggle.

Goals were just as hard to come by in the second half, despite a significant rise in shots and scoring opportunities.

The Sooners registered 11 second-half shots to Rice’s six, but still couldn’t find the back of the net.

“We all have to get better at finishing off our opportunities,” forward Whitney Palmer said. “We had so many opportunities that we didn’t finish and we just want to put it in the back of the net. We just have to keep working.”

The only goal of the game came in the 88th minute when Rice forward Anne Candee’s corner kick went untouched into the Sooners’ goal.

“I think they put together 86 minutes of soccer,” head coach Nicole Nelson said. “Again inexperience and lack of urgency on the corner cost them the game.”

OU didn’t fare any better Friday night, losing 3-2 in overtime to North Texas.

Despite falling behind early, OU ended the first half strong by scoring two late goals by Palmer and midfielder Abbey Golliher.

Palmer put the Sooners on the board with her third goal of the season at the 36-minute mark on a breakaway shot that was created on a defender-splitting outlet pass by forward Ashley Farrand.

With less than two minutes remaining in the first half, Golliher put OU ahead going into the half 2-1 on a rebound shot through traffic near UNT’ s goal. The ball was deflected numerous times after a Palmer corner kick before finding its way to Golliher.

The second half turned into a physical battle, and the score remained unchanged until the 84-minute mark when UNT defender Kelli Lunsford found an opening and placed a 35-yard shot into back corner of the net.

Lunsford’s goal tied the game and wound up being the final goal before going into overtime. Lunsford scored again on a long distance shot in the extra period.

“We just let a really good win slip away,” Nelson said Friday. “We just gave up the same goal twice in the last minutes, which again accounts for inexperience and lack of focus.”

The Sooners head out on a two-game road trip next weekend to take on Memphis and Ole Miss in another Friday/Sunday series.