Zach Crane

Rainy conditions Friday in south central Missouri turned it into a long night for the Miner soccer team in more ways than one.

After enduring two weather delays that lasted better than two and one-half hours, No. 13 Lewis grabbed a lead on a penalty kick just over two minutes after play resumed and went on to post a 4-1 victory over the Miners in the first men's game at the new UMR Soccer Field.

The game started 25 minutes late due to lightning while the teams were warming up, then just 1:34 after play started, the game was halted again due to severe thunderstorms moving into the Rolla area. After that lengthy delay ended, the contest resumed and Lewis wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard in a game played on a very wet field.

UMR was whistled for a hand ball in the box during a scramble in front and the Flyers' Cory Mastey converted the penalty kick to put Lewis on top. The Flyers added two more goals in the final 12 minutes of the first half, getting tallies from Anthony Marsico and Jorge DeJesus to go up 3-0 at the intermission.

The Miners got on the scoreboard at the 60:50 mark on a penalty kick of their own, as a takedown in the box led to an opportunity that defender Zach Crane converted to make the score 3-1. UMR continued to put pressure on the Flyers in the minutes after the goal to try to cut the margin down some more, but Lewis gained an insurance goal with just under 17 minutes to play when DeJesus got a wide open shot in front of the net.

UMR outshot Lewis 23-19 in the game, but the Flyers (8-1, 6-1 GLVC) had 10 shots on net as opposed to UMR's nine. Mike McNamee made six saves in goal for UMR (4-5, 2-2 GLVC).

The Miners will play host to No. 25-ranked Wisconsin-Parkside Sunday at noon.