BABSON PARK, Fla. — The Ave Maria Gyrenes were just beginning their comeback attempt against the Webber Warriors Wednesday when lightning and heavy rain entered the area and ended the game early after just 70 minutes of play, giving the Warriors a 1-0 win.
The first half was fairly even between the two teams. Weeber recorded 12 shots with two on goal while the Gyrenes managed nine shots with one of them directed at the net. Both goal tenders stopped all three shots on goal in the opening 45 minutes and the teams went into the break tied at zero. Fifth-year goalkeeper Ian Wall got the start Wednesday, his second of the season and first since Ave Maria took on the Rocky Mountain Battlin' Bears in Montana, and recorded both saves for the Gyrenes.
Andre Betioli, a freshman from Boca Raton, Florida, got the shot on goal for AMU. Edwin Parraga had the best opportunity for the Gyrenes in the 19th minute when he took a shot but hit the post.
In the second half, Webber got the lone goal of the match off a penalty kick in the 57th minute when the Warriors were fouled in the goal box.
Tensions started to heat up in the minutes that followed with each squad being awarded a yellow card. In the 68th minute, Webber's Hung Vu got a red card for a bad tackle and gave the Gyrenes a man-advantage for the final 22 minutes of the game.
Just as the Gyrenes were mounting a comeback with the advantage, a storm that had been keeping its distance from Warrior Grass Field finally rolled in and put the game into a delay in the 71st minute. The two teams waited for about an hour before the game was officially called and ended early with the Warriors on top 1-0.
With the loss, the Gyrenes fall to 0-6-1. Their next game is Saturday, September 23 at home against the SCAD Bees. The Bees are 2-1-1 and will take on the Keiser Seahawks Thursday before playing the Gyrenes. That game will be broadcast on the Sun Digital Network as part of a triple header featuring Men's Soccer at 1 p.m., Volleyball vs Florida Memorial at 2 p.m. and Football vs Fort Lauderdale at 7 p.m.
