KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After a few hours of weather delays and a change of location, Avila men's soccer (2-6-1, 1-2-1 KCAC) built a 2-0 halftime lead only to see Sterling (7-2-0, 4-0-0 KCAC) erupt for four second-half goals to earn a 4-2 comeback win on Saturday night in south Kansas City.

Bad weather in the KC area directly affected both KCAC soccer games slated to be played at The Z on Saturday – the women's game was able to be completed following some delays, but the men's game was postponed due to lightning and imminent weather with just under ten minutes off the first half clock. After a while, the administration and teams were able to move the contest to nearby Barstow High School, where the final 80 minutes of regulation could be completed safely.

Both teams were equally affected by the adverse conditions, but once the game was finally resumed the Eagles quickly got on the front foot. Vincent Escott got the party started with a sweet strike from the top of the box in the 28^th minute, and Ismaiel Cisse, in his return to the Avila lineup, made it a double just north of ten minutes later with a strong shot set up by Henri Kagay, his first point as an Eagle.

Avila took a 2-0 lead into the intermission after a very strong, if disjointed, first 45 minutes. But after an abbreviated halftime, Sterling, which looked shaken in the resumed first half, came out looking like a completely different team in the second half. The Warriors tightened things up defensively, allowing just one shot on goal in the final 45, and steadily pushed forward, earning chance after chance and set piece after set piece.

And those opportunities were the direct difference in the game. Sterling earned nine corner kicks in the second half and scored directly off three of them – all of which were set up by Jonathan Torres and scored by three different players – and the Warriors' second goal of the half was scored off a free kick. Sterling's first goal came less than two minutes into the second half, and just about 30 minutes later, the visitors turned a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 advantage, and the Eagles were unable to muster a response in the final ten minutes of the game.

Looming next for Avila is the KCAC's top dog, national powerhouse Oklahoma Wesleyan, which heads into Kansas City for a Wednesday doubleheader between the league's two Eagle squads. Avila's chance for two marquee wins starts with the women's game at 1 PM, followed by the men's game at 3:30; as always, admission to soccer games at The Z is free, and you can watch all the action live and for free wherever you are on the Avila Sports Network with Tim Hackett and Max Williams on the call from Kansas City.