Rolla, Mo. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse football team fell to 0-3 on the season with a 31-24 loss at NCAA Division II Independent Missouri University of Science & Technology Saturday afternoon at Allgood-Bailey Stadium. The Miners improve to 1-3 on the year with their victory.

In the second-ever meeting between the two teams, UW-L raced out to a 10-0 lead Saturday. Justin Huinker hit a 23-yard field goal to make it 3-0 with 5:05 left in the opening quarter and Lee Lauters added a one-yard touchdown run with 4:12 remaining in the second period for a 10-0 lead. The Eagles won last year's meeting with the Miners, 48-0, in La Crosse. 

Missouri S&T quickly took a 14-10 halftime lead Saturday afternoon as Steve Watson connected on a pair of touchdown passes with Chad Shockley. The duo scored on a 77-yard touchdown pass with 2:24 left in the second quarter to cut the lead to 10-7 and after a UW-L punt, Watson hit Shockley with a 47-yard touchdown pass with 1:02 left in the first half. 

Huinker had missed a 28-yard field goal for UW-L early in the second quarter. 

On the first drive of the second half, UW-L's Nick Anker fumbled and Missouri S&T's Ashley Jordan returned the ball 36-yards for a touchdown to give the Miners a 21-10 lead with 14:08 remaining in the third quarter. 

Anker cut the lead to 21-17 with 3:15 left in the third as he hit Kyle Steffen with a 32-yard touchdown pass. After forcing a Miners' punt, the Eagles' Brock Larson gave UW-L a 24-21 lead as he scored on a one-yard run on the first drive of the fourth quarter. The score came with 14:16 remaining.

Missouri S&T tied the game at 24-24 as Joe Drahos made a 26-yard field goal with 8:30 left in the game. UW-L then drove to its 42-yard line on the ensuing drive, but a four-yard punt gave Missouri S&T the ball at the Eagles' 46-yard line with 6:10 remaining. Watson threw his third touchdown pass of the game to Shockley, this one from 25-yards out, with 3:24 left to give Missouri S&T a 31-24 advantage.

Larson returned the following kickoff to UW-L's 43-yard line and the Eagles converted two fourth-down pass plays, but UW-L's drive ended on Missouri S&T's 23-yard line with :38 remaining. 

UW-L had 417 yards of total offense, including 79 rushing and 338 passing. Anker finished 25-of-42 passing for a career-high 338 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Lauters had 55 yards rushing on 17 attempts and a score while also finishing with 119 receiving yards on five catches. Travis Bordeau lead the Eagles with eight catches (89 yards) while Alex Maxinoski had six receptions (47 yards). 

The Eagles had 23 first downs, but finished three-of-12 on third-down. The team was three-of-four on fourth-down.

Phillip Minja recorded a game-high 10 tackles for UW-L with Justin Hartwig and Jake Meckstroth each finishing with five. 

Missouri S&T had 364 yards, including 142 rushing and 222 passing. Watson was eight-of-13 passing for 222 yards and three touchdowns, all going to Shockley, who had five receptions for 199 yards. Bobby Pettis had 58 yards rushing on 16 attempts. Lonnell Jones led the Miners' defense with eight tackles.

Missouri S&T had 13 first-downs and were six-of-13 on third-down.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, October 2, opening up WIAC play at UW-Oshkosh starting at 6 p.m.