ROLLA, Mo. - Senior wide receiver Khiry Draine became the first player in Lincoln history to surpass the 1,000-yard receiving mark in a season, but it wasn't enough as the Blue Tigers finished the regular season Saturday with a 14-9 loss to Missouri S&T in a Great Lakes Valley Conference matchup.
The Miners scored two unanswered touchdowns and held off a late drive by the Blue Tigers to finish their season at 4-7 (3-5 GLVC). Meanwhile, Lincoln closed out the 2014 campaign at 2-9 (1-7 GLVC).
Draine finished the season finale with nine catches for 170 to lead the Blue Tigers, who had 299 yards of total offense.
Lincoln trailed 14-3 after Charles Bournes capped off a six-play, 55-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run with 9:10 left in the third quarter.
The Blue Tigers showed some life when Rashyled Melvin punched it in from the 1-yard line to cap a 17-play, 95-yard drive to make it 14-9 with 14:58 to play in the fourth quarter. Lincoln opted to go for two, but Owen Jordan's pass went incomplete.
Jordan was 17-of-34 for 194 yards with two interceptions, while Dennis Vinson completed 2-of-4 passes for 49 yards with a pick.
Senior running back Morris Henderson, who was ejected from the game with 6:17 remaining in the third quarter, finished with 38 yards rushing on 16 carries.
Robert Daniels recorded two interceptions and Kerry Roby added a pick of his own to help pace Lincoln's defense, which allowed 366 yards to the Miners, ranked last in the league in total offense.
Lincoln took a 3-0 lead with 10:42 to left in the second quarter when Andrew Fishel nailed a 23-yard field goal, but Missouri S&T responded when Reed Brown hit Jacob Nutt with a 3-yard touchdown pass to give the Miners a 7-3 edge with 21 seconds remaining in the first half.
The Blue Tigers trailed the rest of the way.
Lincoln had an opportunity to get on the board twice in the first quarter, but two interceptions halted those drives.
The first pick came when Jake Harlan intercepted Jordan at the Miners' 18-yard line midway throughout the opening period. Will Brown followed by picking off Vinson for his league-leading seventh interception just inside the S&T goal line with just under four minutes to play in the first quarter.