SMITHFIELD — Nansemond River and host Smithfield played 70 minutes worth of spirited, hard-fought soccer Friday night. The match was sure for a good finish, with Smithfield just taking a 2-1 lead, before thunderstorms forced the last 10 minutes of the second half to be called off and gave the Lady Packers a 2-1 win.

Up until Friday’s match, the last tune-up Nansemond River gets before going into Southeastern District competition this week, the Lady Warriors (3-4) had alternated wins and losses through their first six matches.

The two sides battled, in a fast, physical game all over the field, to a 0-0 halftime score. Good scoring chances on either end were tough to come by and the match might have remained goalless long into the second half until Smithfield gained a questionably-called penalty kick three minutes into the second half.

NR sweeper Sara Gallagher and a Lady Packer forward, chasing down a long, bouncing ball toward the top left corner of the NR penalty box, were holding each other fighting for position on a bounce of the ball and Gallagher was whistled for the foul a shade inside the box.

Smithfield’s Savannah Miller drilled the penalty kick just under the crossbar for a 1-0 Lady Packer lead.

Smithfield turned in two excellent chances to extend its lead but Lady Warrior keeper Rachel McManus kept her team close.

With about 25 minutes left, Smithfield got a 1-on-1 break against McManus only for McManus to race off her line to cut down the shooter’s angle and parry away a hard drive toward goal.

Seven minutes later, a Smithfield free kick created scrambled action in NR’s box. A strong shot from the top of the box was good until McManus got just enough of the high shot to save it over the crossbar.

After clearing the ensuing Smithfield corner kick, the Lady Warriors turned the pressure onto Smithfield’s end of the field.

Markelle Patterson hustled against two Smithfield defenders for a long pass down the left side of the field, just inside the Smithfield box. Patterson kept the ball inbounds and forced a weak clearing attempt that turned into a loose ball in the box. Malika Rashid ran into the play, spun with the ball away from a Smithfield defender and in the same spin booted a shot inside the far post, the right post, to suddenly tie the match, 1-1.

Five minutes later, with 12:30 remaining, Savannah Miller gave Smithfield the lead again. Chasing down a ball just outside NR’s box and a split-second before McManus or a Lady Warrior defender got to the ball, Miller poked it past McManus, rolling into the unguarded goal.

NR nearly answered barely more than a minute later. Practically right off the kickoff the Lady Warriors attacked Smithfield’s box, forcing a foul in a great spot for a free kick. Sara Gallagher’s 21-yard shot glanced off the crossbar thanks to a leaping save by the Smithfield keeper.

A chilling rain began falling just before NR got the tying goal and a couple minutes after Smithfield moved ahead 2-1, seconds after Gallagher’s shot came within a couple inches of making it a 2-2 score, lightning forced the officials to delay the game. The storm, with lightning, thunder, wind and heavier rains, increased.

VHSL rules mandate a delayed game must wait at least 30 minutes after the last sign of thunder or lightning to resume. That possibility seemed a long way off around 9 p.m. Friday in Smithfield so the match was called shortly after the delay.

The Lady Warriors go on to a pair of Southeastern District matches this week. NR plays at Grassfield Tuesday at 7 p.m. and will host Oscar Smith Thursday at 7 p.m.