STARS CAN'T FIND MOMENTUM IN 4-2 LOSS TO SOCKERS
LAKELAND, FL. – The Stars (2-4) and San Diego Sockers (3-2) met at the RP Funding Center to close out their part of the Sunshine Series. Looking very much like two teams who played two tough games already this week, they combined for only 23 shots in a game won by the Sockers 4-2.
Game time was schedule for noon in Florida which is the equivalent to a 9 am kick off for the Stars and Sockers. That may have contributed to a scoreless first quarter in which the Stars out-shot the Sockers 2-1.
Scoring opened in the second quarter with Brandon Escoto getting credited with an assist on Gerardo Jurado’s second goal of the season with 12:14 to go in the first half. Mitchell Cardenas sent a ball from the yellow line past Tacoma keeper Chris Toth for his first of the year and it was 2-0 Sockers with 9:27 on the clock.
Following a blue card to Tacoma’s Cory Keitz, Sockers captain Kraig Chiles picked up the power play goal and the game went to halftime with a 3-0 San Diego advantage.
The Stars took control in the third frame and only allowed one San Diego shot and spoiled Sockers keeper Boris Pardo’s clean sheet on Philip Lund’s second goal of the year, assisted by Vini Dantas. The next Stars goal was a special one. Ismael Deluna was credited with a San Diego own-goal picking up his first career MASL goal and point. With that, the teams headed to the final 15 minutes of play with San Diego clinging to a one-goal lead.
There would be no late-game magic for Tacoma as they could not muster a shot against the Sockers and the only goal of the fourth came off the foot of San Diego’s Christian Gutierrez. His first of the season was the last goal of the game and sealed the 4-2 win for San Diego.
Next up for the Stars will be a trip through Missouri to face the Kansas City Comets and St. Louis Ambush on March 6 and 7. They will complete the 2021 regular season the following week in Ontario California with games against the Fury, Sockers, and Florida Tropics.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st – None. Penalties – TAC Dos Santos blue card (unsportsmanlike conduct) 11:20; SD Chiles blue card (unsportsmanlike conduct) 11:20.
2nd – SD Jurado (Escoto) 2:46; SD Cardenas (De Oliveira) 5:33; SD Chiles (De Oliveira) PP 11:44. Penalties – TAC Keitz blue card (unsportsmanlike conduct) 10:33.
3rd – TAC Lund (Dantas) 6:20; TAC Deluna 14:58. Penalties – SD Ubiparipovic blue card (tripping) 3:44; SD De Oliveira yellow card (dissent) 3:55; SD Chiles blue card (holding) 12:04.
4th – SD Gutierrez (Ruiz) 12:48. Penalties – none.
Shots – Tacoma 2-2-8-0 (12), San Diego 1-6-1-3 (11)
The Stars take a week off and then head to Missouri for games in Kansas City on March 6 at 4:05 pm PST, and in St. Louis at 1:05 pm PST on March 7. You can see both games live at https://www.facebook.com/MASLsoccer/events
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