STARS HOLD OFF DALLAS FOR 5-4 WIN IN TEXAS
Dallas, TX. – The Stars (7-8) withstood a late surge by the Dallas Sidekicks (2-13) to edge out their hosts for a 5-4 victory at the Allen Event Center Saturday night. Mike Ramos continued his hot-streak with another four-point performance, including a hat-trick in the win for Tacoma.
With 6:04 left in the opening quarter the Sidekicks opened scoring with an unassisted power play goal from Victor Almendariz following a blue card to Tacoma’s Alex Caceres. The Stars drew even when Alessandro Canale found Alex Megson for his seventh goal of the season with 4:32 remaining in the first.
The second frame was like the first as the teams traded one goal apiece beginning with the Sidekicks. Freddy Moojen converted on a Josh Hernandez assist to put Dallas back up 2-1 just 22 seconds into the second quarter. Stars leading goal scorer Ramos notched his 23rd of the season, assisted by Canale to level the match and send the teams to the locker room knotted at 2-2.
Tacoma took their first lead of the match on Ramos’ second straight goal for the Stars with 11:04 to play in the third. Later in the quarter Luiz Felipe Xavier de Andrade was shown a blue card for boarding which set up Tacoma’s first power play opportunity of the evening. It was Ramos again, his third consecutive goal of the match, on an assist from Dan Antoniuk to create the first two-goal lead of the game at 4-2 Stars heading into the final quarter.
The next goal was not scored by Ramos, though he did pick up the assist to Dan Antoniuk, who netted his 50th career goal on a power play with 7:52 to play in the game. The next six minutes passed quietly until the Sidekicks went on the power play with 1:36 left in the fourth. It took Gustavo Piedra just nine seconds to score making it a 5-3 Tacoma advantage. Dallas was not through as RJ Luevano connected with Freddy Moojen who knocked in his second of the match to bring the Sidekicks within one at 5-4 with 58.3 seconds on the clock.
Dallas had a sustained possession down the stretch, but the Tacoma defense prevented a clean shot and the Stars held on for the 5-4 win. With the victory Tacoma splits the season series with the Sidekicks with each team logging one win.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st – DAL Almendariz 8:56 PP; TAC Megson (Canale) 10:31. Penalties – TAC Caceres blue card (tripping) 7:45.
2nd – DAL Moojen (Hernandez) 0:22; TAC Ramos (Canale) 7:12. Penalties – none.
3rd – TAC Ramos 3:58; TAC Ramos (Antoniuk) 13:23 PP. Penalties – DAL De Andrade blue card (boarding) 12:28.
4th – TAC Antoniuk (Ramos) 7:08 PP; DAL Piedra (Cavalcante) 13:31 PP; DAL Moojen (Luevano) 14:03. Penalties – DAL Bicmarck blue card (tripping) 4:36; TAC Johnson blue card (tripping) 13:24.
The Stars wrap up their two games in two days trip to Texas tomorrow in Mesquite where Tacoma will look to tame the Outlaws at 3:05 pm PST. You can catch all the action live on MASL.tv.
The next home game will be the first of two against the Florida Tropics on Thursday February 27. Game time is 7:35 pm and you can get your tickets at tacomastars.showare.com today
2019-20 Stars season tickets are available now! Call 1-844-STARS-84 or email info@tacomastars.com to find your favorite seat and make it yours for exciting Tacoma Stars soccer.
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