STARS REMAIN PERFECT AT HOME, TOP SOCKERS 5-4
TACOMA, WA. – The Tacoma Stars (4-1-0) picked up their fourth straight home win to open the 2025-26 season in getting past the San Diego Sockers (3-2-1) by a 5-4 final at the accesso ShoWare Center Sunday evening. The win ties Tacoma’s best five-game start in their MASL history.
The story of the first half was also MASL history as San Diego goalkeeper Boris Pardo made his 2000th career regular-season save, further cementing his legend status in goal.
For San Diego, it was their second game in two nights after they beat the Empire Strykers last night at Frontwave Arena. They boarded a flight this morning and played today, a feat the Stars performed many times last season by playing elsewhere and then facing a rested Sockers team.
Despite the tough circumstances, San Diego never trailed by more than two goals and briefly held a lead in the second quarter.
Scoring was opened by Tacoma, when Adrian Correa picked up the first of his three assists on a goal by Jamael Cox to put the Stars up 1-0 with 10:41 to play in the first frame.
Drew Ruggles evened the game 1-1 on an assist from Michell Cardenas and after 15 minutes of play matters were level.
With 11:44 on the clock in the second, Nick Perera sent a wall-pass to Adrian Reyes and San Diego took their only lead of the game at 2-1. For Perera, it was the first of two assists in the game.
The final goal of the first half was the first of a pair from Tacoma’s Nani Mendoza and sent the teams to the locker room tied at 2-2.
To begin second half scoring, San Diego’s Cesar Cerda was whistled for a two-minute penalty for tripping and it set Mendoza up for a penalty kick, which he converted to give Tacoma the 3-2 lead with 5:09 on the clock.
The Sockers tied the game for the last time, at 3-3 on Luis Morales’ third goal of the season, assisted by Perera with just 21 seconds to play in the third quarter.
Cox and Tyler John scored back-to-back goals for Tacoma to give the Stars their only two-goal lead of the game at 5-3 with 8:03 to play in the game. John’s goal was assisted by Manny Nicasio, who picked up his first MASL point on the play.
After Stars’ starting goalkeeper Luis Birrueta, who finished the game with 12 saves, went down on an injury with 8:26 remaining, another indoor goalkeeping legend, Danny Waltman entered the game and picked up the win for Tacoma.
The Sockers were able to get within one on Morales’ second goal of the game after San Diego pulled Pardo in favor of a 6th attacker with 5:46 left in regulation. Morales’ second of the game brought the score to the 5-4 final and improved Tacoma to 4-0-0 at the accesso ShoWare Center.
The Stars return to the accesso ShoWare Center on Sunday, January 11 to face the St. Louis Ambush at 5:05 pm. Tickets are on sale at https://tacomastars.showare.com/.
1st Quarter Scoring – TAC Cox-3 (Correa) 4:19; SD Ruggles-3 (Cardenas) 11:58. Penalties – SD Gonzalez (bc- tripping) 9:29.
2nd Quarter Scoring – SD Reyes-1 (Perera) 3:16; TAC Mendoza-1 (Correa) 11:24. Penalties – TAC Rivers (bc- two footed tackle) 14:30.
3rd Quarter Scoring – TAC Mendoza-2 9:51 pk; SD Morales-3 (Perera) 14:39. Penalties – TAC Rivers (bc- tripping) 2:43; SD Cerda (bc- tripping) 9:51.
4th Quarter Scoring – TAC John-5 (Nicasio) 3:56; TAC Cox-4 (Correa) 6:57; SD Morales-4 (Cerda) 9:14 six attackers. Penalties – None.
Shots – TAC 24; SD 29
Power Play – TAC 0/2; SD 0/2
Fouls – TAC 5; SD 12
Attendance - 1288
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