STARS RESERVES TOP SOUTH SOUND FC 4-3 IN OPENER
TACOMA, WA. – The Tacoma Stars Reserves (1-0-0) opened the 2026-27 Western Indoor Soccer League season with a rivalry match against South Sound FC (0-1-0) and came out on top with a 4-3 win at the Tacoma Soccer Center on Saturday night. Stars Reserves goalkeeper Tony Pena came up with several key stops to earn his first win of the season.
In a game which featured WISL and MASL veterans on both rosters, it was Cale Spence who found the back of the net to open scoring for Tacoma. His low shot past South Sound goalkeeper Brandon Limes put the Stars Reserves up 1-0 midway through the opening frame.
Craig Johnson answered just over a minute later to bring the game even at 1-1 with the first of his two points on the night.
Ash Apollon put the Reserves back in front, 2-1 with his first goal in the WISL and Tacoma took their one-goal margin to the second quarter.
Stars Reserves Head Coach and player Mark Lee, who earned his first coaching victory with Tacoma, scored the only goal of the second quarter on an assist from Christian Fernandes to put them up 3-1 at the break.
South Sound picked up back-to-back goals from team owner Derek Johnson to bring the game back level at 3-3 going into the final 15 minutes of play. Craig Johnson and former Stars’ player, Eddie Na assisted on the goals.
After Tacoma’s initial go-ahead goal was disallowed due to the ball going out of bounds before scoring, Fernandes was successful on giving Tacoma the 4-3 win with the only goal of the final quarter.
South Sound FC will not have to wait long for their shot at redemption as the Stars Reserves will travel to Gig Harbor to face them next Saturday. Tacoma returns to the Tacoma Soccer Center to host the Vancouver Storm on Saturday, November 21 at 7 pm. $10 advance tickets are available at www.tacomastars.com/reserves.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st – TAC Spence 1 7:48; SSFC C. Johnson 1 8:45; TAC Apollon 1 10:10.
2nd – TAC Lee 1 (Fernandes) 8:45.
3rd – SSFC D. Johnson 1 (C. Johnson) 1:31; SSFC D. Johnson 2 (Na) 2:46.
4th – TAC Fernandes 1 8:27 pp .
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