STARS WIN THIRD STRAIGHT, TOP EMPIRE 3-2
TACOMA, WA. – The Tacoma Stars (3-0-0) opened the 2025-26 season with their third consecutive home win, this time a 3-2 victory over the visiting Empire Strykers (1-3-0). For Empire, it was their second loss in two days after playing at home last night against St. Louis before traveling to the accesso ShoWare Center less than 24 hours later.
It was the first game this season where the Stars managed to open the scoring when Jamael Cox found the back of the net with 13:53 remaining in the first quarter. The Stars went up 1-0 on Cox’s second goal of the season and gave Tacoma a lead they would not relinquish during the game.
With 6:49 still to play in the first frame, Adrian Correa assisted on Tyler John’s team-leading fourth goal of the season to double the Stars’ advantage at 2-0.
Empire’s free-roaming goalkeeper strategy paid off with less than two minutes to play in the first. Strykers’ keeper Brian Orozco fired a shot which was deflected past Tacoma’s netminder Luis Birrueta to get Empire on the board. The Stars led 2-1 at that point and the teams took that score to the locker room at halftime.
The next goal of the game did not come until 1:58 to go in the third quarter. Stars captain Alex Caceres connected with Logan Jones to give Tacoma a 3-1 lead headed to the fourth quarter.
Inside the final minute of play and with their sixth attacker on the field, Robert Palmer found Justin Stinson for a Strykers goal to make it 3-2 Tacoma with 45 seconds to play.
Tacoma was able to withstand the Strykers’ pressure in the final seconds to secure the win.
The Stars will travel to San Diego to face the Sockers on December 30 before returning home on Sunday, January 4 at 5:05 pm when the San Diego Sockers make their first visit to the accesso ShoWare Center for Latin Heritage Night. Tickets are on sale at https://tacomastars.showare.com/ and fans can save 50% by using the code Stars50 at checkout.
1st Quarter Scoring – TAC Cox 2 (unassisted) 1:07; TAC John 4 (Correa) 8:01; EMP Orozco 1 (unassisted) 13:38. Penalties – None.
2nd Quarter Scoring – None. Penalties – None.
3rd Quarter Scoring – TAC Jones 3 (Caceres) 13:02. Penalties – EMP Palmer (tripping) 12:59; TAC Brisco (pushing) 12:49.
4th Quarter Scoring – EMP Stinson 2 (Palmer) 14:15. Penalties – EMP Chavez (tripping) 5:08.
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