Tacoma Stars Announce Full 2015-16 Schedule

by Brett Gleason

TACOMA, Wash. -- The complete 2015-16 Tacoma Stars schedule was released today by the Major Arena Soccer League. The 20-game slate, that includes 10 home contests played at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington, marks the Stars first full season in the MASL.

“We are looking forward to getting started this fall with the MASL season,” Stars Head Coach and General Manager Darren Sawatzky said. “We want to be the winter destination for soccer in the northwest and we look forward to competing out of the gate.”

The Stars open play on the road on Saturday, Oct. 24 with a matchup against the Dallas Sidekicks. The game reignites a passionate rivalry with the Sidekicks that began with the 1987 Major Indoor Soccer League Championship series.

The ShoWare Center plays host to the Stars first home game of the season on Friday, Nov. 6, when the club will welcome the visiting Sacramento Surge. Sacramento Head Coach Mark Bickham’s ties to soccer in the Pacific Northwest are extensive, including one season playing for the Stars in 1992-93 and one season as an assistant coach with the club in 1995-96.

Following the home opener, the Stars embark on a three-game road trip that includes a stop in Turlock to face the Express on Nov. 13 and a pair of matchups at Sacramento on Nov. 14 and 15.

The club returns to the ShoWare Center for a set of three home games against Soles De Sonora on Nov. 20 and two more games against Dallas on Dec. 4 and 6. The Sidekicks return to Tacoma in a blockbuster MASL rivalry weekend at the Showare center

Following the homestand, the Stars hit the road for a four-game road trip that includes their only two out-of-conference road games of the season. Tacoma will visit the Missouri Comets on Dec. 11 and the St. Louis Ambush on Dec. 12. Missouri is the former team of both Sawatzky, who played for the team in 2001, and Tacoma goalkeeper Danny Waltman. The club will finish up their trip with matchups against the Ontario Fury on Dec. 18 and the Las Vegas Legends on Dec. 19.

The Stars begin the new year, and the second half of their schedule, with a four-game homestand. The club will match up against the San Diego Sockers on Jan. 3, the Cedar Rapids Rampage on Jan. 22, Turlock on Jan. 29, and St. Louis on Feb. 5.

Tacoma’s final road trip of the season contains just two games, in San Diego on Feb. 11 and at Sonora on Feb. 13.

The 2015-16 regular season campaign wraps up with two games at home against San Diego on Feb. 20 and Ontario on Feb. 26.

Season ticket packages, group outings, and suite offerings for the Tacoma Stars 2015 season are available now. To purchase, call 1-844-STARS-TIME or visit the Stars online at www.tacomastars.com. The most up-to-date news and notes about the Stars leading up to the start of the 2015 season can be found by following the Stars on Twitter (@TacomaStarsSC) or liking the team on Facebook.