Blast Fall in Overtime of MASL Championship
March 22, 2015 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Baltimore Blast News Release
The Blast traveled to Monterrey on Sunday for the conclusion of the 2014-15 MASL season. Down 1-0 in the MASL Championship Series the Blast were able to win game 2 by a score of 6-4 forcing a mini game for the MASL Championship. In a hard fought mini game that needed overtime to declare a champion the Flash defeated the Blast 6-4.
The game got off to a slow start with no goals recorded in the opening quarter. Both teams played solid defensively and held each other scoreless.
Late in the second quarter the Blast were able to record the first goal of the game when Tony Donatelli was able to beat the Flash keeper with a great shot giving the Blast a 1-0 lead. This was Dontatelli's team leading 7th point of the postseason. At the half the Blast led 1-0.
In the second half both teams came out focusing on controlling possession and playing solid defense. The Monterrey Flash tied the game at 1 at the 11:29 mark with a goal from Angel Curiel. The teams entered the final quarter tied 1-1.
The Monterrey Flash began the fourth quarter with back-to-back goals only 27 seconds apart. Erik Flores and Edgar Flores found the back of the net putting the Flash up 3-1. The Blast would answer when Tony Donatelli recorded his second goal of the game off an assist from Adriano Dos Santos at the 6:12 mark. After the Donatelli goal the Blast offense woke up with 3 consecutive goals. Juan Pereira scored at the 7:14 mark assisted by Lucio Gonzaga. Then the Blast would score back-to-back goals within 12 seconds from Max Ferdinand and Lucas Roque. The Flash would pull back within 1 when Genoni Martinez scored a goal off a free kick at the 11:05 mark. After a scramble in front of the net Lucas Roque was able to kick in a loose ball extending the lead to 6-4 and sealing a Blast victory. The Blast would win game two 6-4 and force a 15 minute game to determine the MASL Champion. William Vanzela recorded 14 saves in the game while Tony Donatelli and Lucas Roque each recorded 2 goals for the Blast.
Both teams came out with high intensity during the mini game. The Blast would take an early lead when Diego Zuniga was able to fire a shot that beat the Flash keeper at the 1:07 mark. Armando Teran scored for the Flash to tie the game at 1 off an assist from Erik Flores. The Blast would regain the lead at the 5:39 mark when Vini Dantas scored a goal off an assist from Adriano Dos Santos. With 3:13 remaining in the game Hector Vallejo recorded a goal for the Flash to tie the game at 2 but as the clock was winding down the Blast brought on the 6th attacker and with only 2 seconds left in the game Lucas Roque was able to get a rebound and put it into the back of the net tying the game and sending the MASL Championship into overtime.
In the golden goal overtime the Gustavo Rosales would score the game winner and the Monterrey Flash became the 2015 MASL Champions. At the final buzzer the Blast had fallen 4-3.
The Blast fall to 22-4 on the season and 4-2 in the playoffs. Vini Dantas and Lucas Roque recorded goals in the mini game for the Blast while William Vanzela recorded 4 saves.
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from March 22, 2015
- Blast Fall in Overtime of MASL Championship - Baltimore Blast
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