Blast Fires It up in the Final Quarter to Beat SharX 19-9
February 26, 2012 - Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Norfolk SharX News Release
Norfolk, Virginia - The Norfolk SharX started strong against the Blast on Sunday afternoon, scoring first, staying even through the first half and within striking distance through the third period. But the SharX made some mistakes in the final quarter and allowed Eastern Conference Champion Baltimore to leave Norfolk Scope Arena with a 19-9 win. SharX forward Miguel Ferrer scored seven of Norfolk's nine points.
Norfolk was coming off two amazing wins - over Syracuse on February 14 and over Western Conference Champion Milwaukee on February 19 - and came into Sunday's game playing with confidence. The SharX opened the scoring on Ferrer's first goal assisted by Jamie Gunderson in the seventh minute to take the early lead but Baltimore answered within seconds on a questionable goal by Baltimore when JT Noone kicked the ball out of Norfolk keeper Jamie Lieberman's hands when he appeared to have control of the ball. With no official call, the score was 2-2 and that's how the first period ended. Shot were also even at 4-4.
With just a little over two minutes gone in the second quarter, Ferrer took the ball straight up the pitch from his defensive end and muscled through the Baltimore defense before ripping a shot that went straight through Blast keeper Sagu to take the SharX up 4-2. But again as in the first period, the Blast answered and then took the lead off back-to-back goals by Stephen DeRoux to make it 6-4 for Baltimore. But SharX forward Matt Clare stepped up to draw Norfolk even, taking the ball up from midfield and hitting it with such force that Sagu just watched it go in to even the game at 6-6. The half ended all square, but Norfolk was up in shots 10-9.
The SharX were able to stay close in the third, allowing Baltimore's Machel Millwood a strike in the third minute. Norfolk's defense stayed strong but the team couldn't score any points and the third quarter ended 8-6 with the SharX still in striking distance. But Baltimore was piling up the shots, leading the SharX 14-10.
Baltimore took over in the fourth quarter scoring eleven points to seal the win and go up 19-6 before Norfolk's Ferrer scored his third of the night assisted by Tennant McVey, a 3-point goal from the top of the arc. The match ended 19-9.
"We played a good game through three quarters," said head coach Jon Hall. "But when we got behind, we started to take chances because it doesn't matter whether you lose by five for fifteen. We made mistakes and we were punished for them. And we came up against a team that was better than us today. They are a good team - there's a reason Baltimore is the Eastern Conference champion and we saw that today."
The SharX will close out the 2011-12 season next Sunday, March 4 against Wichita at 2 p.m. at Norfolk Scope Arena. For more information about the Norfolk SharX, Norfolk's newest professional sports team, including sponsorships, tickets, internships or to volunteer, please call 757-419-3317 or visit www.norfolksharx.com .
Major Indoor Soccer League Stories from February 26, 2012
- Wave Finish Regular Season Wtih a 21-6 Loss to Comets - Milwaukee Wave
- Comets Roll to 21-6 Win Over Milwaukee - Kansas City Comets
- Blast Fires It up in the Final Quarter to Beat SharX 19-9 - Norfolk SharX
- Lancers Hand out Team Awards - Rochester Lancers
- Lancers Close out Regular Season with a 10-2 Win Over Wichita - Rochester Lancers
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