Blast Game Preview 3/8: Eastern Division Final- Game One
March 7, 2018 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Baltimore Blast News Release
Baltimore Players to Watch:
Tony Donatelli finished 10th in the MASL with 43 points and ranked 7th in the league with 21 assists. Vini Dantas, last season's championship MVP, finished the year second on the team in points, goals, and assists. The Blast offense averaged 6.5 goals per game in the regular season.
Pat Healey, a 2-time Defender of the Year, leads the team and is second in the MASL with 43 blocked shots this season. Healey and Adriano Dos Santos lead a defense that enters the playoffs allowing 4.9 goals per game, the second lowest in the league. William Vanzela, a 2-time Goalkeeper of the Year, is questionable to play in the series. If he is unable to play, Joey Kapinos will be in goal for the Blast. Kapinos finished the year with a 6-3 record and a 5.23 GAA.
The Competition- Syracuse Silver Knights
Syracuse's offense is led by Joey Tavernese, Slavisa Ubiparipovic, and Kenardo Forbes. Tavernese leads the team with 28 goals and 26 assists, for 54 points. His 54 points are fifth in the MASL and his 26 assists are third in the league. Ubiparipovic is second on the team with 23 goals and 16 assists, for 39 points this season. Forbes has 18 goals and 15 assists on the year. The Silver Knights defense is led by Darren Toby and Ben Ramin. Toby leads the team and is tied for third in the league with 34 blocked shots. Ramin has 21 blocked shots while also contributing 18 points this year. Andrew Coughlin is in goal for Syracuse. He was 13-7 this season with a 5.63 GAA.
Baltimore Blast vs. Syracuse Silver Knights
Game 1: Thursday, March 8 @ Oncenter War Memorial Arena 7:05p.m. EST
Game 2 (and potential mini game): Sunday, March 11 @ SECU Arena 5:05 p.m. EST
Setting the Tone:
Baltimore Blast: 17-5
First place in the Eastern Division
Syracuse Silver Knights: 13-9
Second place in the Eastern Division
Regular Season Series:
11/17/17 Â Blast defeat Silver Knights 7-6 in Baltimore
1/12/18 Â Blast defeat Silver Knights 5-4 in Syracuse
2/3/18 Â Blast defeat Silver Knights 8-7 in Baltimore
3/4/18 Silver Knights defeat Blast 6-4 in Syracuse
Blast Regular Season Leaders:
Points: Â Â Â Goals:
Tony Donatelli (43) Â Â Tony Donatelli (22)
Vini Dantas (35) Â Â Vini Dantas (20)
Andrew Hoxie (25)Â Â Andrew Hoxie (16)
Jonatas Melo (24) Â Â Juan Pereira/Lucas Roque (12)
Adriano Dos Santos (21)
Assists: Â Â Â Blocks:
Tony Donatelli (21) Â Â Pat Healey (43)
Vini Dantas (15) Â Â Nelson Santana/Tony Donatelli (21)
Adriano Dos Santos (14) Â Juan Pereira (18)
Jonatas Melo (13) Â Â Jereme Raley/Adriano Dos Santos (16)
Pat Healey (10)
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from March 7, 2018
- Cedar Rapids Rampage vs. Milwaukee Wave Central Division Finals Preview - Cedar Rapids Rampage
- Sockers Open Ron Newman Cup Playoffs on Thursday in Tacoma - San Diego Sockers
- Raphael Cox Named to MASL Team of the Week - Tacoma Stars
- Major Arena Soccer League Institutes Video Replay - MASL
- Syracuse Faces Baltimore in First Round of Ron Newman Cup Playoffs - Syracuse Silver Knights
- Blast Game Preview 3/8: Eastern Division Final- Game One - Baltimore Blast
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