California Cougars Fall To Baltimore Blast 20-9
Published on January 11, 2007 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
California Cougars News Release
(STOCKTON, CALIF., JANUARY 11, 2007) - Coming into Thursday's contest, the Baltimore Blast were winless on the road, and just like the Cougars last Saturday, they left with a win. Thursday night's game marked the third time this season the two teams had meet. The two clubs split both of their first two meetings this season and had successfully defended their home turf. The least time the teams played, December 14, 2006, the Cougars came away with a narrow 12-10 home win that snapped their six game losing streak. California's Bernie Lilavois led all players with 5 points (2 goals and an assist). In that game, rookie goalkeeper Matt McDougall made his first career MISL start and got his first win.
Up until this night, the defending MISL champions had a less that champion-like start to the season. Coming into the game, the Blast were two games below .500 and 0-5 in road contests this season and mired in a four game losing streak.
The Blast got on the scoreboard first in mass in the first quarter. Baltimore forward Billy Nelson scored on a shot past Cougars goalkeeper Matt McDougall 3:42 into the first.
Forward Giuliano Celenza followed minutes later with 7:33 remaining in the quarter to put the Blast up 4-0.
Tarik Walker extended the lead to six with a shot with 3:56 left and forward Machel Millwood make it an 8-0 game just :35 seconds later.
California got on the board in the second quarter with a Vicente Figueroa shot to make it an 8-2 ballgame.
Figueroa scored again with 6:23 remaining in the second to reduce the Blast lead to 8-4.
Figueroa scored again when he played a ball into the penalty box. Baltimore goalkeeper and Blast forward Lee Tschantret collided and allowed a ball to go in giving Vicente a 3-point goal and a hat trick for the night. The goal cut the Blast lead to one for a 8-7 score at the half.
The Blast got back into the scoring column with a Denison Cabral shot with 3:24 remaining in the third quarter.
Forward Enrique Tovar cut the lead back to one with a shot just a 1:30 into the fourth quarter.
Baltimore's Mike Lookingland put the Blast back up by three with a break away and goal with 9:48 in the game to make it a 12-9 score.
Millwood got his second goal of the night 1:48 later to extend the blast lead five to 14-9.
With just over 3:30 remaining in the game, the Cougars pulled McDougall in favor of Aaron Susi as a sixth attacker. The Blast's Robbie Aristodemo was able to lift a shot beyond the Cougars defense to score an empty net goal to make it a 17-9 game.
The :12.3 the Blast knocked another empty netter past the defense to make it at 20-9 final.
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