Comeback Falls Short as Blast Prevails over Silver Knights
March 8, 2018 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Syracuse Silver Knights News Release
Five fourth quarter goals couldn't save the Syracuse Silver Knights in game one of the Eastern Divisional Finals as they lost 7-6 to the Baltimore Blast.
Both teams met on March 4, however the Blast rested three of its starters: Vini Dantas, Andrew Hoxie and Juan Pereira. Dantas made his presence known early, scoring two goals in the first five minutes and forcing Silver Knights head coach Ryan Hall into a timeout.
"We missed assignments in the box," Coach Hall said.
The Syracuse offense couldn't get anything going, fouling in the Blast's half and not creating many chances on goal. At the end of the first quarter, it was Dantas' two goals that were the difference.
The second quarter had one goal scored by Andrew Hoxie. A run down the line by Blast forward Jamie Thomas found Hoxie in the middle of the box, whose shot flew past Coughlin to make it a three-goal Baltimore lead.
The Silver Knights tested the Blast goalkeeper Joey Kapinos late in the second quarter, who kept it a 3-0 game at halftime.
"The goalie made some really good saves," Syracuse captain Bo Jelovac said.
Just like in the first quarter, the Blast started the third fast. Baltimore's Daniel Peruzzi scored back-to-back goals to make it 5-0. The second goal came from a fast break as Kapinos found Peruzzi by midfield. Some skill gave the forward some room, and his shot powered past Andrew Coughlin.
"We gave up some silly goals and when you play a team like Baltimore they'll make you pay," Coach Hall said.
The first blue card of the game was issued to Baltimore. While the Silver Knights couldn't get a goal, seconds after it became an even strength game Bo Jelovac opened the scoring for the home team. This sparked an offensive assault from Syracuse.
"I think in the second half we scored instead of missed," Jelovac said.
The fourth quarter began with another Silver Knights goal, with an assist from Jelovac to Domenico Vitale. The defender powered a ball past Kapinos for his third goal of the season.
The Blast grabbed one back as Peruzzi got his hat trick. Great distribution from Kapinos gave Peruzzi a one on one opportunity with Vitale. He beat him to the right and drilled a shot low and past an outstretched Coughlin to make it a 6-2 game.
But the Silver Knights weren't finished. Syracuse midfielder Kenardo Forbes scored near post followed quickly by a free kick from Jake Schindler to make it a two-goal game for the first time since early in the first quarter.
The Blast grabbed some momentum back off a Silver Knights defensive mistake. Syracuse forward Slavisa Ubiparipovic was facing his goal under heavy pressure, and his pass to Coughlin was intercepted and put in an empty goal. Down three, Coughlin left the field for Forbes as a sixth attacker.
The most exciting sequence happened as Darren Toby scored a volley into the roof of the net. With a few minutes remaining, he ran to grab the ball out of Kapinos' hands. This forced the two of them together in a scuffle, and both players were assessed with a blue card.
With both teams down a player, Syracuse forward Joey Tavernese found Ubiparipovic off the boards, who took it in the air to make it a one goal game, the fifth Silver Knights goal of the quarter.
"We just kept plowing and plowing away and finally broke through and started to get some success," Coach Hall said.
Time expired for the Silver Knights as they were unable to force overtime.
Both teams will face off again at the SECU Arena on March 11th in the second game of the series. If the Silver Knights were to win that game, both teams would play a third game to decide who made it into the conference finals.
"I think we need to play with the same energy. Individual mistakes at the back we cannot make," Jelovac said.
The game is scheduled to start at 5:05 p.m.
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Major Arena Soccer League Stories from March 8, 2018
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