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MASL Florida Tropics SC

Florida Tropics Host Tacoma Stars Sunday

February 25, 2023 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Florida Tropics SC News Release


LAST TIME / ALL TIME - This is the sixth all-time meeting between the Tropics and the Stars. Florida holds an edge of 3-2 in games, (1-1 at home, 2-1 in Tacoma). Twice in five games they have gone into overtime.

The most recent meeting was March 13, 2022, when the Tropics scored a 10-4 win in Lakeland Breno Olivera, Drew Ruggles and Ricardo Carvalho had two goals each while Ricardo Diegues had a goal and three assists. For Tacoma, Vini Dantas had two goals and Nick Perera had three assists. Ricardo Carvalho is the Tropics all-time leading scorer against Tacoma with five goals. Nick Perera is Tacoma's active leading scorer against Florida with seven goals.

VIVA VINI! -- One of the most dangerous target forwards over the past eight years in the Major Arena Soccer League - Vini Dantas - has joined the Florida Tropics on a two-year deal to start the 2022-23 season ... Dantas played most of those years with the Baltimore Blast, starting his career the 2014-15 season - when he earned All MASL Rookie Team honors - and was an immediate offensive force, scoring 16 goals in 15 games. Since that time, he has gone on to score 207 goals and add 100 assists in 171 career regular season, all-star and playoff games. A physical presence at 6'-1" and 200 pounds, the 32-year old native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, had his best season in 2019-20 when he banged home 37 goals and added 17 assists in 22 games. He was traded to the Tacoma Stars prior to the start of the 2020-21 season, and was traded back to the Blast with just three games remaining in the 2021-22 campaign. He finished last season with 19 goals in 16 games played, to go along with eight assists for 27 total points. ... He was a key part of Baltimore's three-straight MASL championships between 2017-2019, and was the 2017 Most Valuable Player in the playoffs, getting the game-winning goal in the finals against Sonora. He ended that post season with 18 total points (nine goals and nine assists) in nine games.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION - More information on the 2022-23 Tropics can be found at www.fltropics.com. Under the news tab, you will find the team's 193-page record book. The record book was created and compiled by the Tropics official photographer Christopher Arnold.

A TERRIFIC TRIO - The last three years have been very good ones for the Tropics. Their 46 regular season wins in that time span is tops in the Major Arena Soccer League. Next on the list is the San Diego Sockers with 42. The Sockers defeated Florida two games to none in the Championship Finals in 2021-22.

VIVA VICTOR TOO! - Captain Victor Parterres continues to re-write the Florida Tropics record book (which can be found in its entirety at www.fltropics.com,, go to the news tab and click on Record Book). Parreiras has been with the Tropics since their inception, and has become the franchise's all time leading scorer in both goals, assists and total points. For both regular season and playoff games, Victor has made 139 appearances for the Tropics, with 115 goals and 100 assists for 215 points. Entering the season, second on the Tropics all times list for points is Ricardo Diegues (122), followed by Ricardo Carvalho (114) and Zach Reget (97). For goals, Diegues is second at 86, while for assists, Carvalho is second with 56. For his entire MASL career, he has played in 161 games and has 147 goals and 109 assists.

CLOSE CALLS - In Florida's six seasons, they have played in 45 one-goal games, winning 19 and losing 26. Fourteen imes they have gone to overtime, with a record of 4-10. In games that have gone to a shootout, they are 0-2.

FIRST THINGS FIRST - The Tropics record when scoring the first goal of the game is impressive. When they've done that, Florida is 58-19 in franchise history. When conceding the first goal of a game, they are just 24-47.

ONLY THE HALF OF IT - Leading at halftime is a pretty indicator for Florida. In six years, they are 63-11 when leading after two quarters. Conversely, when trailing at the half, they are 9-49. When tied at the half, they are 9-6.

TROPICAL TRADE WINDS ARE BLOWING - The Tropics have been involved in three trades this year. Most recently, on Feb. 16, they acquired Joey Tavernese from Utica in exchange for future considerations. In late January, they sent forward VcMor Eligwe to Dallas for defender Mike Jones, and in early February, they sent forward Zach Reget and midfielder Taylor Walter Bond to the Harrisburg Heat for forward Raphael Araujo.

Also joining the Tropics midseason have been forwards Bruno Henrique and Ricardo Diegues, midfielder Thiago Freitas and goalkeeper Rainer Hauss. All signed with the Tropics prior to the 2022-23 season, they were ineligible to play at the start of the season due to visa restrictions. However, those guidelines were amended in January, and all four became eligible to rejoin Florida. All four played, and continue to play when the schedule allows, for the Iowa Demon Hawks in Major Arena Soccer League 2 where they signed to play for the 2022-23 M2 season when they were originally not eligible to play in M1.

MILESTONE MOMENTS TONIGHT

Anthony Arico needs three points to reach 100 career points.

Victor Parreiras needs three goals to reach 150 goals in his MASL career.

Ricardo Diegues needs four assists to reach 50 career assists for the Tropics.

Kiel Williams is one assist from 50 career MASL assists.

RECENT MILESTONE MOMENTS

Vini Dantas scored his 200th career goal on Jan. 8 in a 9-3 win over Harrisburg.

Victor Parreiras recorded his 100th career assist Jan. 15 vs. Milwaukee.

Thiago Freitas' goal on Jan. 20th was his 100th career point in the MASL.

Lucio Gonzaga recorded his 50th career assist in Harrisburg Jan. 28.

JP Reyes played in his 100th career MASL game Jan. 28 in Harrisburg

Drew Ruggles appeared in his 150th career MASL game on Feb. 4 in Dallas

DREW DOES IT - Drew Ruggles, the 2019-20 MASL Defender of the Year, has now scored 42 regular season and playoff goals in his four-plus seasons with the Tropics. Of those 42, eight have been game winners, including Dec. 17 against Utica City and Feb. 4 against Dallas. Victor Parreiras leads the franchise 10 game winning goals, and Ricardo Diegues has eight. Ruggles, even as a defender, is now tied for second on that list.

BLOCK HEADS - The Tropics, despite usually gaudy offensive stats, are stout defensively as well most nights. They have two defenders among the leaders in blocked shots so far this season including Rafa Alves who is tied for first overall in the MASL (Uzi Tayou) with 33. Chad Vandegriffe is third in the league with 31 and Drew Ruggles is ninth with 23.

INJURY / ROSTER REPORT - Victor Parreiras is out with a quad injury. Lucas Montelares is out with a knee injury. Kiel Williams is out (leg) as is Lucas Teixeira (hamstring).

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