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MASL Florida Tropics SC

Florida Tropics Host Utica City FC Saturday

December 15, 2022 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Florida Tropics SC News Release


LAST TIME / ALL TIME - This will be the sixth all time meeting between the two teams, with the Tropics holding a lead of 3-2 in the series. The last meeting between the two came on March 27 in Utica who won in overtime, 5-4., snapping a Florida two-game win streak in the series. Former Tropic Joey Tavernese scored a power-play goal just 29 seconds into overtime for the winner after Zach Reget tied the game with 2:03 to go in the fourth quarter. Tavernese had a goal and assist, while Victor Parreiras had two goals and an assist for the Tropics. Parreiras is the Tropics all-time active leading scorer against Utica with five goals, while Nate Bordeau is Utica's all-time active leading scorer against Florida with three goals.

PERFECT OPENING PITCH - This will be the Tropics' seventh home opening game of the season. Florida is 5-1 in such games, with their only loss in franchise history coming last season against the Ontario Fury, 6-5, behind a Frank Tayou hattrick. (The team is a perfect 7-0 in season openers with last week's 7-6 win in Baltimore.) The most memorable opening night in team history came Nov. 11, 2016 when the Tropics played their first ever game, a home matchup against the 14-time indoor soccer champion San Diego Sockers.

Down 4-1 in the fourth quarter, the expansion Tropics rallied for a shocking 6-5 win on a goal by Ricardo Diegues with 31 seconds left in regulation.

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 194 goals and add 94 assists in 157 career regular season 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. and the team's 2022-23 media guide which includes extensive bios of Tropics players and Coach Clay Roberts. 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 129 appearances for the Tropics, with 105 goals and 92 assists for 197 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.

CLOSE CALLS - In Florida's six seasons, they have played in 42 one-goal games, winning 19 and losing 23. Twelve times they have gone to overtime, with a record of 4-8. In games that have gone to a shootout, they are 0-1.

FIRST THINGS FIRST - The Tropics record when scoring the first goal of the game is impressive. When they've done that, Florida is 54-16 in franchise history. When conceding the first goal of a game, they are just 21-42.

ONLY THE HALF OF IT - Leading at halftime is a pretty indicator for Florida. In six years, they are 58-10 when leading after two quarters. Conversely, when trailing at the half, they are 9-41. When tied at the half, they are 7-5.

MILESTONE MOMENTS

LAST WEEK

With last Saturday's win over Baltimore, Clay Roberts earned his 75th career win as Tropics coach.

Victor Parreiras had three assists, giving him 101 for his Florida career.

Zach Reget's goal gave him 100 career points in a Tropics uniform

Chad Vandegriffe's four black gives him 201 for his MASL career

Drew Ruggles had one blocked shot, giving him 50 for his Florida career

TONIGHT

Lucas Teixeira is two assists away from 25 career assists.

Victor Parreiras is three points away from 200 career points.

DREW DOES IT - Drew Ruggles, the 2019-20 MASL Defender of the Year, has now scored 29 goals in his three-plus seasons with the Tropics. Of those 29, six have been game winners.. Victor Parreiras leads the franchise with nine game winning goals, and Ricardo Diegues has eight. Ruggles, even as a defender, is third now on that list.

INJURY REPORT - Unavailable due to visa issues are Ricardo Diegues, Rainer Hauss and Bruno Henrique.

They are not listed on the active roster. (All three are currently playing for the Iowa Demon Hawks in Major Arena Soccer League 2). Anthony Arico will be serving the second of a two-game suspension from last season due to penalty points accumulation. There are no other players on the unavailable list.

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