Heat Falls in Latest Thriller With Blast

December 13, 2002 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Harrisburg Heat News Release


Baltimore, MD - The Harrisburg Heat recovered from a 10-6 deficit with two late sixth-attacker goals, but came home with a loss when Baltimore's Billy Nelson scored a 2pg at 3:30 of overtime to give the Blast a 12-10 win in the third straight overtime contest between these archrivals at 1st Mariner Arena on Friday night. Harrisburg falls to 6-9 with the defeat, while Baltimore improves to 5-9 with the win in new head coach Bobby McAvan's debut. Doug Petras (4-6, 14 saves) takes the loss in goal, while Brett Phillips (2-2, 8 saves) gets the victory.

The teams slugged through a low-scoring first half. The Blast captured the high ground early, using 2pgs from Andy Wells and Giuliano Celenza to take a 4-0 lead within the first four minutes of the game. But Harrisburg began to chip away at the deficit at 11:38, when Ze Roberto one-timed a Genoni Martinez feed down the slot for a 2pg. Baltimore led 4-2 after one.

Harrisburg's Marco Coria accounted for the only scoring of the second quarter when he worked a give-and-go with Marco Lopez on the left wing and pounded a drive over Phillips. The teams were tied 4-4 at halftime.

The Heat took its first lead of the night after Lee Tschantret was penalized for tripping Harrisburg's Ze Roberto at 5:20 - because he was the last man, the penalty resulted in a shootout. David Bascome went one-on-one with Phillips, moving the ball to the top of the box and rifling a 2pg into the upper corner of the net for a 6-4 lead. The Blast answered six minutes later, when Denison Cabral popped home a Tarik Walker feed off the boards for a 6-6 tie at the end of three.

Baltimore appeared to put the game away ten minutes into the fourth quarter. At 10:14, the Blast's Danny Santoro forced a turnover in the Heat end and slid a 2pg past Petras for an 8-6 edge. And just 18 seconds later, Denison Cabral sprung P.J. Wakefield on a breakaway, and the rookie put home a deuce for a commanding 10-6 lead.

But the Heat wasn't off just yet. With Martin Hernandez on as the sixth attacker at 12:44, Marco Coria put a half-volley bicycle kick over Phillips' outstretched hands to make it 10-8. And with just 53 seconds left, Genoni Martinez cranked a drive into the box that rang off a Blast defender and into the net to tie the game at 10-10. For the fourth time in five Heat-Blast outings this season, the clubs headed to sudden death.

The hosts ended the night at 3:30 of the extra quarter, when Nelson controlled a long outlet from Phillips along the right wing and send a drive over Petras for a 2pg and the 12-10 win. Baltimore tied the season series at 2-2 with the win.

NOTES: Harrisburg has now tied a team single-season record by playing in five overtime games this year. The Heat is 2-3 in those games...The Heat returns home to face the San Diego Sockers tomorrow night, Saturday, December 14. Game time at the Farm Show Arena is 7:35 p.m.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from December 13, 2002


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central