Incomplete Rampage Hang Tough in 9-6 Loss in Monterrey
February 18, 2018 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Cedar Rapids Rampage News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - Flying to Monterrey Mexico, to face the 17-1 Monterrey Flash without six of your starters is not how you want to go through life in the MASL, but those were the obstacles facing the Cedar Rapids Rampage Sunday evening. Despite the odds, the Rampage put on a game effort in a 9-6 loss at Arena Monterrey.
The Rampage were without injured defender Charlie Bales, as well as goalkeeper Rainer Hauss, Alex Bradley, Victor France, Edwin Rojas, and Osvaldo Rojas, each of who whom have US work visas.
With Hauss sidelined, the Rampage turned to their Head Coach, Ante Cop, who made his first start in over five years. Despite some rust and a few shaky moments, Cop managed to make 16 saves and keep the Rampage in the game.
The game may have ultimately been decided by two lapses. In the first quarter, with Monterrey leading 1-0, Miguel Vaca scored a magical goal, followed by an unmagical goal six seconds later when Cop whiffed on a pass from the kick off and Bryan Aguilar scored an easy tap-in to make it 3-0 Flash.
Not only did the Rampage stay in the game, they thrived for a time. Trailing 5-1 at halftime, Cedar Rapids dominated the third quarter scoring the only two goals of the stanza, but in the beginning of the fourth quarter the wheels came off briefly again. Armando Teran scored at 1:31 and then Edgar Gonzalez and Kire Flores scored nine seconds apart to balloon the lead to 8-3. To the Rampage's credit they finished the game with maximum intensity, scoring three of the final four goals.
Vaca finished with a hat trick, plus an assist and Aguilar had two goals and an assist. Gordy Gurson stayed hot with two goals and two assists and Drew Russell had two goals in just his third game with the Rampage. Sam Guernsey had the best night all around for the Rampage with a goal, an assist and five blocks. Jonnathan Pachar, out all year with a knee injury, made his season debut.
The Rampage will look to rebound when they complete their 2017/18 road schedule tomorrow with a game at State Farm Arena against the 3-16 Rio Grande Valley Barracudas.
The next Rampage home game is Friday, February 23 at 7:35pm against the Monterrey Flash. Tickets are now on sale online at Ticketmaster.com and at the U.S. Cellular Center box office.
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from February 18, 2018
- Tropics erase three-goal deficit but late goal breaks hearts as San Diego wins, 5-4 - Florida Tropics SC
- Incomplete Rampage Hang Tough in 9-6 Loss in Monterrey - Cedar Rapids Rampage
- Third Quarter Rally Propels Syracuse to 4-3 Win over St. Louis - Syracuse Silver Knights
- Ambush Get Swept by Syracuse - St. Louis Ambush
- Barracudas conclude home schedule - Cedar Rapids Rampage
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