Ironmen drop first ever playoff game at Baltimore
April 10, 2008 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
New Jersey Ironmen News Release
Baltimore, Md. (Thursday, April 10, 2008)- The New Jersey Ironmen hit the road today for 1st Mariner Arena to play their first-ever postseason game, a quarterfinal match-up against the Baltimore Blast. Despite scoring the first goal of the contest, New Jersey would come out on the wrong end of a 22-10 decision. The series now heads to Prudential Center this Saturday when the Ironmen play host to the Blast at 7:00 p.m. Defender Donny Gray netted the first playoff goal in New Jersey history when he scored a Nebo Stamenkovic ball at 13:03 of the opening stanza, but a deflected ball at 7:23 resulted in an own goal against the Ironmen. Baltimore forward Guiliano Celenza was credited with the three-pointer, and the Blast took a 3-2 lead. Baltimore defender P.J. Wakefield made it 6-2 when he scored a Adauto Neto pass from beyond the arc at 1:26.
Forward Freddy Moojen sent a pass off the wall to Tiguinho at 11:36 of the second frame, and the Brazilian forward finshed the ball to pull the Ironmen within a goal, 6-4. At 7:06 Stamenkovic centered a ball off the glass, and New Jersey midfielder Tim O'Neill put it in the back of the net to even the count at six each. The home team quickly reacquired the advantage 15 seconds later on a Celenza to Machel Millwood two-point tally, and Neto extended the gap to 10-6 in favor of the Blast at 4:09. The two clubs would inevitably take that count into the locker rooms at halftime.
The lone goal of the third quarter came off the foot of Baltimore defender Mike Lookingland who finished a Millwood assist at 3:35 to give the Blast a 12-6 lead.
At 2:06 of the fourth period, a Robbie Aristodemo to Denison Cabral two-pointer stretched the Baltimore advantage to 14-6, and the Ironmen would suffer an onslaught of goals to finish the game. New Jersey defender Gordon Kljestan and O' Neill netted the final goals for their team on unassisted scores.
The two clubs now head back to Newark to close out the series this Saturday at Prudential Center. Should the game tally be tied at one each following the second game, an immediate "mini-game" golden goal (first to score wins) will be played for the right to advance to the semifinals.
Tickets for the first-ever Ironmen home playoff game this Saturday are available now. Call 1-800-IRONMEN today to reserve your place in team history!
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