Ontario Fury Game Day Notes
Published on January 29, 2016 under Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Ontario Fury News Release
Welcome to CITIZENS BUSINESS BANK ARENA for tonight's MAJOR ARENA SOCCER LEAGUE game between the Southwest Division's SACRAMENTO SURGE and the ONTARIO FURY. Tonight's game is a rematch between the two teams, who met six days ago in Sacramento, a 10-8 win by the Fury. It is also the first of two games at home this weekend for the Fury, who will take on San Diego on Sunday.
ABOUT THE FURY
PREVIOUS GAME: Beat the Sacramento Surge, 10-8.
NEXT GAME: 3 p.m. Jan. 31 vs. San Diego Sockers at Citizens Business Bank Arena.
THIS SEASON VS. SACRAMENTO: 1-0
LAST GAME: Ontario was 3-for-4 on the power play and got four goals from Mauricio Salles as they outlasted the Surge 10-8 at Estadio Azteca in Sacramento. Robert Tornel and Stephen Basso both had a pair of goals, while Tiguinho chipped in with four assists.
PERFECT TRIP: The Fury were 4-0 in its four games away from Citizens Business Bank Arena, moving into third place in the Pacific Division. Ontario knocked off Dallas (9-7), Chicago (6-5), Turlock (8-4) and Sacramento (10-8). The four-game road-winning streak is the longest of its type in team history, and is the third longest winning streak of any kind in Fury history.
NEW BENCH HELP: The Fury have added Jimmy Nordberg to its staff as assistant coach to Bernie Lilavois. Nordberg is the boys varsity soccer coach at Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga, and is a director with FC Golden State Academy and the CB3 Soccer Academy. He played his college soccer at Azusa Pacific University and Cal State San Bernardino. Tonight's game is Nordberg's first game behind the Fury's bench.
LEAGUE HONORS: Mauricio Salles was named to the Major Arena Soccer League's Team of the Week for Week 14 action. Salles scored six goals and had with three assists in the two Fury wins last week. Sanaldo and Stephen Basso were honorable mentions for the week.
DEADLINE MOVES: The Fury was busy before the MASL's trade deadline Jan. 15. First, Ontario signed free agent Semir Mesanovic on Jan. 14. Mesanovic started the season with expansion Cedar Rapids, who released him that week to make room for Gordy Gurson. And just before the deadline, the Fury received Lucio Gonzaga from the Harrisburg Heat in exchange for cash. Both players made their Ontario debut in the Fury's 6-5 win over Chicago.
PLAYOFF POSITION: Ontario opens tonight's game in third place, in a virtual tie with San Diego, with the Fury having played two fewer games. The top three teams in each division advance to the playoffs.
LOCALS MAKE DEBUTS: Ontario's road trip also saw the addition of three players with local ties, called up from the Fury Reserve team. Ontario added Fontana Kaiser High graduate Ulises Mosqueda, who scored his first professional goal in the win at Dallas. Andy Reyes, who recently completed his eligibility at Cal State San Bernardino, scored two points on the trip, with an assist in Chicago and goal in Turlock. And Edgar Llamas, who played at Alta Loma High and Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, then later at Cal State San Bernardino, played in both games on the Northern California trip without a point.
SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIAL: The Fury picked up its work on special teams during the four-game trip. Ontario scored six times on 11 man-advantage opportunities in the four games. The penalty kill unit only gave up three goals in the four games, as well as scoring the game-winning goal against Chicago shorthanded, as Stephen Basso assisted on Juan Carlos Gonzalez's game-winner. It was the Fury's first shorthanded goal of the season.
ALL EVEN: Ontario moved its goal differential back to zero for the season. Ontario's greatest margin of victory this season is only 3 goals, while losing by 6 goals twice.
PROMOTION NIGHT: The first 2,000 fans through the gates for tonight's game will receive collectible Fury sports cards from Voice Marketing of Rancho Cucamonga. It is the second in a set of five that will be given out this season. Cards will be distributed to fans at the games Jan. 31, Feb. 13 and Feb. 21.
FAITH AND FAMILY: The Fury will close out January with Sunday's game against the San Diego Sockers on what will be Faith and Family Night. The Fury will also be wearing special blue-green uniforms that will be auctioned off after the game I the Fury's first live jersey auction of the season. Proceeds from the sale of the jerseys will benefit Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare.
ELVIS WILL BE IN THE BUILDING: The Fury's next come game, set for Saturday, Feb. 13, will be Elvis Night, featuring Elvis-themed music and entertainment throughout the night. There will also be a special post-game concert by Elvis Tribute Artist James Kruk. Also, all fans will be welcomed on the field after the game for autographs with Fury players. The whole night is being presented by Lake Arrowhead Village, Dale Bros. Brewery and Dependable Highway Express.
SECOND JERSEY AUCTION: The Ontario Fury will be auctioning off a second special jersey off the players' backs following the team's Feb. 21 game against Pacific Division rival Soles de Sonora. The event will benefit National Community Core, while also celebrating the National Core's efforts in the community.
TODAY'S OPPONENT
SACRAMENTO SURGE
LAST GAME: Lost to Ontario, 10-8.
NEXT GAME: Saturday, at Atletico Baja, 7 p.m.
HISTORY VS. ONTARIO: 0-6.
LAST GAME: Anibal Echeverria had a hat trick for the Surge in their 10-8 loss.
ABOUT THE SURGE: Sacramento returned to its original home before the season, Estadio Azteca, but the results have been the same for the Surge. Sacramento has only won 9 games in its three-and-a-half seasons of action.
SCORING PROBLEMS: The Surge are near the bottom of the league in goals scored with only 66 in 12 games. They only have three players in double digits in points scored, with Echeverria leading the team with 15 goals and five assists. Matt Germain has 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) and Redlands-area native Norman Levesque is third with 8 goals and 3 assists.
AROUND THE MASL
The Baltimore Blast were the last undefeated team of the season, having their perfect season ended last Sunday by the Syracuse Silver Knights, 3-2. Rookie goaltender Andrew Coughlin has picked up the pace for the Silver Knights, winning his first two career starts, only giving up four goals as Syracuse has moved into second place in the East. ... Coughlin wasn't the only late addition to the Syracuse roster. Former Rochester player/coach Doug Miller joined the Silver Knights. He had a goal and assist in Syracuse's two wins last week ... Last year's Rookie of the Year, Gordy Gurson, was traded for the second time in his career, as St. Louis sent Gurson - who was clashing with the team's new coaching staff - to Cedar Rapids. In three games with the Rampage, Gurson has nine goals, after scoring 16 in nine games with St. Louis. ... The winter storm that blasted the east forced one game postponement, as Harrisburg could not travel to Michigan to take on the Waza Flo. ... All MASL teams must submit their 20-man playoff eligible roster Monday. Teams may add two players to their roster on Feb. 1, but those players will not be eligible for playoff participation. The only changes that will be allowed to playoff rosters after the deadline will be in the case of a documented injury to a goalkeeper who will be unable to continue in competition, with teams required to have two goaltenders on their active playoff roster.
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from January 29, 2016
- Chicago Mustangs Defeat Ambush in Overtime, 9-8 - Chicago Mustangs
- Preview: Comets Host the Baltimore Blast Following a Three-Week Break - Kansas City Comets
- Ontario Fury Game Day Notes - Ontario Fury
- Blast Announce Schedule Change - Baltimore Blast
- Game Preview: Dallas Sidekicks to Face Pacific Division Leader Soles De Sonora Friday - Dallas Sidekicks
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