Rampage out of Sync in Season-Ending 10-3 Loss to Comets
February 27, 2017 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Cedar Rapids Rampage News Release
Independence, MO - The Cedar Rapids Rampage ran out of time and ran out of gas as they concluded their second season with a 10-3 loss to the Kansas City Comets Sunday evening at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. The win clinched the Central Division title for the Comets, who finish the regular season with a 15-5 record, winning 10 of their last 11 games.
Cedar Rapids, playing without Joshio Sandoval, Derek Huffman and Jonathan Greenfield, couldn't connect on their first half scoring opportunities. They passed the ball when presented with open shots and they shot the ball or missed open runners when teammates broke free.
Kansas City took the lead for good just 3:49 into the game on Nacho Flores's goal. Bryan Perez made it 2-0 and Vahid Assadpour closed out the first quarter with his first of four goals on the night. Assadpour had Brett Petricek's number all game, beating him one-on-one three times.
The Comets led 4-1 at halftime and scored twice in 34 seconds in the third quarter to open up a 6-1 lead. Goalkeeper Stephen Paterson bolstered his case for a Rookie of the Year or Goalkeeper of the Year award with his 15th win and second goal of the year. An altercation between the third and fourth quarters sent four players to the penalty box setting up a rare three-on-three. With loads of open space Paterson held the ball for over 20 seconds and then saw an opening to make a burst for the goal and blasted a shot past Petricek.
Other than a half dozen difficult saves by Petricek, the Rampage had few highlights. One was Bobby Hurwitz's third quarter goal that had Comets defenders reeling as he patiently took a few extra touches and then created the space for the shot. Gordy Gurson's fourth quarter goal was a volley into the roof of the goal from an impossible angle. Charlie Bales shot the ball wide and Hewerton chipped the rebound to Gurson, who one-timed it into the net without the ball ever touching the ground.
Despite the loss, the Rampage finished with a seven-win improvement over their maiden season, ending with a 12-8 record. Cedar Rapids will end up with more wins than at least two teams that qualified for the playoffs, due to the high caliber of competition in the Central Division. The Rampage went 7-6 against teams within their division after going 1-11 in such games last year.
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