Silver Knights Fall to Blast in First Playoff Game
March 7, 2014 - Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Syracuse Silver Knights News Release
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse Silver Knights (12-8, MISL #4) hosted their first MISL playoffs on Friday night against the Baltimore Blast (17-1, MISL #1). Following their first ever home win against the Blast, the Silver Knights had narrowly fallen in all three subsequent encounters they faced the Baltimore outfit in. Unfortunately the Silver Knights would again fail to find their way past the Blast, losing 20-7 in the night. Syracuse now must travel to Baltimore and win Game 2 to force Game 3 and advance to the MISL Championship.
The Blast monopolized the ball in the opening minutes of the game and applied their usual midfield press that had given so much trouble to the Silver Knights in the past. There was definitely a case of some nerves, with a couple of the Silver Knights' passes going awry. In fact it was a loose clearance from Bryan O'Quinn that allowed Adauto Neto in to score the opener (4') for the visitors.
"We made a lot of silly mistakes and there were a lot of mistakes they made us make," Silver Knights head coach Tommy Tanner said.
Despite their early struggles, the hosts eventually found their feet and mounted a fight-back. The Silver Knights brought the ball cleanly out of defense, broke well in midfield, and effectively utilized Machel Millwood's physical presence to pressure the Baltimore defense.
It was the Blast who doubled their lead on the counter however, Marco Mangione tapping in the empty net (13'). Millwood looked like buying a lifeline with his back-post header (14'), but Lucas Roque restored the visitors' four-point lead seconds later, just before the first quarter ended.
From 6-2 down the Silver Knights quickly fell to an eight-point deficit following Max Ferdinand's goal. The Blast midfielder tapped in from inside the area (18') following Nelson Santana's loose control.
The Silver Knights had actually regained control of the game by the latter stages of the first half. The Blasts were still able to pick out good counter attacking opportunities. The hosts pressured high and pushed hard to close the gap, but struggled to break down the staunch Blast defense.
The Blast's patient play eventually bore fruits again. Roque pounced first on the ball and scored his second of the night (28') squeezing the ball under O'Quinn. Millwood struck late once again in the quarter, powering in a free-kick (30') to cut the Blast's lead to 10-4 into halftime.
"We played into their pressure ... and we gave up some poor goals," Tanner said.
The Silver Knights returned from halftime still very much on the front foot. The finishing touch narrowly eluded them on the night however. Three times in the opening five minutes of the third quarter the posts denied the hosts, twice on Kenardo Forbes and once as Darren Toby saw his effort crash against the crossbar.
"The difference between a champion and a team that makes the playoffs is finishing your chances," O'Quinn said.
The Blast still excelled on the counter-attack. The visitors caught the Silver Knights off-guard when they took a quick free-kick, which allowed Stephen DeRoux to tap in unchallenged (38'). Adauto Neto further widened the gap to 14-4, volleying in on the turn (41') William Vanzela's long punt.
The hosts never gave up however and doubled their efforts. The Silver Knights captain delivered an emphatic response, rocketing in a free-kick into the top-corner (43') to halve the scoreline at 14-7.
In the end the rallying cry fell on deaf ears. Ultimately the Blast held on to their lead until the final whistle.
"Finishing was definitely a problem for us," Cory Elenio said. "When you are playing against such an experienced team those opportunities don't always present themselves, and so you have to make it count."
In fact Blast captain Mike Lookingland added another when he curled a long-range shot past O'Quinn (56'), before Tony Donatelli put the final nail in the coffin when he lobbed into the empty net after Tanner pulled the extra attacker.
The Silver Knights fell 20-7 in the end, but it was a game the Silver Knights performed admirably well in and, were if not for some wayward finishing, could have in fact taken more out of. For now though, the focus will be on the return fixture at the Baltimore Arena.
"We are not going to drop our heads," Tanner said. "We are going to go out to Baltimore to win the next game ... we will play better in Baltimore, that is for sure."
The Salt City club's next match will be in the 2014 MISL Semi-Final Game 2 Playoff against the Baltimore Blast on Tuesday, March 11th, 7:05 p.m. EST at Baltimore Arena. The Silver Knights must win Game 2 to push a 15-minute mini-game played after Game 2.
For Information and tickets call the Syracuse Silver Knights office and 315-303-7261.
Major Indoor Soccer League Stories from March 7, 2014
- Silver Knights Fall to Blast in First Playoff Game - Syracuse Silver Knights
- Baltimore Wins First Playoff Game 20-7 - Baltimore Blast
- MISL Playoffs Begin with Classic Rivalry - Kansas City Comets
- 2014 MISL Playoffs Kick off Friday - MISL
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