Stars Advance to US Open Quarterfinals, 13-5 Over Dream Team

Published on December 19, 2010 under Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
Tacoma Stars News Release


Wait until Brian Iblings starts getting used to playing soccer indoors...he just might make a pretty good addition to the Tacoma Stars.

Playing in only his second arena soccer game for the Stars, the former Auburn Riverside HS and Concordia College forward racked up six goals (four in the first half alone) and added an assist for good measure to lead Tacoma to a 13-5 pounding of the Washington Dream Team Saturday night at The Soccer Center in Tacoma. The Stars' fourth straight win at home advances them to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Arena Soccer Cup tournament, where they'll next face a California Cougars team that fell by a 7-5 score in Tacoma a week ago.

The Stars and the Dream Team (a select squad of top amateur players from the Puget Sound area, including some members of Tacoma's Premier Arena Soccer League national champions a year ago) were knotted up at 1-1 until Iblings began working his magic with a pair of goals 6:56 and 20:12 into the first quarter to gain a lead they'd never relinquish. Iblings ended up scoring the Stars' final four goals of the half as Tacoma went into the locker room with a 5-3 halftime advantage.

Iblings scored again 38 seconds into the third quarter, but the Dream Team closed the gap to 6-4 on a Jason Gjertsen counter a little over a minute later. From that point, however, it was all Tacoma the rest of the way as the Stars scored five unanswered goals and seven of the game's final eight (including two by Amos Freiheit and one more by Iblings). Wilson HS and Tacoma CC product Ryan Thompson had his first start in goal for the Stars, stopping 12 Dream Team shots that included a series of remarkable saves during a Dream Team power play.

Neither Thompson nor his Dream Team counterpart, Rodney Grealing, finished the contest in the nets. Both were ejected 5:53 into the fourth quarter when an on-field skirmish eventually involved players from both teams as the two goalies joined in the fracas with a midfield confrontation. Spokane native Lukas Rydberg took over in goal for the Stars from his normal forward position and let in one goal the rest of the way for Tacoma.

The Stars will take the next three weeks off for the holidays before playing the first of five consecutive Professional Arena Soccer League road games January 8 in Wenatchee. The Stars' next home game is set for Saturday, January 22 against Revolucion Tijuana.

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Professional Arena Soccer League Stories from December 19, 2010


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