Stars Survive Late Flurry to Hold Off California, 7-5

Published on December 12, 2010 under Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
Tacoma Stars News Release


TACOMA - Player-coach Greg Howes recorded two goals with an assist and Mark Lee scored the game's first and last goals to lead the Tacoma Stars to a 7-5 win over the California Cougars in Professional Arena Soccer League action Saturday at The Soccer Center. The victory gives Tacoma a 3-2 record while the Stockton-based Cougars fall to 0-5 for the PASL season.

The first quarter was scoreless until Lee knocked in a shot from the top of the penalty box 12:55 into the game to give Tacoma the lead. California tied the game at the 8:01 mark on a Clemente Fonseca counter, but the Stars finished the first half scoring at 11:49 when Brayton Knapp banked in a rebound off a Raphael Cox shot to make it a 2-1 Tacoma advantage. Tacoma goalie Chris Kintz made a huge save on a shootout attempt by Nelson Santana with five minutes to go in the half.

The Stars scored twice after intermission. The first goal came 5:11 into the third frame when defender Steve Mohn blasted a free kick pass from Howes past Molina before he could blink. The next goal was loaded with controversy. Officials didn't see a blistering shot by Santana clang off a white support post behind Tacoma's left post for an apparent goal, and as Santana vehemently argued with the referee, Stars defender Vitaly Bulala lofted a volley far downfield that bounced into the California goal behind a badly out-of-position Molina at 9:43 to bring the score to 4-1. The Cougars closed the gap to two goals at 14:10 when Araia Berhane picked off an errant clearing pass by Kintz and sent a crossing pass from the right wing that banked off a Tacoma defender for an own goal.

In the fourth period, Howes sandwiched a pair of goals around a counter by the Cougars' Uriel Robledo to bring the score to 6-3. Howes' second goal was the first of four tallies by both teams in the game's final two minutes. California's Enrique Tovar and Robledo scored 26 second apart, but Lee iced the contest for the Stars with 19 seconds left. Besides the offensive heroics of Howes and Lee, Kintz had another solid game in goal, saving 19 of 24 shots. After letting in 27 goals his first three games, the Stadium grad has only let seven get past him the past two outings.

The Stars will be home at The Soccer Center next Saturday for a U.S. Open Arena Soccer Cup first round match against the Dream Team, an aggregate of select amateur players from Washington State. Game time will be 7:05PM.



Professional Arena Soccer League Stories from December 12, 2010


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