Lancers come close, but Heat pulls away in the third quarter for a 10-5 win
HENRIETTA, N.Y. (December 27, 2019) – The Rochester Lancers continued to make progress in their quest of their first win of the Major Arena Soccer League season at the Dome Arena on Friday night.
Rochester came within a goal of the Harrisburg Heat in the third quarter, but the visitors pulled away for a 10-5 victory.
Dom Francis scored twice for the Heat (4-1) as he has tallied 10 goals in four matches against the Lancers this season. Matt Braem and Elton de Oliveira added two goals apiece.
Jeremy Ortiz, Matt D'Amico, Diego Mayanga, Rafa Godoi and Gary Boughton found the net for Rochester (0-5), which recorded a season-high five goals. Anthony Rozzano assisted on two goals.
The Heat scored early and late to grab a 3-1 first-quarter lead. With the game only 1:51 old, Nelson Santana scored off a backdoor play thanks to a pass by Dylan Hundelt. The visitors doubled the lead at 10:51 when de Oliveira drilled a hard shot from the right side past goalkeeper Christian Esposito.
The Lancers sliced the lead in half as Ortiz converted a give-and-go with Godoi at 12:13 past former Lancers and Brighton High School star goalkeeper Will Banahene, but Harrisburg restored its two-goal margin as Braem connected with 25 seconds remaining in the period off a JJ Gibson set-up.
Rochester played Harrisburg even in the second quarter with each team scoring a goal, but the hosts lost a player as Austin Gerber suffered a right ankle injury in the right corner. Gerber, who needed to be carried off the field by head coach Doug Miller and several teammates, was taken to a hospital to determine the severity of the injury.
The Heat raised their lead to 4-1 at Gibson poked home a Danny DiPrima feed from the right side after the Heat player raced down the right flank with a turnover at 10:43. The Lancers again cut the lead in half at 4-2, this time at 13:27 as D'Amico put in an Rozzano pass.
The Lancers moved within 4-3 at 7:25 of the third period as Mayanga put in a Rozzano feed. But Harrisburg tallied the next three goals with a span of 3:12 to pull away. Francis struck for his first of the night off at counterattack at 8:23. Hundelt scored off a shot from outside the penalty area at 10:45 before Francis fired home a free kick at 11:35.
Godoi moved Rochester within 7-4 with 53 seconds left in the third period.
Braem, de Oliveira and David Mellor closed out the scoring for Harrisburg in the fourth quarter while Boughton connected for the hosts.
Joe Sirianni, the original Lancers' trainer and equipment manager from 1967-80, was honorary captain for the match.
The Lancers won't get much of a breather as they will host the Baltimore Blast at the Dome Arena on Saturday at 7 p.m.
The Heat also will be in action Saturday as the team will city Utica City at 7 p.m.
MASL Match Report
Match: Rochester Lancers vs. Harrisburg Heat
Venue: Dome Arena, Henrietta, N.Y.
Kickoff: 7:05 p.m. ET
Harrisburg Heat
ABOUT THE MAJOR ARENA SOCCER LEAGUE
The Major Arena Soccer League represents the highest level of professional arena soccer in the world. The MASL features teams across North America, with teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The MASL is currently incorporated as a 501(c)6 not for profit corporation formed to promote the business and sport of arena soccer.
--MASLSoccer.com--