If only every night was opening night in the Major Arena Soccer League for the Florida Tropics.
The Tropics have never lost in the first game of a new season, and that streak reached seven in Baltimore as the Tropics held on for a wild 7-6 win against David Bascome and the Baltimore Blast, in advance of Florida’s home opener next Saturday, Dec. 17 against Utica.
Defender Drew Ruggles scored three goals, including one on a restart from the top of the arc with just 1:36 to play in the game that proved to be the game-winner. He took a pass from Captain Victor Parreiras deep in the right corner, took an extra roll of the ball towards the top of the box, and ripped a shot past Blast netminder William Vanzela to play the role of hero. Ruggles – who despite being a defender was fourth on the team in scoring last year with 26 points -- also added an assist to lead all Florida scorers with four points.
Ricardo Carvalho scored twice, with Chad Vandegriffe and Zach Reget adding the other Tropics goals. Parreiras had three assists, giving him 101 now in his Florida career, a team record. Chad Vandegriffe, the defending MASL Defender of the Year, had four of the team’s 15 blocked shots to eclipse the 200 shots blocked (201) mark in his MASL career.
Luis Roque had his second straight three-goal game to lead Baltimore, who had opened their 2022-23 season with an 8-7 home win over Utica last week. The two teams combined for seven goals in the fourth quarter, after scoring only six combined in the first three. The Tropics never actually trailed in the game, but never led by more than two goals at any point. Three times Baltimore tied the score – including with 2:15 to play on a sixth-attacker goal by former Tropic Ricardinho Sobreira – but Florida had an answer every time.
|
