March 25, 2023
ENDING ON A WINNING NOTE: Lancers score season-high 14 goals in rout of Raptors
EAST ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Twenty four hours after being eliminated from contention for the Major Arena Soccer League 2 playoffs by the Iowa Raptors, the Rochester Lancers exacted a measure of revenge on the same team by recording a 14-5 triumph at the Total Sports Experience on Saturday night.
The Lancers (8-4, 23 points), who snapped a three-game losing streak, connected for a season-high 14 goals as they had several reasons leave the Unique Boutique Arena in a very good mood.
Matt D'Amico led the way with four goals and two assists, while August Finn recorded a hat-trick. Isaac Bourne bagged a brace and Alex Vega, Alex Harling, Eduardo Figueroa, Taner Bay, and Konrad Zydowicz added single tallies.
Rookie goalkeeper Alastair Farmer made his first Lancers start and kept a clean sheet in the opening half while assisting on a goal.
On Friday night, the Raptors (8-4, 23) stopped Rochester's postseason quest by scoring the game-winning goal with 36 seconds remaining in a dramatic and emotional 5-4 win.
Only 30 seconds into the match, Farmer pulled off a rarity -- he had a hand in the opening goal.
Farmer threw a long pass down the left flank to Alex Vega, who raced in on the goalkeeper and slipped the ball home past goalkeeper Luis Perez for a 1-0 Rochester lead.
The Lancers put it into high gear in the second period, in what might have been their best quarter of the season. They tallied three times while keeping the Raptors off the scoreboard, certainly no mean feat.
Figueroa doubled the lead at 6:49, as he fired a Jake Schindler free kick between a defender and Perez at the near left post. Bourne tallied his first goal as a Lancer, scoring off a breakaway at 9:02 for a 3-0 advantage.
Rochester was far from finished. August Finn backheeled a pass to D'Amico from close range for a four-goal margin at 9:44. D'Amico became a playmaker at 11:43, setting up Bay on the left side for a 5-0 halftime lead.
Only 45 seconds into the second half, Harling continued the onslaught by powering a shot from just outside the penalty arc for a six-goal bulge.
Jesus Ramos snapped the Lancers' shutout streak less than a minute later at 1:32, scoring off a breakaway down the left flank against keeper Jakeb Mitchel, who replaced Farmer at halftime.
D'Amico recorded his second goal at 3:17, rifling in a Joe Balls pass from point-blank on the right side to restore Rochester's six-goal lead. Bourne struck for his second of the game to boost Rochester to an 8-1 lead at 7:31 before Jonah Dancer scored a power-play goal for the visitors at 10:03.
The Lancers struck back for a power-goal of their own with but 31 seconds left in the third period as Finn scored off a Frankie Ciliberto assist.
Defense was thrown out the window for both teams in the fourth quarter as eight goals were scored. Finn and D'Amico found the net for Rochester, while Zydowicz added one.
Sarrive Rukakiza, Ramos and Dancer scored for Iowa.
Prior to kickoff, the team inducted six individuals who made vital contributions to the club's revival in 2011, into its Wall of Fame - owners John Coraggioso, Luis Ribeiro, Stephen Stokes, Dom Vieira and Christopher Wilmot and Richard Randall, the first general manager.
The Lancers will return for the M2 season in 2024 with more exciting games.
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