March 5, 2020
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (March 5, 2020) -- A familiar figure will don the Rochester Lancers blue and gold uniform this weekend while making some history as well.
Head coach Doug Miller will be available as a player when the Lancers host the Florida Tropics at the Dome Arena in Henrietta, N.Y. on Friday at 7 p.m. in the first of two back-to-back home matches. Rochester welcomes the Kansas City Comets on Saturday at 7 p.m., its final home game of the year.
When he does run onto the field, the 50-year-old Miller will become the only American soccer player to have competed in four decades. He performed in the 1990's, 2000's and 2010's for several indoor and outdoor teams.
During his playing days, Miller forged a reputation as a lethal goal-scorer whether it was with a roof overhead or in the great outdoors. Rochester soccer fans certainly will remember many of his scoring accomplishments with the outdoor Rochester Rhinos, for whom he scored 75 goals in 146 appearances. He also tallied 74 times in 79 indoor games with the Lancers before retiring fulltime from playing for the Syracuse Silver Knights in the 2016-17 Major Arena Soccer League season.
Returning to playing certainly isn't foreign to Miller, who performed with the Lancers in Major Arena Soccer League 2 -- aka M2 -- for a short time last season. In 2018, he put on a Lancers uniform against the Greater Binghamton Thunder FC and scored only 24 seconds after coming in a 5-3 victory on June 30, 2018.
You can view the goal at:
Entering Friday's contest, Anthony Rozzano (9 goals, 8 assists) leads the Lancers (0-19) in both departments, followed by Jeremy Ortiz and Michael Cunningham, who have scored seven goals apiece. Rookie Diego Mayanga and Matt D'Amico, a Pittsford-Mendon High School product, have contributed seven assists each. Goalkeeper Brian Wilkin has been outstanding the past three games.
The Tropics (16-3), who have clinched a playoff berth, are coming off a visit to Washington in which they split a pair of one-goal decisions with the Tacoma Stars.
For the Eastern Division-leading team, eight players are in double figures in goals. Forward Ricardo Carvalho paces the squad in points (19 goals, 22 assists, 41 points), while midfielder Victor Parreiras boasts a team-high 20 goals. Zach Regert has added 16 goals.
On Saturday against the Comets, the Lancers will honor long-time midfielder and team co-captain Gary Boughton, who is retiring after this season.
Tickets for both matches are available at RLancers.com and at the Dome Arena box office on game day.
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--