March 22, 2024

EAST ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The Rochester Lancers remained unbeaten, winning won their 11th game of the season on Friday night, but their chances of securing the top seed of the Major Arena Soccer League 2 playoffs became a lot more difficult.

The Lancers recorded a 7-3 victory over United Elite Krajisnik FC at the Total Sports Experience, in their lowest scoring game of the campaign.

To secure the No. 1 seed in next month's playoffs, East Division champions (11-0-0) will need to outscore United Elite by 15 goals in the season finale for both teams at the TSE on Saturday at 7:45 p.m.

The Iowa Demon Hawks (12-0-0) have a plus 104 goal differential, while the Lancers are at plus 90.

United Elite (3-8) did an excellent job of stopping the Lancers from reaching double digit in goal for the first time this campaign.

Frank Ciliberto, Matt D'Amico, Alex Harling, Taner Bay, Dan Reger, August Finn and Ali Alomari scored for the Lancers, who did not have any players with multiple goals for the first time this campaign. Player-head coach Jake Schindler recorded two assists.

The first quarter was a hard-fought 15 minutes as the hosts took a 3-2 lead against a well-organized and determined United Elite side.

In fact, Rochester found itself trailing at home for the first time this season.

The Lancers took a 1-0 lead on Ciliberto's third goal of the campaign. Ciliberto drilled a left-footed shot that goalkeeper Julian Rodrigues got a hand on, but the ball rolled into the net at 2:22. Joe Balls assisted.

Then United Elite surprised the hosts with two consecutive goals by Damon Almazan. First, Almazan scored from the right side at 3:58 and then powered a shot from the left flank past keeper Alastair Farmer at 6:05 for a 2-1 advantage.

Rochester retook the lead with two goals within 27 seconds. D'Amico put home a Finn shot that was blocked at 13:01 for a 2-2 tie, and Harling lifted the team into the lead with a strike from just outside the left side of the box for a 3-2 edge with 34 seconds remaining in the period. Schindler recorded the assist.

The lead could have been higher if not for Rodriques, who made 11 saves in the quarter, some of them superb.

Defense dominated the second period. Lancers defender Darren Toby made a goalmouth save on Denis Mostriansky with two minutes remaining in the quarter during a United Elite power play.

Bay converted a Schindler free kick to give Rochester a 4-2 margin at 11:34 but the visitors closed to within a goal as Ricky Orozco scored from the right side with only two minutes left in the opening half.

The Lancers regained their two-goal lead as Reger drilled home a Harling feed from feed from the left corner for the only goal of the third quarter at 7:01.

Rochester, however, did suffer a loss in the period. Farmer was forced out of the match with an apparent injury and Jakeb Mitchell replaced him after Reger’s tally.

Alomari, the Lancers’ leading scorer, set up Finn for his ninth goal of the season at 5:47 of the fourth quarter. He converted penalty kick at 11:58, after Million Negash fouled Reger in the area, closed out the scoring.

The Lancers did not allow a goal in the second half.