February 6, 2023

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Playing their second game in less than 24 hours, the Rochester Lancers suffered their first loss of the Major Arena Soccer League 2 season, dropping a 7-6 decision to the Iowa Demon Hawks at Mercy Health Arena on Sunday afternoon.

On Saturday night, the Lancers rallied three times from deficits to record a memorable 7-6 overtime triumph over the Iowa Raptors in the same arena.

Fighting fatigue on Sunday, the Lancers (3-1, 8 points) could not duplicate the result against the Demon Hawks (5-1-2, 17), who were well rested.

In fact, for the second successive match, Rochester found itself two goals down several minutes into the contest. But they found the resolve to rally several times before the Demon Hawks scored the game-winner with 2:37 remaining in the match.

Lucas Malaguez was credited with the decisive goal by the Demon Hawks broadcaster, after Iowa scored from the left side.

Lancers player-coach Jake Schindler came on as the sixth attacker the rest of the way, but Rochester could not find the equalizer.

Demon Hawks goalkeeper Rainer Hauss was outstanding in the net, producing several big-time saves.

Seconds after the opening kickoff, Iowa took the first shot of the match when Guilherme Dos Santos sent a side volley into the stands.

The Demon Hawks made sure they were on target later on in the first period as Bruno Henrique tallied twice off of counterattacks to lift the hosts into a 2-0 lead.

Henrique found the net, beating goalkeeper Daniel Maddock from the right side at 2:14.

After Rochester took a flurry of shots that were either blocked or just off target, the Demon Hawks doubled their advantage as Enrique scored at 5:44.

The Lancers found the net, converting a 3-on-1 break 30 seconds into the second quarter, but Iowa restored its two-goal cushion at 7:27. Rochester, however, wouldn't die and moved within a goal at 3-2 at 7:54.

Andriy Demydiv, off an assist by Schindler, tied the match at 2:42 of the third period.

The Demon Hawks, however, retook the lead with a pair of consecutive goals, at 5:44 and 6:32 at Henrique recorded a hat-trick on the latter goal against goalkeeper Daniel Maddock.

Rochester moved within one score as Schindler ripped a shot from the left side at 9:03. Dos Santos, however, restored the hosts' two-goal margin with a power play goal of their own at 12:17.

For the second game in a row, the Lancers put on a fourth-quarter surge to come back from a two-goal deficit. Just 36 seconds into the period, Konrad Zydowicz scored from the left side. Then Tamas Nagy, off a brilliant individual effort and run on the right-wing as he used the boards to pass to himself, equalized at 6-6 at 2:55, setting up Iowa’s late heroics.

These two teams will tussle again later this month.

The Lancers will host the Demon Hawks in their season opener at the Total Sports Experience in East Rochester, N.Y. on Friday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Those two teams will battle on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m.

For more information about the team, visit www.RochesterLancers.com.