March 9, 2024

EAST ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Before they took on Atletico Orlando on Saturday night, the Rochester Lancers learned they had clinched the East Division title.

Instead of sitting on their laurels, they then went out and produced their largest goal output of the Major Arena Soccer League 2 season in a 16-3 victory at Total Sports Experience.

Ali Alomari, who entered the game third among the league's top goal-scorers, connected for four goals to give him 26 this season. He also assisted on two goals.

Nine Lancers scored goals. August Finn struck for a hat-trick. Alex Harling contributed two goals and three assists and Taner Bay bagged a brace. Eduardo Figueroa, Frank Ciliberto, Jeff Bourne, Jeremy Loncao and Matt D'Amico also found the net for the Lancers (9-0-0, 27 points), who have reached double figures in goals in every game this season. Head coach Jake Schindler finished with three assists, giving him four this weekend.

Lancers goalkeeper Alastair Farmer made 20 saves.

In a marked contrast to Rochester's 15-2 win over Orlando (1-5-0, 3) on Friday night, this encounter was much more physical.

For the second consecutive night, the visitors deployed a zone defense in an attempt to slow the Lancers down. It was effective in the early going, holding the hosts to a handful of shots.

But, only 13 seconds after an official timeout, Rochester got on the scoresheet. Schindler won the ball at midfield and fed an onrushing Alomari on the right side. Alomari then ripped a shot into the goal for a 1-0 lead at 7:31. Alomari tallied his second of the night at 10:18, when he tapped in a left-wing feed from Figueroa past goalkeeper Jorge Ortiz.

Just 10 seconds later, Orlando scored a goal of its own as Daniel Aular found the net.

Early in the second quarter, the Lancers opened up play with some fast transitions and long-range shooting to crack the zone defense, scoring five unanswered goals to grab a 7-1 halftime lead.

Finn put in a rebound of his own blocked shot 35 seconds into the period. Defender Konrad Zydowicz, who cleared a shot off the goal line in the opening period, then set up Figueroa with a goal, a fairly long shot from the left side, at 2:48 for a 4-1 margin. Bay joined the scoring party at 10:41, as he put home a half-volley of an Alomari feed for a power-play goal. Finn found the range again at 11:21, drilling home a left-footed shot off a Harling assist at 11:21. Alomari closed out the first-half scoring, beating Ortiz from the left side off a Schindler pass at 12:22.

Rochester's dominance continued in the third quarter. Cilberto, off a quick feed by Harling scored at 3:03. Gianpaolo Sirizzottistruck for Orlando's second goal as his shot deflected off Zydowicz at 3:29. Bourne buried his second goal of the season off a Zydowicz pass off the wall at 13:05. Some 33 seconds later, Loncao scored his first goal of the campaign for a 10-2 margin entering the final period.

Harling took center stage at the start of the fourth quarter, connecting twice within a 3:10 span. He put in a Ciliberto feed 33 seconds into the period before slipping home Bay’s right-wing cross in at the back post at 3:43

Alomari scored his fourth, with some nifty moves that resulted in a power-play goal off a Darren Toby assist at 5:50. Bay put in a Bourne pass at 10:50 Aular tallied his second goal of the game, unassisted, at 11:56. Finn got his hat-trick, off a Schindler assist, at 13:25, and D'Amico closed out the scoring with 52 seconds left.

The Lancers have three games remaining in the regular season.

They hit the road for their final away game at Baltimore Arsenal on Saturday, March 16 at 2 p.m.

Rochester returns home to host United Elite Krajisnik FC for a pair of weekend matches, on Friday, March 22 and on Saturday, March 23. Both games kick off at 7:45 p.m.

The Lancers will participate in the M2 playoffs the first weekend of April in Wichita, Kansas.

Follow the Lancers at www.RochesterLancers.com.