February 22, 2020
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- In the middle game of a three-match weekend, the Rochester Lancers will welcome the Baltimore Blast to the Dome Arena for a Major Arena Soccer League contest on Saturday night.
The 7 p.m. game will pit two rivals who know each other well, having tussled since the 2011-12 season.
The Lancers (0-17) are coming off a 8-5 home defeat to Utica City FC on Friday night. The Blast (12-7), in a battle for the fourth and final Eastern Division playoff berth and in the middle of a similar three-game stretch, recorded a 13-3 home win over the Orlando Seawolves. The start of that game was pushed back because the Seawolves' flight to Baltimore was delayed. Vini Dantas led the way with three goals and three assists and Jonathan Melo added recorded two goals and three assists.
On Friday night, Lancers goalkeeper Brian Wilkin put in his best performance of the season, making 26 saves, some of them spectacular. Rozzano, who leads Rochester in scoring (eight goals, five assists) and Rafa Godoi scored for Rochester. On the season, Michael Cunningham and Jeremy Ortiz have chipped in seven goals apiece.
Baltimore has won both matches in Rochester, registering an 11-0 triumph at the Dome Arena on Dec. 28 and a 9-1 win on Feb. 1.
In the teams' most recent tussle, Juan Pereira scored four goals and Tony Donatelli added three for the Blast. Rochester defender Anthony Rozzano spoiled goalkeeper William Vanzela's bid for his second clean sheet in as many nights with the lone Lancers goal.
Dantas paces the visits with 32 goals and 13 assists, followed by Donatelli (18 goals, 18 assists), Melo (12 goals, 20 assists) and Juan Pereira (16 goals, 10 assists).
On Sunday, the Lancers will travel east on the New York Thruway to visit Utica City FC for a 2 p.m. matinee match.
After this weekend, the Lancers will have five games remaining in the season. They visit the Baltimore Blast on Saturday, Feb. 29 before they return to the Dome Arena for their final homestand of the season. They welcome the Tropics on Friday, March 6 and then the Kansas City Comets on Saturday, March 7 Both contests begin at 7 p.m.
Tickets for all Lancers' home games can be purchased at RLancers.com or at the Dome 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--