March 26, 2023 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) – Florida Tropics SC News Release
LAKELAND, Fla. – For the second time in three weeks, Utica City defeated the Florida Tropics in overtime, winning Sunday at the RP Funding Center 4-3 in a Major Arena Soccer League matchup.
And for the second straight time, it was Utica’s Gordy Gurson who got the game winner in overtime. Taylor Walter Bond, who started the year with Florida before being traded in January, got all three of Utica’s goals.
Neither team led by more than one goal at any point in the game. The Tropics got scores from JP Reyes, Breno Olivera and Thiago Freitas.
The goal from Reyes came just over three minutes into the third quarter to give Florida a 3-2 lead, but Bond got his third to tie it just 40 seconds later, and neither team would score again until Gurson’s poke trickled in between the legs of Florida netminder Hugo Silva, who came up with a number of big saves in facing 42 Utica shots.
Despite the loss, Florida stays in third place in the East, two points ahead of Utica in fourth. Utica, however has played one more game that the Tropics, who will close out their home season with games March 31 and April 2 at home against the St. Louis Ambush. Utica will finish their year at home next Sunday against Baltimore, who currently is in second place, and would be Florida’s playoff opponent in the playoffs should the standings stay as they are.
Home game tickets are available starting at just $7 per game by calling the arena box office at 863-834-8111. Although tickets are also available online at www.rpfundingcenter.com, service fees are significantly higher through Ticketmaster as opposed to calling the box office directly.
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