Stars Pull Away Late, Win 10-7 over Utica

January 7, 2024 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) – Tacoma Stars News Release

Nick Perera of the Tacoma Stars
(Tacoma Stars)

KENT, WA. – If there was ever a game early in a season that felt like the cliché “must-win” game, this was it for the Tacoma Stars (3-3-0). After leading most of the game and winding up tied in the fourth quarter, Tacoma pulled away for a very big 10-7 win over the visiting Utica City FC (6-2-0) at the accesso ShoWare Center in front of over 2,300 fans on South Sound United League Recognition Night.

Tacoma wasted no time in using their challenge flag with head coach Adam Becker looking for a hand ball with 13:54 left in the opening quarter. A lengthy review by the officials ended with a blue card against UCFC and led to the Stars first goal of the night. Nick Perera slid a pass to his left and Jamael Cox sent a shot just under the crossbar past UCFC keeper Julian Rodriguez for the 1-0 lead.

Less than a minute later, Utica had a power play of their own with Tacoma’s Logan Jones drawing a blue card. Unfortunately for UCFC, that led to the Stars’ second goal of the night. Adrian Correa connected with Kyle Rivers for a short-handed goal which stood up under a challenge from Utica coach Hewerton Moreira and Tacoma led 2-0 with 12:37 left in the first.

With their power play expired, UCFC did strike next with Tim Goldman connecting with Nilton de Andrade who went top shelf over Stars keeper Chris Toth to cut Tacoma’s lead to 2-1 with 9:23 still to go in the first quarter.

Tacoma stretched the lead back to two after Perera dribbled to his left and spun with a pass to his right to Alex Caceres who buried the ball to the back of the net for a 3-1 lead with 8:20 remaining in quarter number one.

Steven Fernandez ripped a shot from an incredible angle for UCFC’s second goal of the night, and again the Tacoma lead was cut to one in the first quarter, now 3-2 with 5:32 on the clock.

The scariest moment of the game also came in the opening frame when Cox was streaking in from the right side and Rodriguez came off his line to cut off Cox’s angle. Cox fired a shot that struck Rodriguez directly in the face and required paramedics to attend to him. Incredibly, he would return later in the game.

Like the first quarter, the second also started with a special teams goal for the Stars, this one of the short-handed variety. Perera drove down the center of the box, spun UCFC defender Nelson Santana, and beat Rodriguez, who returned to the game at the…