BLAST ADVANCE TO MASL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
The Baltimore Blast traveled to Milwaukee on Tuesday night game game two of the Eastern Conference Finals. After losing game two 8-4 the Blast would bounce back and defeat the Wave 2-1 in a mini game to secure a spot in the MASL Championship series.
The Wave took control of the game early with 3 goals in the first quarter. Drew Ruggles of the Wave was able to record a hat trick in the opening quarter. He recorded goals off assists from Robert Renaud, Max Ferdinand, and Ian Bennett to put the Wave up 3-0 at the end of the first.
In the second quarter both teams focused on strong defensive play. In the final minute both teams would find the back of the net. With :48 seconds left in the half Max Ferdinand recorded the 4th Wave goal off an assist from Daniel Chamale. The Blast would answer when Daniel Peruzzi recorded his first goal of the game for the Blast assisted by Tony Donatelli with only :15 seconds remaining in the quarter. At the half the Wave led 4-1.
In the third quarter the Wave would score first then Daniel Chamale found the back of the net at the 11:25 mark. Vini Dantas would answer for the Blast with his 4th goal of the postseason assisted by Pat Healey. At the 12:52 mark the Wave would strike again with a goal from Robert Renaud assisted my Daniel Mattos. Before the end of the quarter the Blast would cut the lead back to 3 when Vini Dantas recorded his 2nd goal of the game and his MASL leading 11th point of the postseason. Dantas’ goal was assisted by Adriano Dos Santos and the Blast entered the final quarter trailing 6-3.
Vini Dantas recorded the hat trick for the Blast :54 seconds into the final quarter with another goal assisted by Adriano Dos Santos. At the 4:31 mark Andre Hayne scored for the Wave off an assist from Marcio Leite. At the 11:11 mark Leite recorded a goal against the Blast 6th attacker to seal the game two victory. At the final buzzer the Wave defeated the Blast 8-4 to force a mini game to decide the conference champion.
The Blast were led in game two by Vini Dantas who recorded three goals and Adriano Dos Santos who recorded 2 assists. Goalkeeper, William Vanzela, recorded 17 saves in game two.
In the mini game Andrew Hoxie recorded his 4th goal of the postseason assisted by Juan Pereira to give the Blast the lead. Marcio Leite would score a late goal for the Wave to tie the game off an assist from Drew Ruggles. The goal of the night would come from veteran leader, Tony Donatelli, who recorded the game winning goal at the 13:57 mark assisted by Vini Dantas. The Blast defense led by Pat Healey, Adriano Dos Santos, and William Vanzela would shut the door in the final minute as the Blast clinched a spot in the MASL Championship series for the second consecutive season.
The Blast await the winner of the Soles de Sonora vs. San Diego Sockers series to decide who they will face in the MASL Championship Series. Dates and times of the series will be announced.