Round one of new Orlando rivalry goes to the Tropics, 9-6

LAKELAND, Fla. –   Victor Parreiras had three goals, and Hugo Silva was big in goal as the  Florida Tropics downed the Orlando SeaWolves in a Major Arena Soccer  League game at the RP Funding Center Saturday night.

It was the  first of six regular season matchups between the two geographic rivals  in the South Central Division, with Florida improving to 3-3 and Orlando  slipping to 1-3.

The Tropics got two shorthanded goals on the  same Orlando man advantage early in the third quarter – one from  Parreiras and another from Anthony Arico – after the SeaWolves had  gotten to with 5-1 less than thirty seconds in to the half on a goal by  Gordy Gurson, who also scored in the fourth.

It's the second time  in team history the Tropics have recorded two shorthanded goals in the  same game. They turned the trick in their first season in a road win at  Kansas City, with Arico and Raphael Nascimento scoring shorties exactly  90 seconds apart.

The Tropics let at intermission 5-0, and built that to 8-1 before the SeaWolves started to find the back of the net.

Freddy  Moojen had two goals and an assist, Arico had two goals, and Florida  got singles from Guilherme – his team leading eighth of the year – as  well as Ricardo Diegues, playing in his first game of the year. Max  Touloute had three assists. Orlando got additional goals from Osvaldo  Rojas (2), Joshio Sandoval and Tyler Turner.

Florida's Hugo Silva faced 33 SeaWolves shots and was credited with 15 saves.

Florida  will be on the road next weekend when they visit St. Louis for a  Saturday night start, and are in Kansas City for a Sunday matinee. Both  games will be broadcast live at www.masl.tv. The Tropics return home  Saturday, Jan. 12, for a SeaWolves rematch. That will be Orlando's next  game as they are off next weekend.