TROPICS HAND ONTARIO FIRST LOSS OF SEASON 8-7

by Brian Ackley

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Florida Tropics scored the first three goals of the fourth quarter,
snapping a 5-5 tie, en route to an 8-7 win over the previously undefeated Ontario Fury in
a Major Arena Soccer League game Sunday at the RP Funding Center.

The game was a true back and forth affair, with the score being tied five different
occasions before Florida's outburst at the start of the final period. Ian Bennett broke the
last tie score with his MASL leading 15th goal of the year. Jake Schindler followed to
make it 7-5 and Antonio Manfut got his second of the game to finally give the Tropics a
little breathing room.

Ricardo Carvalho also scored twice for Florida, who also got goals from Rafa Alves and
Joey Tavernese. Captain Victor Parreiras led all scorers on the afternoon with three
assists.

Defensively, the Tropics held high flying Franck Tayou largely in check. The league's
reigning Most Valuable Player, who came into the game with 11 goals in four games,
was held to just one goal Sunday. Maicon De Abreu had the hat trick for Ontario, who
also got goals from Christian Alvarado (2) and Justin Stinson. Ontario's last goal came
with just eight seconds to play, an own goal deflected into the Tropics net by a Florida
defender.

The Tropics improved to 8-3, good for second place in the MASL behind Ontario, who
has a higher winning percentage, as the Fury fell to 4-1. The Fury out-shot Florida, 26-11,
with winning netminder Hugo Silva credited with 17 saves. Silva leads the MASL with
eight wins.