Aguirre Shines as Strykers Draw 5-5 at Tacoma, Lose Shootout

Kent, Wash. — The Empire Strykers earned a point on the road at Tacoma on Saturday evening, falling in a shootout after tying 5-5 with the Stars in regulation time. On a weekend that will see both sides hop on early-morning flights for Sunday's rematch in California, both chose to rest their respective top attackers, with Empire's Marco Fabián not making the trip to Washington and Tacoma's Nick Perera acting as a coach during the game.

 

The Strykers, who now hold a record of 5-6-1 (wins-losses-shootout/overtime losses) on their 2024-25 Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) campaign, were led offensively by a defender, as Mexican Emmanuel Aguirre grabbed two goals and a helper. The Stars also featured an unlikely attacking standout in defender Tyler John, who contributed one tally and one assist. Playing in the place of indoor veteran and ex-Ontario Fury (today's Empire Strykers) ace Chris Toth, Tacoma backstop Donal Motch put in an excellent shift of his own, boasting 14 saves and a .737 save percentage.

 

Empire's preferred strategy of using its goalkeeper as an additional attacker backfired in the opening quarter. The home team drew first blood on a power play caused by a mistake on the part of the Strykers, who had briefly fielded too many players. Finding himself with the ball on the right, Moises Gonzalez put his cross on a platter for Michael Ramos at the back post, the forward nodding it inside the far-side netting for 1-0.

 

The away side subsequently had an opportunity to take advantage of a it's own power play, but instead it gave up two straight short-handed goals. After Gonzalez cleverly scored on a directly taken free kick before netminder Claysson De Lima could make it back between the posts, the Stars made it 3-0 courtesy of some intense pressure on a back-tracking Robert Palmer. With Empire sacrificing its goalkeeper in order to double its numerical advantage on offense, sixth attacker Palmer was dispossessed by Tyler John and could only watch helplessly as the defender enjoyed an unimpeded finish from close range.

 

The Strykers would claw their way back into the match in the second period. Harold Hanson got his team on the board, as he faked out an opposition defender and tallied via a low drive from the top of the arc, Aguirre collecting the helper. Randy Martinez cut his side's deficit to 2-3 moments later on an assist by Jorge DeLeon.

 

The Stars quickly reestablished their previous cushion, Alessandro Canale again benefitting from Empire's aggressive tactics as he received the ball from netminder Donal Motch and passed it into the open net from inside his own half. The visitors would cut their deficit back in half before intermission. With the Strykers opting to go without a netminder and instead use Palmer as a sixth attacker, the MASL veteran picked out Aguirre for a 4-3 halftime score.  

 

In a fiercely contested third quarter, Empire found a late equalizer, defender Aguirre pouncing on his own rebound after he had his initial shot saved.

 

Tacoma jumped back on top in the game's closing period, as Ramos bagged yet another goal as a result of the Strykers backstop pushing up the field. The dramatic closing stages of regulation time then saw Empire netminder Brian Orozco keep his side in the game with a point-blank block against a wide-open Ramos, who attempted to nutmeg the Guatemala futsal international on the play. Orozco's heroics proved crucial when Strykers attacker Hanson drove a shot underneath Stars backstop Motch to complete his brace and level the match at 5-5 with less than a minute left on the clock.

 

Tacoma spent the additional 15 minutes on the front foot, with Willie Spurr coming within inches of bagging the game winner twice in quick succession. First, the 31-year-old smashed a long-range rocket off the crossbar. Then, he forced a strong right-handed parry from goalkeeper De Lima. The Strykers did an excellent job of surviving the remainder of the overtime period despite their opponents repeatedly knocking on the door during a power play.

 

The hosts secured two points in the subsequent shootout, which they won 1-0, not needing their third taker after Empire's DeLeon, Justin Stinson and Walter Díaz Gonzalez had all been unsuccessful. Spurr scored for the Stars after his teammate Nani Mendoza had also failed to convert.

 

The Strykers' rematch with the visiting Stars kicks off on Sunday, January 26, at 4:05 PM. Season tickets and single-game tickets are available at www.TheEmpireStrykers.com.