Exciting Empire Season Ends with 2-4 Playoff Loss at San Diego

Oceanside, Calif. — Despite leaving it all on the turf, the Empire Strykers were eliminated from the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) postseason on Friday evening, falling 2-4 to hosts San Diego Sockers. In a stingy affair, San Diego prevailed largely due to a comprehensive team performance and an excellent showing by veteran goalkeeper Boris Pardo, who was in net for the entire 60 minutes, giving up a mere two tallies and boasting a .778 save percentage.

 

Sockers forward Gabriel Costa had a goal and an assist in the match, and defender Drew Ruggles also found the back of the net to continue his impressive streak of strong offensive displays. For Empire, MASL rookie Polo Hernandez collected a pair of helpers.  

 

After an opening quarter that featured plenty of intensity and physical battles but no goals, San Diego drew first blood. Positioned by the side boards on the right and with his back toward the attacking third, former Ontario Fury (today's Empire Strykers) man Leonardo De Oliveira flicked a hopeful ball over his own head that found its way into the bath of a streaking Tavoy Morgen, who released a powerful left-footed volley that nestled inside the right post. The hosts could have doubled their advantage when another ex-Fury ace, Charlie Gonzalez, rounded goalkeeper Orozco, only to go narrowly wide left on the seemingly simple finish.

 

Strykers forward Abdul Mansaray subsequently had a golden scoring chance of his own. On an opposition power play, the speedster was sprung down the field for a one on one with backstop Pardo, who produced a point-blank block to keep his side ahead. Empire was punished for the missed opportunity moments later, Luiz Morales opting for a direct hit on a restart from the top of the arc, his left-footed bullet finding the upper left corner of the frame.

 

The visitors pulled one back, Marco Fabián converting from Polo Hernandez, but the Sockers would reestablish their previous cushion prior to intermission. Yet another former Fury standout, Costa, cut inside and smashed a wicked left-footed attempt under the crossbar for 3-1.

 

After Strykers netminder Orozco rushed off his line in the third quarter to stifle a wide-open Moralez, San Diego did extend its lead to three when Ruggles tallied from Costa. To Empire's credit, the team led by head coach Onua Obasi refused to give up and managed to make things interesting by way of a Mounir Alami netter in the final period, Hernandez providing the assist. However, it was a case of too little, too late, as the Sockers held on for a well-deserved victory.