UTICA COOLS HEAT 11-5

The Harrisburg Heat came out strong in their final matchup against Utica City FC, taking an early lead and showing offensive spark, but ultimately fell 11-6 in a high-scoring battle. First-quarter goals from Maldini Goncalves, Mike Da Silva, and Thiago Freitas had the Heat up 3-2, but Utica responded with a flurry of goals in the second and third quarters to take control. The Heat continued to fight back, with Ozzy Annang, Roshawn Panton, and Bradley Kerstetter finding the back of the net, but Utica’s dynamic attack proved too much.

Despite the scoreline, three of Utica’s goals came on an open net as Harrisburg pushed forward with the sixth attacker in a late effort to erase the deficit. Thiago Freitas notched his first goal of the season in his second game back, while Annang and Da Silva each tallied a goal and an assist. The Heat showed continued resilience and offensive creativity, keeping the pressure on until the final whistle.

The Heat will return home for their final home stand on Wednesday, March 27, when they take on the Baltimore Blast at the Equine Arena.