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Stars’ Moises Gonzalez becomes 12th MASL player to eclipse 300 career points; Missael Lopez nets game-winner with first career goal
BY TACOMA STARS COMMUNICATIONS
KENT, Wash. – Twice as nice.
The Tacoma Stars came into the weekend needing six points from Harrisburg and they accomplished the mission by sweeping the Heat with an 8-7 win at the accesso ShoWare Center on Sunday evening. With the win – Tacoma’s second over Harrisburg in a three-day period – the Stars climbed to within one point of Dallas for the eighth playoff spot with a game in hand over the Sidekicks.
It was a night of milestones with career firsts and big career numbers achieved. Two Stars players notched their first career MASL goals while Moises Gonzalez became just the 12th player in league history to achieve 300 career points. He also crossed the 200-career goal threshold during the game.
The first half was tight with each team scoring once in the first quarter, Riley Urie for the Heat (2-10-1) and Fellipe Souza for Tacoma (4-8-3).
Jack Shearer gave the Heat a 2-1 lead 39 seconds into the second quarter before the first milestone was reached. Gonzalez assisted on a Nick Perera goal to not only tie the game at 2-2 with 6:29 to play in the half, but to reach that 300th point.
Less than a minute later, Riley Urie’s second goal of the game put Harrisburg back in front for the final time at 3-2.
Tacoma drew level when Chase Hanson found Khai Brisco for the first goal of his MASL career. To put an exclamation point on the event – Brisco executed a back hand spring and stuck the landing. With his goal, the teams headed to the break even at 3-3.
The Stars came out of halftime firing on all cylinders as they put three straight goals on the board with markers by Eddie Na, Tyler John and Gonzalez to take a 6-3 lead with 9:53 to play in the third quarter.
The teams closed out the frame with Mike Da-Silva netting the first of his two goals in the game for the Heat and Tacoma's Na getting his second tally.
Tacoma led 7-4 headed to the final quarter, but Harrisburg was not done. Despite losing Adriano Dos Santos to a red card in the third stanza, the Heat made this an extremely close contest during the final 15 minutes of play.
Harrisburg outscored Tacoma 3-1 in the fourth quarter, but the Stars lone goal was a big one. Missael Lopez collected his first MASL goal in the fourth quarter – and it proved to be the game-winner for Tacoma.
Next up for the Stars is a double dip against the Baltimore Blast with games on Friday on the road at 7:05 p.m. and 5:05 p.m. on Sunday at the ShoWare Center.
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(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the National Soccer Network regarding club/youth soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with ties to a particular state or states, contact Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or call 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 32-year veteran of the Michigan and national media circles and recently joined the staff full time at PMG in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/NSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
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