Stars Build Big Cushion, Hold Off Late UCFC Surge for 8–6 Win
- Jonathan Turner
- Jan 26
- 2 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
Utica City FC showed grit until the final whistle, but a dominant middle stretch from the Tacoma Stars proved decisive as Tacoma held on for an 8–6 victory in MASL action.
The match opened at a blistering pace, with Tacoma striking first just 1:04 into play. Nani Mendoza finished a quick attack off an assist from Logan Jones to give the Stars an early edge. Utica responded almost immediately, as Emmanuel Belliard leveled the match at 2:10 after a setup from Kyle Gehnrich.
From there, Tacoma began to assert control. Yahir Romero restored the Stars’ lead late in the first quarter, and the momentum carried into the second. Alex Caceres and Cristian Fernandes found the back of the net early and midway through the period, extending Tacoma’s advantage to 4–1.
The Stars continued to press in the third quarter, delivering the decisive stretch of the match. Douglas Lima, Tyler John, and Kyle Rivers each scored as Tacoma surged ahead 7–1. Utica finally broke through late in the quarter when Barbaro Shelier scored to give UCFC a spark heading into the final period.
Tacoma wasted little time adding to the lead, as Khai Brisco struck just 17 seconds into the fourth quarter to make it 8–2. Facing a steep deficit, Utica turned to the six-attacker and mounted an impressive late rally. Meny Silva started the surge at 6:13, followed by Shelier’s second goal of the night. Sergio Pinal and Willie Spurr added goals—including Spurr’s finish in the final minute—to cut the deficit to 8–6.
Despite the late push, the early hole proved too deep to overcome, and Tacoma closed out the final seconds to secure the win. Shelier led Utica City FC with two goals, while Silva, Pinal, and Spurr each contributed during the fourth-quarter comeback attempt. For Tacoma, Alex Caceres and Tyler John delivered strong all-around performances with goals and assists, helping the Stars build the cushion that ultimately sealed the result.
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