The Tacoma Stars return to action after an extended break in play with a home match against Atletico Baja on Saturday at the ShoWare Center.<\/p>\n
The Stars (6-3) enter the match on a two-game winning streak and sporting a perfect 4-0 record at home. The club’s most recent loss came against Baja on the road in early December, a 9-4 decision in which Baja midfielder Christian Gutierrez scored five goals.<\/p>\n
Tacoma is led on offense by forward Dan Antoniuk, who has posted a team-best 15 points, and midfielder Derek Johnson, who paces the squad with nine goals. Goalkeeper Danny Waltman has tallied 113 saves on 166 shots for the Stars this year, and ranks among the league leaders in nearly every statistical category.<\/p>\n
The Stars feature a balanced offensive attack that includes five separate players who have recorded at least 10 points this season, making them one of only three teams in the league to accomplish that feat.<\/p>\n
Baja (5-4) has allowed 86 goals through nine matches this season, tied for the second most in the league and an average of nearly 10 goals per game. However, their offense is led by Gutierrez, the league’s most potent scoring threat. Gutierrez leads the MASL with 36 points, 29 goals, and four game-winning goals while ranking second in points per game average at 4.00.<\/p>\n
Both clubs currently sit in second place in their respective divisions, and will reach the midway point in their seasons with Saturday’s match. Starting this year, the Major Arena Soccer League playoffs will consist of the top two teams in each division – down from the top three teams last season.<\/p>\n
Live stats for the match can be found at maslsoccer.com<\/a>, while a live online stream will be available through MASLtv. First kick is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.<\/p>\n