The Tacoma Stars remain on the road for a pair of matches this weekend against the San Diego Sockers on Friday and the Dallas Sidekicks on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Tacoma earned a shootout victory over the Sidekicks (6-9) on the road in November, and have split their two matches with the Sockers this year, with a loss coming on the road. San Diego holds a half-game lead over the Stars in the Major Arena Soccer League Pacific Division.<\/p>\n
The Sockers (9-4) are the first stop for the Stars (9-5) this weekend, and currently sport the second best goal differential in the league at plus-36. San Diego goalkeeper Chris Toth, recently named the MASL January Goalkeeper of the Month, leads the circuit with an .820 save percentage and ranks second with a 3.81 goals against average mark. Forward Kraig Chiles leads the club with 32 points, and is tied for sixth in the MASL with 24 goals.<\/p>\n
Dallas forward Cameron Brown has accumulated a team-best 43 points, and is one of seven Sidekicks players to have reached a double-digit point total so far this year. Through 13 games, Brown ranks among the league’s top 10 players in points, goals, assists, points per game, and power play goals.<\/p>\n
Five players have logged 10 or more points for Tacoma this season, led by forward Dan Antoniuk with 20. Midfielders Derek Johnson and Micheal Ramos are close behind with 19 apiece, while Johnson’s 15 goals are tops on the team. On the back line defenders Cory Keitz and Troy Peterson have contributed 30 and 20 blocks, respectively, after no Stars player recorded more than 13 last season.<\/p>\n
While the Stars are one of only two teams remaining in the league with an unblemished home record (7-0), the club has gone just 2-5 on the road this season. San Diego and Dallas have combined to earn a 10-5 record at home.<\/p>\n
Live stats for the matches can be found at maslsoccer.com<\/a>, while a live online stream will be available through MASLtv. First kick in San Diego on Friday is scheduled for 7:35 p.m., while Saturday’s match in Dallas is set for 5:05 p.m.<\/p>\n