The Tacoma Stars scored six second-half goals to pick up a come-from-behind 9-5 Major Arena Soccer League win over the Turlock Express in central California on Friday night.<\/p>\n
With the win, the Stars (9-9) moved a full game ahead of the Ontario Fury for the Pacific Division’s second playoff spot.<\/p>\n
Mike Ramos scored five goals in the game for the Kent-based Stars.<\/p>\n
Each team scored two goals in the opening quarter, beginning with Douglas Lima finding the net just 1:41 into the match for Turlock (2-16).<\/p>\n
Nick Perera, the MASL leading scorer, sent in the first of his two goals on the night with 9:57 to go in the first. Less than a minute later, Omar Tapia gave the Express a at 2-1 lead before Perera’s second goal leveled the match after one quarter of play.<\/p>\n
In the second quarter, the Express went ahead for the third time on an Arturo Pulido goal with 12:17 left in the half. Ramos converted on a Chase Hanson assist for his first goal of the night to close out the scoring in the first half with 2:59 to play.<\/p>\n
Tacoma took its first lead of the match in the third quarter on a Pablo Da Silva-from-Perera goal with 12:24 remaining. Luis Brambila brought Turlock even for the final time just 15 seconds later for a 4-4 score. It was Ramos, on a power play, who put the Stars in front for good with a 5-4 score after three quarters.<\/p>\n
Ramos started the fourth quarter with back-to-back goals on assists from Perera and Joey Gjertsen to give the Stars a 7-4 lead with 6:52 to play in the game. Tapia nailed Turlock’s final goal of the game with just over five minutes left and then Ramos knocked in his fifth goal of the match on a Da Silva assist for an 8-5 Stars lead.<\/p>\n
Cory Keitz launched an empty-net goal that rolled in just as time expired to seal the 9-5 outcome and give Tacoma a 3-0 advantage in the season series.<\/p>\n
The same teams meet at 5:05 p.m. Sunday at the accesso ShoWare Center. Former Sounders FC star Lamar Neagle is expected to make his Stars debut.<\/p>\n