Week 9 was not as full with games but packed with meaningful results. We saw that battle of second place, an undefeated run continue, potential season ending victory and just some good arena league play. So let's start with Tuesday.

Tuesday, January 16th

Monterrey Flash 8-7 Kansas City Comets

This was the second game in two days for these two teams. This game was different, Kansas City and Monterrey looked a lot more balanced. The first saw Comets in control, leading 5-2 by half time. Zach Reget would lead the Comets with a goal and an assist. The second half would see the pace of the game switch and Monterrey would find their rhythm. Being the aggressor, the Flash would score six goals, three in each quarter, ending the game 7-9 for Monterrey. The Flash’s Luis Ayala would debut and score his first goal and assist of the season.

Wednesday, January 17th

San Diego Sockers 8-5 Empire Strykers

The Cali Rivalry of the San Diego Sockers and Empire Strykers would take the place for the second time this season. For the second time San Diego would control the game and get their comfortable win. Empire would only score in the second and fourth quarter. San Diego would pretty much control the game from beginning to end, out scoring/playing the Styrkers.

Empire would show signs of fight as they would close out the fourth quarter, when they would score four unanswered goals. However, the efforts by Brandon Escoto (2 goals, 1 assist) and Tavoy Morgan (1 goal, 2 assists) proved to be too much, ultimately giving the Sockers the win.

Friday, January 19th

Chihuahua Savage 8-2 Kansas City Comets

Kansas City's final game of their Mexican road trip. This game would be similar to the first game of their trip against Monterrey. Chihuahua would control this game and win comfortably. Savage were led by Carlos ‘Poper’ Hernandez with 2 goals, Enrique Cañez with 2 goals, and Roberto Escalante with an assist and a top performance. This is the second win in a row for the Savage as they look to find their winning ways.

Saturday, January 20th

St Louis Ambush 8-3 Baltimore Blast

St Louis Ambush may have just sealed the Baltimore Blast's faith with this victory and may be the first MASL playoffs to not feature the Baltimore Blast (aside from the COVID season). They are ten points behind the fourth place team and their current form, it is a tough hill to climb to make it to the playoffs.

This game would start with a close first quarter and the second quarter would keep off the Ambush's domiances. Going on a seven unanswered goal run. St Louis would have a game that everything would go right, Baltimore would have a game that everything would go wrong.

Sunday, January 21st

Milwaukee Wave 4-3 Dallas Sidekicks

Each time these two teams play, the games get more competitive. This was a physical and hard fought game. The back and forth would see the game tie up three times. Ultimately, Wave would

edge out the Sidekicks, 4-3. Marcio Leite would be involved in every goal for Milwaukee, ending the game with 1 goal and 3 assists. For the Sidekicks, Blas Perez would bang 2 goals and newly signed David Texeira would score his first goal of the season.

Texas Outlaws (OT) 8-7 Utica City FC

An overtime win, 8 goals in the fourth quarter, 15 goals in total, five cards, and a full game of entertainment; this is the best way to describe this game. This game saw the lead exchange between the two from the start. Ten seconds before the end of the match, Utica would tie it one more time to send it into overtime. Outlaws would take the win and the celebration from Jorge Deleon in front of the Biergarten was something you did not want to miss.

Monterrey Flash 4-2 Chihuahua Savage

The Mexican Indoor Classico again ended in Monterrey's win. This game went in a very similar fashion, Chihuahua would be winning and Monterrey would turn it around by the end of the game. The first half ended with a 2-1 lead for Savage, by the end of the fourth quarter, Flash would have the lead with a 4-2 victory.

Chihuahua would fall short because of their inability to finish chances and did not take advantage of the five power plays granted to them. Monterrey would come out on top maintaining their undefeated run.

- Geo Monterroso

While Geo is a contributing writer for Protagonist Soccer, he’s also the founder and host of the Goals N Boards podcast. It’s the best podcast strictly devoted to MASL.