2017–18 Major Arena Soccer League season

Major Arena Soccer League
Season2017–18
ChampionsBaltimore Blast
Matches played176
Goals scored2,402 (13.65 per match)
Top goalscorerFranck Tayou (71)
Longest winning run17 Games:
Monterrey Flash
(11/5/17–2/11/18)
Longest losing run13 Games:
Turlock Express
(12/15/17–2/16/18)

The 2017–18 Major Arena Soccer League season is the tenth season for the league. The regular season started on October 28, 2017, and ended on March 4, 2018. Each team played a 22-game schedule. The Baltimore Blast won their third straight Ron Newman Cup Championship by defeating the Monterrey Flash 4–3 on March 25.[1] 40 anniversary of professional indoor soccer in North America.

Standings

Final as of March 4, 2018[2]
  2017-18 League Championship
  2017-18 Playoff Team
(Bold) Division Winner

Eastern Conference

Place Team GP W L Pct GF GA GB Home Road
Eastern Division
1 Baltimore Blast 22 17 5 .773 143 109 — 11-0 6-5
2 Syracuse Silver Knights 22 13 9 .591 140 130 4 7-4 6-5
3 Florida Tropics SC 22 10 12 .455 131 141 7 5-6 5-6
4 Harrisburg Heat 22 6 16 .273 114 148 11 4-7 2-9
Central Division
1 Milwaukee Wave 22 17 5 .773 172 124 — 10-1 7-4
2 Cedar Rapids Rampage 22 11 11 .500 146 144 6 7-4 4-7
3 Kansas City Comets 22 7 15 .318 165 190 10 5-6 2-9
4 St. Louis Ambush 22 3 19 .136 110 154 14 1-10 2-9

Western Conference

Place Team GP W L Pct GF GA GB Home Road
Southwest Division
1 Monterrey Flash 22 20 2 .909 179 110 — 10-1 10-1
2 Sonora Soles 22 15 7 .682 228 182 5 10-1 5-6
3 El Paso Coyotes 22 11 11 .500 179 200 9 7-4 4-7
4 RGV Barracudas FC 22 3 19 .136 129 222 17 2-9 1-10
Pacific Division
1 San Diego Sockers 22 19 3 .864 166 84 — 11-0 8-3
2 Tacoma Stars 22 11 11 .500 134 134 8 7-4 4-7
3 Ontario Fury 22 10 12 .455 155 142 9 6-5 4-7
4 Turlock Express 22 3 19 .136 111 188 16 2-9 1-10

2018 Ron Newman Cup

Format

The top two teams from each division qualified for the post-season. The Division Finals are a 2-game home and home series, with a 15-minute mini-game played immediately after Game 2 if the series is tied. The Conference Finals and Championship are single elimination.[3]

Eastern Conference Playoffs

Eastern Division Final

Game 1
Syracuse Silver Knights6–7Baltimore Blast
Report
Attendance: 1,653
Referee: Kyle Trimble
Game 2
Baltimore Blast5–4Syracuse Silver Knights
Report
Attendance: 3,611
Referee: Rich Grady

Baltimore wins series 2–0

Central Division Final

Game 1
Cedar Rapids Rampage8–9 (OT)Milwaukee Wave
Report
Attendance: 1,211
Referee: Rich Grady
Game 2
Milwaukee Wave8–7Cedar Rapids Rampage
Report
Attendance: 4,891
Referee: Ryan Cigich

Milwaukee wins series 2–0

Eastern Conference Final

Baltimore Blast10–6Milwaukee Wave
Report
Attendance: 3,173
Referee: Kia Dehpanah

Western Conference Playoffs

Southwest Division Final

Game 1
Sonora Soles7–8Monterrey Flash
Report
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Jorge Zuany
Game 2
Monterrey Flash9–5Sonora Soles
Report
Attendance: 4,125
Referee: Manuel Ortiz Jr

Monterrey wins series 2–0

Pacific Division Final

Game 1
Tacoma Stars5–2San Diego Sockers
Report
Attendance: 2,386
Referee: Shane Butler
Game 2
San Diego Sockers9–3Tacoma Stars
Report
Attendance: 3,421
Referee: Ron Cory
Mini-Game
San Diego Sockers6–2Tacoma Stars
Report
Attendance: 3,421
Referee: Ron Cory

San Diego wins series 2–1

Western Conference Final

Monterrey Flash6–4San Diego Sockers
Report
Attendance: 6,086
Referee: Ryan Cigich

Ron Newman Cup Final

Monterrey Flash3–4Baltimore Blast
Report
Attendance: 8,220
Referee: Rich Grady

Statistics

Top scorers

Rank Scorer Club Games Goals Assists Points
1 Franck Tayou Sonora Soles 22 71 11 82
2 Ian Bennett Milwaukee Wave 22 50 14 64
3 Leo Gibson Kansas City Comets 22 30 28 58
4 Kraig Chiles San Diego Sockers 19 38 18 56
5 Joey Tavernese Syracuse Silver Knights 22 28 26 54
6 Gordy Gurson Cedar Rapids Rampage 22 30 19 49
7 Christian Gutierrez El Paso Coyotes 22 36 12 48
8 Max Ferdinand Milwaukee Wave 22 15 31 46
9 Ricardo De Queiroz Diegues Florida Tropics SC 22 28 16 44
10 Tony Donatelli Baltimore Blast 20 22 21 43

[4]

Awards

Individual awards

Award Name[5] Team
League MVP Franck Tayou Sonora Soles
Goalkeeper of the Year Chris Toth San Diego Sockers
Defender of the Year Robert Acosta St. Louis Ambush
Co-Rookie of the Year Edgar González Monterrey Flash
Co-Rookie of the Year Philip Lund Tacoma Stars
Coach of the Year Mariano Bollella Monterrey Flash
Aaron Susi Trophy (Playoff MVP) William Vanzela[1] Baltimore Blast

All-League First Team

Name[6] Position Team
Max Ferdinand F Milwaukee Wave
Franck Tayou F Sonora Soles
Ian Bennett M Milwaukee Wave
Robert Acosta D St. Louis Ambush
Pat Healey D Baltimore Blast
Chris Toth GK San Diego Sockers

All-League Second Team

Name[7] Position Team
Kraig Chiles F San Diego Sockers
Joey Tavernese F Syracuse Silver Knights
Tony Donatelli M Baltimore Blast
Damian Garcia D Monterrey Flash
John Sosa D San Diego Sockers
Josh Lemos GK Milwaukee Wave

All-League Third Team

Name[7] Position Team
Leo Gibson F Kansas City Comets
Gordy Gurson M Cedar Rapids Rampage
Christian Gutierrez M El Paso Coyotes
Adriano Dos Santos D Baltimore Blast
Darren Toby D Syracuse Silver Knights
Boris Pardo GK San Diego Sockers

All-Rookie Team

Name[8] Position Team
Edgar González F Monterrey Flash
Adrian Perez F Ontario Fury
Philip Lund M Tacoma Stars
Manuel Aragon D Sonora Soles
Marco Nascimento D Baltimore Blast
Rainer Hauss GK Cedar Rapids Rampage

References

  1. ^ a b "BLAST WIN 3RD STRAIGHT MASL CHAMPIONSHIP". MASL Soccer. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  2. ^ MASL Schedule
  3. ^ "MASL ANNOUNCES 2018 DIVISIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULES". MASL Soccer. March 2, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  4. ^ MASL Stats
  5. ^ "MASL ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2017-2018 MAJOR AWARDS". MASL Soccer. March 24, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  6. ^ "MASL ANNOUNCES 1ST TEAM ALL-MASL AWARDS". MASL Soccer. March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  7. ^ a b "MASL ANNOUNCES 2ND AND 3RD TEAM AWARDS". MASL Soccer. March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  8. ^ "MAJOR ARENA SOCCER LEAGUE ALL-ROOKIE TEAM ANNOUNCED". MASL Soccer. March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.