Thunder End Season with Loss

Blaine, MN – MN Thunder-9/20/09
BLAINE, Minn. (Sunday, September 20, 2009) – The Minnesota Thunder lost their last match of the 2009 season 3-2 to the Charleston Battery.  The first half was full of action with two goals by each team but the pivotal goal came in the second half when Charleston’s Dan Antonink scored the game winner in the 79th minute.  The Thunder enters the post season with eyes set on next year’s campaign.

The Battery’s Darren Spicer opened the match with a goal in the 17th minute.  Charleston was able to put a shot on goal off of a free kick and Minnesota’s goalkeeper, Nic Platter, made the save but lost the rebound.  Spicer tapped the loose ball in for the opening goal of the match.

The Battery extended their lead in the 26th minute with a goal from Tsuyoshi Yoshitake.  Yoshitake blasted a shot toward the side netting and Platter was not able to make the save and Charleston went up by two.

The Thunder answered back in the 28th minute with a goal of their own.   Melvin Tarley came in unassisted and finished his try by blasting the ball past Charleston’s goalkeeper Chris McClellan.

Ricardo Sanchez evened the score in the 35th minute.  Marco Terminesi assisted by setting up Sanchez in the middle of the box.  Sanchez headed the ball past McClellan in the lower right side of the goal.

The first half was full of action on both sides of the ball.  Charleston scored the first two goals of the game and Minnesota also scored two unanswered goals before the first half ended.

Charleston reclaimed the lead in the 79th minute.  Dan Antonink headed a loose ball to the lower right side of the net and before Platter could try for the save the ball was already past him.

Both Minnesota and Charleston utilized the entire field in the second half.  The Battery took control of the match in the last 15 minutes of play, which made it difficult for the Thunder to mount an effective offensive strike.  Minnesota was able to play much of the final three minutes in Charleston’s third but they were not able to score the equalizer, and the Thunder were forced to end their season with a 3-2 loss to the Charleston Battery.

“I thought we fought hard tonight,” said Minnesota defender Rich Costanzo.  “We had some chances to tie the game up or take the lead at one point.  Overall, we fought hard and went out on a decent note.”

Starting Lineups:
Minnesota: Platter, Kallman (Clements, 73), Greenfield, Arango, Costanzo, Olum, Bass (Knox, 89), Sanchez, Saint-Preux (Cvilikas, 73), Tarley, Terminesi (Weiler, 89)

Charleston: McClellan, Akwari (Tate, 46), Woodbine, Marples, Bermudez (Williams, 57), Yoshitake (Bobo, 83), Treschuk, Hemming (Buete, 59), Spicer (Patterson, 68), Franks, Antonink
Game Summary:
Scoring Summary

CHA: Spicer, 17
CHA: Yoshitake, 26
MIN: Tarley, 26
MIN: Sanchez, 35
CHA: Antonink, 79

Game Statistics

Minnesota: Shots 8, Fouls 9, Offsides 2, Corners 4

Charleston: Shots 6, Fouls 7, Offsides 0, Corners 7

Goalkeeper Statistics

Platter (Minnesota): Shots faces 6, Saves 2, Goals Allowed 3

McClellan (Charleston): Shots faces 8, Saves 3, Goals Allowed 2

Cautions:

CHA: Yoshitake, 36
MIN: Constanzo, 80

Attendance: 3773

Referees: Landis Wiley, Jorge Oncontrilo, Kip Jackson, Sam Trigui