By Andrew Johnson
LocalSportsJournal.com

MUSKEGON – It’s been a challenging season for the Muskegon Risers.

And it didn’t get any easier on Friday night in a 17-4 loss to the Rochester Lancers in a Major Arena Soccer League 2 contest at L.C Walker Arena.

The Risers dropped to 1-9 on the season.

“We kept playing,” said Muskegon head coach Ben Ritsema. “We had some shots at the end. To be honest, the game of indoor soccer is a game of half inches sometimes, and their shots hit the post and went in while our shots hit the post and went out. That said, they’re a lot better.”

Muskegon’s Jacob Vanderlaan pushes the ball up field. Photo/Jason Goorman

Rochester’s domination was evident in the final shot total – 34-14.Things started out pretty evenly, with Muskegon only trailing 3-1 after one quarter. Joe Broekhuizen had the lone Muskegon goal while Luiz Enrique Hidalgo, Jake Schindler and Boomer Steigleman found the net for Rochester.

In the second quarter, the Lancers began to pull away, outscoring Muskegon 3-0 behind goals from Anthony Rozzuno, Steigleman and August Finn.

In the third quarter, the Risers’ Franco Calabrese scored at the 1:39 mark to cut the deficit to 6-2.

But Rochester outscored Muskegon 5-0 over the remaining 13:21 of the third quarter, behind two goals from Schindler and one goal each from Rozzuno, Hidalgo and Michael Cunningham.

Rochester kept pouring it on in the fourth quarter with six more goals in the first 8:25, making their lead 17-2. The Lancers goals were scored by Cunningham, Rozzuno, Steigleman, Jayme Kapinos, Garry Broughton and Tim Lazorko.

Muskegon responded with the final two goals of the game, from Calabrese and Stu Collins.

Calabrese led Muskegon with two goals while Rochester was led by Schindler with four goals and Hidalgo and Steigleman with three apiece.

Muskegon will close out the home portion of its schedule next Saturday when it hosts Chicago at 7:15 p.m.