The Seals split their opening road trip of the season with a 2-1 win against the Lancaster Rattlers, and a 2-5 loss against the Fresno Fuego last weekend.

As predicted, the Rattlers were no push over. 

The Seals went up 1-0 in the second minute on a goal by Keith Ratzburg from an assist by Dave Vedder.  Seven minutes later, Steven Cordova found the back of the net off an assist from John Colan. The defense took over from there, led by Rich Halvorsen and Dave Vedder. 
 
The Rattlers pressed hard, and forced six saves by keeper Luis Montanez.  In the 59th minute Rattler midfielder Jesse Graham struck for their lone goal on an assist from forward Mauricio Harrie.

Luis Montanez came up big in the second half with a great save that kept the game at 2-1 in favor of the Seals. The Seals had a third goal nullified by the referee on a questionable call.

We had a nice little contingent of about 7 Seals fans make 4+ hour trip to Lancaster.  It was a nice way to start the season.

After knocking off the Lancaster Rattlers at their place on Saturday night, we took a hit from the Fuego Sunday afternoon in sunny (read HOT) Fresno, as the Seals lost 2-5.

But the score doesn't tell the whole story.

“We actually looked very strong in this game and I felt we had it under control,” stated Tom Simpson, Coach and General Manager of the Seals.  “We scored first and we were very dangerous.”

John Colan scored the first goal off a Chris Rodd assist out of the defense in the 32nd minute of the match.  The Seals put a lot of pressure on the Fuego Keeper Alex Lloyd, forcing two saves off seven shots.  While the Fuego only had 4 shots in the first half forcing one save by Montanez. 

But two of the shots by the Fuego were PK’s . . .

“The referee took this game out of our hands with three PK calls in less than fifteen minutes” lamented Simpson. “I've never seen anything like it.”  Actually, it was thirteen minutes.

The first PK was knocked in by Amaury Nunez in the 35th minute, and the second came in the 44th minute as Pablo Campos knocked in the second PK before the half.

In the 48th minute the third PK was awarded the Fuego, and Campos scored his second of the match, and his fifth goal of the season, as the Fuego went up 3-1 on the Seals.

“We didn’t give up, and continued to press” said Simpson.  “We came back with our second goal as Keith Ratzburg scored off a throw-in by Rich Halvorsen. Now the game was 3-2 and we kept pushing, but exposed ourselves for the last two goals.” 

The loss makes the two home games this month critical to the Seals U.S. Open Cup qualification.  “We need these games, and the one away game at the Seahorses” stated Simpson.  “The point difference is probably the most critical element.”

The Seals open at home this Sunday (May 20th) against the Rattlers at USF Negoesco Stadium, and that match is the second of four Open Cup .  Game time is at 4:00pm.