It was déjà vu all over again for the Blast.
After splitting last weekend?s two-game home series, the Blast (7-9) did the same on Friday and Saturday night.
After defeating Chicago, 10-4, on Friday, the Blast fell to Detroit, 10-6, before 9,622 at 1st Mariner Arena Saturday night.
Detroit (11-7) might be an expansion team, but Blast coach Danny Kelly warns not to judge them as such.
“We got beat by a better team tonight,” Kelly said.
“[Friday] night was a good team win ? I thought we took a step forward. [Saturday], I thought we took a step backwards,” Kelly said.
Machel Millwood (Towson) scored twice Saturday, after P.J. Wakefield (UMBC) had two goals and an assist on Friday. Sagu tended goal both nights, and recorded 19 saves Saturday.
The team is now 2-2 on a five-game homestand where many players and team personnel had hoped to win at least four.
This weekend was looking positive, with the Blast welcoming back 2005-2006 league MVP Adauto Neto and the team?s leading scorer from last season, Giuliano Celenza.
“It wasn?t as good as we?d expected,” said veteran Denison Cabral, who scored a goal on a restart Saturday. “I have to agree with what [Kelly] said today, we got beat by a better team. We have to accept that and work hard ? and just move on. We can?t look back too much, because there are a lot of points to get out there.”
The Blast has 14 games remaining in a 30-game regular season schedule, and needs to make up at least a game and a half in the standings to make the playoffs. Four teams make the playoffs, and the Blast are currently three game out of first place, and 1.5 behind fourth-place Chicago.
“I don?t like to say it but every game from here on in is a crucial game for us,” Kelly said. “We do it by one game at a time.”
Up next for the Blast is a home-and-home series with Philadelphia. The Blast hosts the KiXX Friday and visits them Saturday.
