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As the Rochester Lancers celebrate their 57th anniversary on Thursday, let's take a look back at some notable firsts in the club's history.
The 1970 NASL Champion Rochester Lancers. (Photo courtesy of the Rochester Lancers)
As the Rochester Lancers celebrate their 57th anniversary on Thursday, let's take a look back at some notable firsts in the club's history.
This includes the original Lancers teams that competed in the American Soccer League and North American Soccer League from 1967 to 1980, as well as 21st century indoor teams (indoor, men's and women's teams).
With so many leagues in which the Lancers and Lady Lancers have competed, here is some trivia that will surely please the team's many fans.
First Game
A group of local, regional and Canada-based soccer players formed the Rochester Lancers and played in an exhibition match against Concordia Sports Club of Hamburg, Germany at Aquinas Stadium on May 30, 1967. The Lancers lost 4-2 in front of a crowd of 5,132.
First goal
John Kerr scored the first of his two goals in the 52nd minute. Despite several Canadian players, Kerr dribbled past three defenders and fired an 18-yard shot over the hands of goalkeeper Harold Voight.
First goal conceded
On May 30, Concordia's Heiner Castroff scored the tying goal with a bullet-like shot into the top left corner of the goal protected by goalkeeper Orest Banach, setting off a three-goal spree in five minutes that turned the tide for the Germans.
First ASL Game
It was a 4-2 loss to the Boston Tigers in a preseason game in 2004 on August 27, 1967 at Aquinas. Carlos Metidieri, who would later become the host team's goalkeeper at Aquinas Stadium, scored the game's first goal with a powerful 23-yard shot nine minutes into the game. According to Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reporter Alex Roy, Metidieri's shot stunned “a sleepy Lancers defense and goalkeeper Sabo.” Jorge Benitez, the 1966 American Soccer League Golden Boot award winner, led the visitors with two goals and assisted on the first goal.
First ASL goal
In the 20th minute, Luis Fernando, assisted by Tommy McGlennon, beat Tigers goalkeeper Claudio Dragonetti with a header to cut Rochester's lead to 2-1.
First ASL victory
It happened at Aquinas Stadium on Sunday, September 10, 1967. Rochester defeated Newark Ukrainian Sich, 4-2, in front of a crowd of 1,257. The Lancers fought hard to score three goals despite playing outnumbered for the final 64 minutes after Kenny Allison was sent off for dangerous play in the 26th minute. (There were no red cards in 1967.) Nelson Bergamo scored two goals late in the second half, becoming the first Rochester player to score two goals. Tito Laurini and Gordon Roberts also scored game-winners.
First Penalty Kick
Tito Laurini scored a goal in the 49th minute against Newark on September 1, after Gildendor de Lima was fouled in the penalty area and allowed to redo a missed shot because the Sych goalkeeper had moved on the initial try. The goal tied the score at 2-2.
First NASL Game
On April 11, 1970, the Lancers defeated the Dallas Tornado 2-1 in Dallas, with Roberto Ribeiro (35th minute) and Josip Ognjanac scoring late goals against goalkeeper Kenny Cooper. “The Rochester Lancers were outplayed by the host Dallas Tornado for at least 75 of the 90 minutes, but they pulled off a 2-1 victory here last night in their North American Soccer League debut,” Roy wrote in the lead article.
First NASL goal
That was scored by Roberto Ribeiro in the 35th minute of a 2-1 win over Dallas on April 11, 1970. Referee Eddie Pearson, who would later become the NASL's chief referee, called a foul on the home team just outside the penalty area. Luis Marotti found Ribeiro free, and the former Bangu star slipped past Cooper and slotted the ball into the right corner. It was Ribeiro's only goal of his Lancers career (four appearances).
First goal conceded in NASL
On April 11, 1970, in the 52nd minute of the Lancers' 2-1 win over the Dallas Tornado, Bobby Moffat scored by smashing in a rebound off a Louis Jurassy shot that was saved by goaltender Dick Howard.
First playoff game
The Lancers defeated the Washington Darts 3–0 in the opening game of the NASL Championship Series two-game aggregate score series at Holleder Stadium on September 5, 1970. Raul Herrera led the way with two goals and Luis Marotti added one in front of a crowd of 9,321, the largest in the club's history at the time.
First playoff goal
Herrera scored in the 26th minute of a 3-0 win over the Darts on September 5, 1970, deflecting Yao Kankam's shot past goalkeeper Lincoln Phillips from four yards out.
Indoor Lancer
First Game
The game ended in a 16-15 loss to the Syracuse Silver Knights at the ONCenter War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, New York on November 4, 2011. The Silver Knights led 8-2 after the first period, but the Lancers rallied back to take a 15-12 lead at the end of the third quarter. Jeffrey Hughes scored the game-winning goal 39 seconds before the end of the game in front of a crowd of 3,720.
Lubo Kocic led the Lancers with three goals and seven points. Mauricio Salles and Doug Miller added one goal each.
First home game
The Missouri Comets spoiled the Lancers' homecoming with a 13-4 victory in front of a crowd of 6,528 at the Rochester Community War Memorial on November 12, 2011. Ryan Junge led Missouri with five points on the strength of a three-pointer and a two-pointer.
First home goal
New Jersey native Jeremy Ortiz cut Missouri's lead to 4-2 with 8 minutes, 8 seconds left in the first half. Ortiz, a member of the U.S. Futsal team and signed this week, raced down the field on a counterattack and scored on a 14-yard shot.
First Victory
That was a 22-13 home win over the Silver Knights in front of 5,928 fans at War Memorial on Nov. 19, 2011. Andrew Hoxie and Salles each had four goals and one assist.
NPSL Lancers
First Game
After playing the 2016 season with the Rochester River Dogs, the Lancers lost 2-1 to the Dayton Dynamo in their first outdoor game under the team's name at Wegmans Stadium on the campus of Akunius Institute. Alberto Zaragoza scored the winning goal in extra time in May 2017.
First goal
In Dayton's loss, Rafael Godoy scored a goal off an Isaac Kisi pass in the 60th minute to tie the game.
First goal conceded
Dayton's Matt Kinkov scored in the 13th minute of a 2-1 loss.
First Victory
After losing their first two games, Rochester won 2–0 against host Syracuse FC on May 27, 2017. It was the first win for an outdoor Lancers team since the 1980 NASL season.
Lady Lancers (UWS)
First Game
The home game against the New York Magic ended in a 1-1 draw at Wegmans Stadium at Aquinas Institute on May 21, 2017. Magic goalkeeper Sierra Bonham saves a Taylor Wingarden penalty kick in added time to preserve the draw in the United Women's Soccer game.
First goal
It was by Alexa Adetomaso, who picked off a pass from Wyngarden in the 32nd minute of the game against the Magic.
First goal conceded
The Magic's Renee Bibiana Roncancio Farfan converted a corner kick by Yamaguchi Mami in the 36th minute of that game.
First Victory
9-3 win at Worcester Smiles on Sunday, May 20, 2018. The Lady Lancers scored six goals in the second half to break a 3-3 tie.
First hat trick
This was the work of player and assistant coach Brooke Barbuto, who scored three times in the win at Worcester. For her efforts, Barbuto was named UWS Offensive Player of the Week.