The Tacoma Stars won in dramatic fashion this past weekend as they defeated the Ontario Fury 5-4 with two goals in the final three minutes to clinch a berth into the Major Arena Soccer League Playoffs.

Going into the game, the story line was win and you’re in as both teams sat at a 12-7 record heading into the final week of the MASL season and only one playoff spot available in the playoffs that kick off this week.

The Stars took the lead early scoring two goals in the first quarter as forwards Joey Gjertsen and Mark Lee both found the back of the net separated by only 10 seconds.

Ontario though was not going down without a fight as they managed to knot it up in the second quarter as Juan Topete and Tiguiho Dias found the back of the net midway through the quarter. Both teams went into halftime tied 2-2.

Second Half

In the third quarter Tacoma would briefly retake the lead as it was Gjertsen again improving to a brace to make it 3-2, but the Fury would answer quickly as Juan Topete would find an equalizer about a minute later. Late in the third quarter Mauricio Salles would give Ontario its first advantage of the match pushing the score 3-4 in favor of the Fury heading into the fourth quarter.

The Stars weren’t going out without a fight as they kept pushing forward trying to find that equalizer, finally it would come when Derek Johnson took a pass from Vince McCluskey who would record the assist with less than three minutes remaining and a playoff berth on the line. Tacoma would take the lead with just 39.3 seconds remaining as midfielder Michael Ramos would score the game winner for the second week in a row in the final seconds and make it 5-4 Tacoma.

However, Ontario would have a chance at equalizing with about ten seconds left when they were awarded a PK, but Gig Harbor native Danny Waltman made the huge save to seal the game in favor of Tacoma. It was his tenth save of the match and the most important of them all.

The Stars will go on to host the San Diego Sockers Wednesday Night at ShoWare Center in Kent before traveling down to San Diego for the second leg of that series on Sunday. San Diego has defeated Tacoma in two of the teams three meetings this year but it was the Stars taking the win last time they played 8-7 in the last seconds when Ramos struck late in that match with 1.9 seconds remaining in that match.