Baltimore Blast lose to Kixx Saturday at First Mariner, still lead league

The first-place Baltimore Blast lost, 13-6, Saturday night to the Philadelphia KiXX at 1st Mariner Arena.  The Blast, led by Giuliano Celenza\'s two goals, remain atop the NISL standings with a 7-2 record. 

After a scoreless first quarter, the KiXX came out fast, scoring two early goals to jump out to a 4-0 lead.  KiXX head coach/forward Don D\'Ambra scored the first goal, just 19 seconds into the second quarter, and Anthony Maher followed, less than a minute later to make it 4-0.  With Pat Healey serving a two-minute penalty for elbowing, Pat Morris scored a short-handed goal to increase the KiXX lead to 6-0 and then Maher scored his second goal of the night to make it 8-0.  Celenza scored Baltimore\'s first goal, a power-play goal, with 27 seconds left in the first half to cut Philadelphia\'s lead to 8-2.

Celenza scored the only goal of the third quarter to bring the Blast within two goals of the KiXX, 8-4.  Carlos Garcia, who assisted Celenza\'s first goal of the night, assisted his second goal as well.

John Barry Nusum scored in the third minute of the final quarter to make it 10-4 and Matt Watson answered in the ninth minute to bring the score to 10-6.  Last week\'s NISL Player of the Week, Hewerton Moreira, scored a three-point goal against the Blast\'s sixth attacker to clinch the 13-6 victory for the KiXX.

The Blast played without leading scorer Machel Millwood (ankle) and defender Jonathan Greenfield (hamstring).

The Blast will play a road game on February 14th agaisnt the Massachusetts Twisters before returning to 1st Mariner Arena on February 20th to host the Rockford Rampage.