2015–16 Major Arena Soccer League season

Major Arena Soccer League
Season	2015–16
Champions	Baltimore Blast
Matches played	198
Goals scored	2,630 (13.28 per match)
Top goalscorer	Franck Tayou; (47 goals)
Longest winning run	11 Games:; Baltimore Blast; (11/7-1/9); Sonora Suns; (11/7-1/17)
Longest losing run	18 games:; Harrisburg Heat; (11/6-2/27)
Highest attendance	9,442; CHI @ BAL; (November 7)
Lowest attendance	104; BAJ @ SAL; (February 5)
Average attendance	2,405
	← 2014–15 2016–17 →

The 2015–16 Major Arena Soccer League season was the eighth season for the league and the second since six teams from the former Major Indoor Soccer League defected to what was formerly called the Professional Arena Soccer League. The regular season started on October 24, 2015, and ended on March 4, 2016. Each team played a 20-game schedule. It was also the 38th season of professional indoor soccer in the United States.

Teams[edit]

Many of the 22 teams that completed the 2014–15 season returned for the 2015–16 season.^[2]^[3]^[4] Teams not returning this season include Rochester Lancers, Wichita B-52s, Tulsa Revolution, and Monterrey Flash. In April 2015, Baltimore Blast owner Ed Hale announced that his team was withdrawing from the MASL to form a new league.^[5] No other teams announced their departure and the proposed new league never formed. The Blast quietly rejoined the league after agreeing to pay a fine. The Detroit Waza relocated to Flint, Michigan, and are operating this season as simply Waza Flo.^[6]

The expansion Sonora Suns based in Hermosillo, Connecticut-based Hartford City FC, Iowa-based Cedar Rapids Rampage, and Tijuana-based Atletico Baja were formally accepted for membership in the MASL.^[7]^[8] The fledgling Youngstown Nighthawks based in Ohio aimed to join the league but encountered financial issues.^[9]

On October 28, 2015, the MASL announced that Hartford City FC would not be permitted to enter the league this season and began league-wide schedule changes to replace the failed franchise.^[10]^[11] A new ownership group hoped to revive the team for the 2016–17 season.^[10]

Unlike last season where some Eastern Division teams played with a variable-point scoring system, for 2015–16 the whole MASL will play with standard soccer scoring using goals, not points.^[3]

Standings[edit]

As of March 4, 2016
2015-16 League Championship
2015-16 Playoff Team
(Bold) Division Winner

Eastern Conference[edit]

Place	Team	GP	W	L	Pct	GF	GA	GB	Home	Road
Eastern Division
1	Baltimore Blast	19	15	4	.789	129	57	-	9-1	6-3
2	Syracuse Silver Knights	20	11	9	.550	120	113	4.5	7-3	4-6
3	Waza Flo	18	9	9	.500	101	119	5.5	5-3	4-6
4	Harrisburg Heat	19	1	18	.053	75	152	14.0	0-10	1-8
Central Division
1	Missouri Comets	20	17	3	.850	153	95	—	7-3	10-0
2	Chicago Mustangs	20	13	7	.650	152	123	4	7-3	6-4
3	Milwaukee Wave	20	13	7	.650	131	114	4	7-3	6-4
4	St. Louis Ambush	20	5	15	.250	104	138	12	3-7	2-8
5	Cedar Rapids Rampage	20	5	15	.250	117	160	12	3-7	2-8

Western Conference[edit]

Place	Team	GP	W	L	Pct	GF	GA	GB	Home	Road
Southwest Division
1	Las Vegas Legends	20	14	6	.700	141	106	—	8-2	6-4
2	Atletico Baja	20	12	8	.600	178	161	2	8-2	4-6
3	Brownsville Barracudas	20	8	12	.400	134	145	6	6-4	2-8
4	Saltillo Rancho Seco	20	7	13	.350	150	170	7	5-5	2-8
5	Sacramento Surge	20	3	17	.150	114	180	11	3-7	0-10
6	Turlock Express	20	3	17	.150	98	174	11	3-7	0-10
Pacific Division
1	Sonora Suns	20	17	3	.850	219	134	—	9-1	8-2
2	San Diego Sockers	20	13	7	.650	138	111	4	7-3	6-4
3	Tacoma Stars	20	13	7	.650	116	109	4	7-3	6-4
4	Ontario Fury	20	12	8	.600	146	135	5	7-3	5-5
5	Dallas Sidekicks	20	7	13	.350	114	134	10	4-6	3-7

2016 Ron Newman Cup[edit]

Playoff format[edit]

Top three finishers in each division qualify for the playoffs. The winner of the playoff between the second and third place teams will play the first place team for the division title.

Each round (including the Newman Cup Championship) will be a home and away series. Teams that win both games will advance. If the wins are split between the two teams, a fifteen-minute mini game will be played immediately after the second game to break the tie. The only exception will be the Eastern Division Semi-Final, where there will be a one-game playoff (Syracuse hosting Waza Flo) because of arena availability issues.^[12]^[13]

Eastern Conference Playoffs[edit]

Eastern Division Semi-Final[edit]

March 5, 2016

7:05 PM EST

Syracuse Silver Knights	5–3	Waza Flo
	Report

Oncenter War Memorial Arena

Attendance: 1,815

Referee: Tim Tyma

Syracuse advances to the Eastern Division Final.

Eastern Division Final[edit]

March 11, 2016

7:35 PM EST

Game 1

Baltimore Blast	6–5 (3 OT)	Syracuse Silver Knights
	Report

Royal Farms Arena

Attendance: 4,041

Referee: Joe Della Penna

March 13, 2016

4:05 PM EDT

Game 2

Syracuse Silver Knights	3–4	Baltimore Blast
	Report

Oncenter War Memorial Arena

Attendance: 2,042

Referee: Rich Grady

Baltimore wins series 2–0.

Central Division Semi-Final[edit]

March 5, 2016

3:05 PM CST

Game 1

Milwaukee Wave	7–2	Chicago Mustangs
	Report

UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena

Attendance: 3,475

March 6, 2016

6:05 PM CST

Game 2

Chicago Mustangs	7–2	Milwaukee Wave
	Report

Sears Centre

Attendance: 3,746

Referee: Ryan Cigich

March 6, 2016

9:05 PM CST

Mini-Game

Chicago Mustangs	0–2	Milwaukee Wave
	Report

Sears Centre

Attendance: 3,746

Referee: Shane Butler

Milwaukee wins series 2–1.

Central Division Final[edit]

March 11, 2016

7:05 PM CST

Game 1

Milwaukee Wave	5–10	Missouri Comets
	Report

UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena

Attendance: 2,717

March 13, 2016

5:05 PM CDT

Game 2

Missouri Comets	8–2	Milwaukee Wave
	Report

Silverstein Eye Centers Arena

Attendance: 3,004

Referee: Shane Butler

Missouri wins series 2–0.

Eastern Conference Final[edit]

March 24, 2016

7:05 CDT

Game 1

Missouri Comets	3–4 (OT)	Baltimore Blast
	Report

Silverstein Eye Centers Arena

Attendance: 3,011

Referee: Ryan Cigich

March 29, 2016

7:05 EDT

Game 2

Baltimore Blast	4–3 (2OT)	Missouri Comets
	Report

Royal Farms Arena

Attendance: 4,102

Referee: Rich Grady

Baltimore wins series 2–0

Western Conference Playoffs[edit]

Southwest Division Semi-Final[edit]

March 4, 2016

7:35 PM CST

Game 1

Brownsville Barracudas	5–4	Atletico Baja
	Report

Barracudas Sports Complex

Attendance: 1,168

Referee: Francisco Meraz

March 6, 2016

5:05 PM PST

Game 2

Atletico Baja	9–10 (OT)	Brownsville Barracudas
	Report

Unidad Deportiva Tijuana

Attendance: 1,760

Referee: Kia Depaneh

Brownsville wins series 2–0

Southwest Division Final[edit]

March 12, 2016

4:05 PM PST

Game 1

Brownsville Barracudas	5–11	Las Vegas Legends
	Report

Barracudas Sports Complex

Attendance: 1,183

Referee: Francisco Meraz

March 14, 2016

7:35 PM PDT

Game 2

Las Vegas Legends	11–9	Brownsville Barracudas
	Report

Las Vegas Sports Park

Attendance: 403

Referee: Ramiro Cruz

Las Vegas wins series 2–0

Pacific Division Semi-Final[edit]

March 2, 2016

7:35 PM PST

Game 1

Tacoma Stars	7–8 (2 OT)	San Diego Sockers
	Report Report

ShoWare Center

Attendance: 2,036

Referee: Kia Depaneh

March 6, 2016

5:05 PM PST

Game 2

San Diego Sockers	11–3	Tacoma Stars
	Report

Valley View Casino Center

Attendance: 2,774

Referee: Ron Cory

San Diego wins series 2–0

Pacific Division Final[edit]

March 10, 2016

7:05 PM PST

Game 1

San Diego Sockers	5–10	Sonora Suns
	Report

Valley View Casino Center

Attendance: 2,200

Referee: Ryan Cigich

March 12, 2016

6:05 PM MST

Game 2

Sonora Suns	10–13	San Diego Sockers
	Report

Centro de Usos Múltiples

Attendance: 7,000

Referee: Kelly Mock

March 12, 2016

9:35 PM MST

Mini-Game

Sonora Suns	6–0	San Diego Sockers
	Report

Centro de Usos Múltiples

Attendance: 7,000

Referee: Kelly Mock

Sonora wins series 2–1.

Western Conference Final[edit]

March 23, 2016

7:05 MDT

Game 1

Sonora Suns	9–13	Las Vegas Legends
	Report

Centro de Usos Múltiples

Attendance: 6,841

Referee: Kia Depaneh

March 24, 2016

7:05 MDT

Game 2

Sonora Suns	13–10	Las Vegas Legends
	Report

Centro de Usos Múltiples

Attendance: 7,487

Referee: Kia Depaneh

March 24, 2016

10:45 PM MDT

Mini-Game

Sonora Suns	1–0 (2 OT)	Las Vegas Legends
	Report

Centro de Usos Múltiples

Attendance: 7,487

Referee: Kia Depaneh

Sonora wins series 2–1.

Newman Cup Championship[edit]

April 10, 2016

6:05 PM EDT

Game 1

Baltimore Blast	7–4	Sonora Suns
	Report

Royal Farms Arena

Attendance: 7,243

Referee: Rich Grady

April 15, 2016

8:05 PM PDT

Game 2

Sonora Suns	13–14 (OT)	Baltimore Blast
	Report

Centro de Usos Múltiples

Attendance: 8,324

Referee: Ryan Cigich

Baltimore wins Newman Cup 2–0.

Statistics[edit]

Top scorers[edit]

Rank	Scorer	Club	Games	Goals	Assists	Points
1	Franck Tayou	Sonora Suns	20	47	15	62
2	Kraig Chiles	San Diego Sockers	18	28	27	55
3	Vahid Assadpour	Missouri Comets	20	23	27	50
4	Mauricio Salles	Ontario Fury	20	30	16	46
4	Efrain Martinez	Chicago Mustangs	20	21	25	46
6	Ian Bennett	Milwaukee Wave	20	37	7	44
6	Leo Gibson	Missouri Comets	18	21	23	44
8	Victor Baez	Saltillo Rancho Seco	20	28	15	43
9	Moises Gonzalez	Brownsville Barracudas	20	34	8	42
9	Hewerton Moreira	Cedar Rapids Rampage	20	13	29	42

Last updated on March 4, 2016. Source: "Scoring Leaders". Major Arena Soccer League.

Awards[edit]

Individual awards[edit]

Award	Name^[14]	Team
League MVP	Franck Tayou	Sonora Suns
Goalkeeper of the Year	Danny Waltman	Tacoma Stars
Defender of the Year	Pat Healey	Baltimore Blast
Rookie of the Year	Alejandro Leyva	Sonora Suns
Coach of the Year	Darren Sawatzky	Tacoma Stars
Aaron Susi Trophy (Playoff MVP)	Lucas Roque	Baltimore Blast

All-League First Team[edit]

Name^[15]	Position	Team
Kraig Chiles	F	San Diego Sockers
Franck Tayou	F	Sonora Suns
Vahid Assadpour	M	Missouri Comets
Damian Garcia	D	Sonora Suns
Eric Guzman	D	Las Vegas Legends
Danny Waltman	GK	Tacoma Stars

All-League Second Team[edit]

Name^[15]	Position	Team
Leo Gibson	F	Missouri Comets
Mauricio Salles	F	Ontario Fury
Ian Bennett	M	Milwaukee Wave
Victor Baez	D	Saltillo Rancho Seco
Pat Healey	D	Baltimore Blast
William Vanzela	GK	Baltimore Blast

All-League Third Team[edit]

Name^[15]	Position	Team
Efrain Martinez	F	Chicago Mustangs
Max Ferdinand	M	Milwaukee Wave
Moises Gonzalez	M	Brownsville Barracudas
Luis Ortega	D	Chicago Mustangs
John Sosa	D	Missouri Comets
Boris Pardo	GK	Missouri Comets

All-Rookie Team[edit]

Name^[16]	Position	Team
Alejandro Leyva	F	Sonora Suns
Adolfo Bautista	F	Chicago Mustangs
Mike Ramos	M	Tacoma Stars
Thiago Gonçalves	D	Waza Flo
Roberto Medina	D	Sonora Suns
Andrew Coughlin	GK	Syracuse Silver Knights

References[edit]

^ "2015-16 League Attendance". Major Arena Soccer League. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
^ Carp, Steve (March 17, 2015). "Legends promise to return in 2016". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Las Vegas, NV: GateHouse Media. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
^ ^a ^b "MASL adopts new scoring system, structure". The Examiner. Independence, MO: GateHouse Media. April 30, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
^ "Tacoma Stars Set To Relaunch in 2015". Tacoma, WA: Tacoma Stars. May 19, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
^ Krieger, Dan (May 11, 2015). "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". Our Sports Central (Press release). Retrieved May 14, 2015.
^ Woodyard, Eric (September 29, 2015). "Major Arena Soccer League team moves home games to Flint's Dort Federal Event Center". The Flint Journal. Flint, MI: Booth Newspapers. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
^ Cano, Guillermo (March 5, 2015). "MASL: Viene a Hermosillo el Comisionado Milliken". Triunfo Deportivo. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
^ "Soles de Sonora Introduced as First 2015/16 Expansion Team". Major Arena Soccer League. March 6, 2015. Archived from the original on December 24, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
^ Skolnick, David (March 10, 2015). "A proposed soccer league wants to play its home games at the Covelli Centre". The Vindicator. Youngstown, OH: Vindicator Printing Company. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
^ ^a ^b Kauffman, Matthew; Carlesso, Jenna (October 28, 2015). "Arena Soccer League Drops Hartford Team Over Concerns About Federal Investigation". Hartford Courant. Hartford, CT: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
^ Cohen, Jeff (October 28, 2015). "Team Says Arena Soccer League Cancels Hartford City FC's Season". Hartford, CT: Connecticut Public Radio. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
^ "MASL Owners Announce Plans for 2015-16 Season". Major Arena Soccer League. April 29, 2015. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
^ "MASL Announces 2016 Ron Newman Cup Playoffs Schedule". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). March 2, 2016. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
^ "MASL Announces Major Award Winners for 2015/16 Season". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). March 17, 2016. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c "MASL Announces 2015/16 All-League Teams". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). March 15, 2016. Archived from the original on March 17, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
^ "MASL Announces Major Awards Finalists and 2015/16 All-Rookie Team". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). March 11, 2016. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2016.

External links[edit]

MASL official website

[maslatt1516-1] "2015-16 League Attendance". Major Arena Soccer League. Retrieved December 12, 2015.

[lvrj150317-2] Carp, Steve (March 17, 2015). "Legends promise to return in 2016". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Las Vegas, NV: GateHouse Media. Retrieved March 19, 2015.

[exmo150430-3] "MASL adopts new scoring system, structure". The Examiner. Independence, MO: GateHouse Media. April 30, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.

[tacs150519-4] "Tacoma Stars Set To Relaunch in 2015". Tacoma, WA: Tacoma Stars. May 19, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.

[oslr150511-5] Krieger, Dan (May 11, 2015). "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". Our Sports Central (Press release). Retrieved May 14, 2015.

[fljo150929-6] Woodyard, Eric (September 29, 2015). "Major Arena Soccer League team moves home games to Flint's Dort Federal Event Center". The Flint Journal. Flint, MI: Booth Newspapers. Retrieved October 29, 2015.

[trun150305-7] Cano, Guillermo (March 5, 2015). "MASL: Viene a Hermosillo el Comisionado Milliken". Triunfo Deportivo. Retrieved March 5, 2015.

[masl150306-8] "Soles de Sonora Introduced as First 2015/16 Expansion Team". Major Arena Soccer League. March 6, 2015. Archived from the original on December 24, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.

[vind150310-9] Skolnick, David (March 10, 2015). "A proposed soccer league wants to play its home games at the Covelli Centre". The Vindicator. Youngstown, OH: Vindicator Printing Company. Retrieved March 17, 2015.

[harc151028-10] Kauffman, Matthew; Carlesso, Jenna (October 28, 2015). "Arena Soccer League Drops Hartford Team Over Concerns About Federal Investigation". Hartford Courant. Hartford, CT: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved October 29, 2015.

[wnpr151028-11] Cohen, Jeff (October 28, 2015). "Team Says Arena Soccer League Cancels Hartford City FC's Season". Hartford, CT: Connecticut Public Radio. Retrieved October 29, 2015.

[masl150429-12] "MASL Owners Announce Plans for 2015-16 Season". Major Arena Soccer League. April 29, 2015. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.

[masl160302-13] "MASL Announces 2016 Ron Newman Cup Playoffs Schedule". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). March 2, 2016. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2016.

[individual-14] "MASL Announces Major Award Winners for 2015/16 Season". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). March 17, 2016. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2016.

[allteam-15] "MASL Announces 2015/16 All-League Teams". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). March 15, 2016. Archived from the original on March 17, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2016.

[allrookie-16] "MASL Announces Major Awards Finalists and 2015/16 All-Rookie Team". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). March 11, 2016. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2016.

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