AC: Arizona Burn Orange Tops NorCal Braves in Semis, 5-3

By Nathan Max
WSL Executive Editor

SAN DIEGO -- The Arizona Burn are on the verge of bringing home the Valley of the Sun’s first Adrenaline tournament elite division title in nearly five years.

Junior attackman Rockne Repp and sophomore middie Brock Ghelfi each scored two goals to lead seventh-seeded Arizona to a 5-3 victory over the sixth-seeded NorCal Braves in an Adrenaline Challenge Adrenaline Elite Division semifinal Sunday afternoon at Robb Field.

With the victory, Burn Orange advanced to face unbeaten fourth-seeded San Diego LaxDawgs Brown in the championship game. Arizona’s last Adrenaline tournament win came at the 2005 Sonoma Shootout when the Arizona Starz beat Team Oregon, 7-4.

“I’m excited, to say the least,” Repp said. “This is my first-ever tournament I’ve ever been in, so hopefully we keep playing the eay we’ve been playing and win one for Arizona.”

Senior attackman Adam Fishman added a goal and an assist for Arizona, which improved to 4-1.

In defeat, senior middie Cameron Smith scored twice, junior attackman Mackie Greason dished a pair of assists and junior attackman Tim Jacobs scored once for the Braves (3-1-1), who suffered their first setback of the tournament.

Arizona outshot NorCal 18-11 in a tightly-contested, defensive game.

The Burn led 2-0 on goals by Ghelfi and Fishman in the opening five minutes, but NorCal drew level when Jacobs scored with 15 minutes to play in the first half and Smith scored four minutes into the second half.

Back-to-back goals by Repp gave Arizona a 4-2 lead with 14 minutes to play in regulation, and the Braves pulled a goal back on Smith’s second goal on a man-up situation.

Ghelfi restored Arizona’s two-goal lead with a 10-yard righty rip with six minutes to play.

“We just changed it up at halftime,” Repp said. “Our little plays went a long way. We just had to pick up ground balls, find the right players and use our heads.”