NSC Minnesota Stars captain Kyle Altman said upcoming playoff opponent Carolina "probably didn't want to see us," a bold statement considering the RailHawks are the top seed and the Stars hold the sixth and final spot.
Other numbers, however, give Altman's claim some merit. The Stars went 2-0-2 against the league champions this season, including a 2-1 victory at Carolina in the regular-season finale.
The teams open their two-game, total-goal North American Soccer League semifinal series at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Blaine's National Sports Center. The deciding game takes place Oct. 15 in Carolina. Altman said the Stars' victory at Carolina was played with playoff intensity and served as a barometer for the necessary levels of effort and grit.
"Carolina is a really passionate, outspoken team," Altman said. "I saw on their faces that they were taking the game seriously."
The Stars crumbled in this same situation last season. After playing to a scoreless draw in Blaine, the teams headed for Carolina. The host RailHawks buried the Stars with four second half goals -- the last one inadvertently knocked in by Stars defender Brian Kallman.
Ely Allen also endured some unfortunate luck as he blasted a ball off the Carolina goalpost. Minutes later, a RailHawks shot deflected off the Stars' post and in.
Bad bounces also were common during an 0-6-1 stretch earlier this season. But Altman believes things are turning in the Stars' favor.
"Momentum and confidence are funny things," Altman said. "You look at the Tampa Bay game [last week] and we scored off a deflected free kick. Things like that give a team its confidence and swagger."
