BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Dave MacWilliams would like to have this kind of offensive firepower every night.
Baltimore's rookie coach guided the powerful American Division squad to an entertaining 29-24 victory over the Nationals in yesterday's National Professional Soccer League All-Star Game.
Cleveland's Zoran Karic and Hector Marinaro combined for 18 points as the Americans rallied from a 15-10 halftime deficit to avenge last year's 29-21 loss at St. Louis.
"It was the best game I've ever played in," said Karic, who was named co-MVP with Kansas City's Brian Haynes of the Nationals. Each scored an All-Star record five goals and Karic's 10 points also were a record.
"It's a lot of weapons," MacWilliams said of his roster. "All 14 of them played really hard."
Haynes wasted little time besting the old mark of four goals. He had it by halftime, thanks to a three-pointer into the left corner at 6:35 of the second.
"It was an unbelievable game and a great show for the crowd," said Karic, who didn't appear to be slowed by a sore knee that flared up just before the All-Star break. Marinaro had eight points, including four assists, and his goal 48 seconds into the game was the fastest in all-star play. He also scored just 45 seconds into the third period and has 193 points in 24 games for the American Division-leading Crunch.
A crowd of 8,256 at Memorial Auditorium was treated to the highest-scoring contest in the game's eight-year history.
Baltimore forward Kevin Sloan, who leads the Spirit in scoring with 114 points, was teamed with the Crunch tandem in the second half.
"All it meant was that I had to play a little bit more defense," cracked Sloan, who had a long three-point goal into an empty net late in the game and also two two-pointers.
"They create a lot for themselves and for one another," said Sloan, a first-time all-star who played with Dayton last season. "My goal was just to enjoy myself and have fun."
While Cleveland's offensive prowess was on display in the second half, goalkeeper Otto Orf was doing his part.
Making his first all-star appearance before his home crowd, Orf was peppered with 20 shots in the first half and turned away 13, including a handful of difficult kick saves.
"We started off well and then struggled a little bit," MacWilliams admitted. "He [Orf] kept us in the game."
Baltimore defender Lance Johnson, from Towson State, was one of the few American Division players kept scoreless. He was making his all-star debut as an injury replacement for Tim Wittman.