HARRISBURG, Pa. -- When things are going bad, like they are now for the Blast, even good things go without reward.
Last night at the Farm Show Arena, the Blast enjoyed an inspiring fourth quarter that could have turned around its season, coming from eight points down to take the Heat into overtime, only to see the home team get the game-winner from Ze Roberto for a 14-12 win before 5,130.
The Blast fell for the sixth straight time and on consecutive nights under new coach Sean Bowers, dropping further into last place in the Major Indoor Soccer League's Eastern Conference with a 2-7 mark.
"We can take a lot out of this," Bowers said. "We could have packed it up and went home, but we came back and made it a game. The No. 1 thing is, when we scored to make it 12-8, I think it clicked in everyone's head -- they believed."
The Heat appeared to take charge with six unanswered points in the latter part of the third quarter to build a 12-4 lead, but the Blast -- led by Giuliano Celenza -- responded in the fourth quarter.
Defender Dewan Bader got the comeback started, firing a shot that found the top shelf to cut the lead to 12-6 with 11:40 left. Celenza finished off a chance with 7:53 left and then the Blast got a break when Lee Tschantret was credited with a goal that went in off a Heat defender a minute later.
Celenza, who didn't see action until the second half, made the most of his time with his third goal of the game with 3:36 left, collecting a pass from Bowers on the right and finishing to the near side.
"We came and played the fourth quarter hard to get it tied," Celenza said. "In overtime, we got a bad bounce and they put it in the back of the net.
"A win would have been a big positive, but we're working hard and working as a team. I think it will take a little time, but if we keep playing like this, the positives will come."
The Heat took an early lead, then controlled play and grabbed a 6-2 halftime margin thanks to a pair of Blast penalties.
Marco Coria took a feed from David Bascome and scored 2:30 into play to give the Heat a 2-0 lead. Then, with defender Billy Nelson off for tripping midway through the first quarter, the Heat needed just 18 seconds to convert on the power play, getting a goal from Genoni Martinez for a 4-0 lead.
Nelson redeemed himself with 1:31 left in the quarter, moving hard to the goal and finishing off a pass from Denison Cabral.
As the Blast offense put little pressure on Heat keeper Doug Petras in the second quarter, Bascome converted a penalty kick after defender Jason Dieter was called for an intentional hand ball in the penalty area.
NOTES: Midfielder Danny Kelly was out of the Blast lineup with a hamstring injury, and the team's leading scorer, Paul Wright, did not make the trip because of a sore Achilles' tendon. ... Goalkeeper Brett Phillips, signed on Oct. 28, hasn't practiced since making his only start Nov. 2 in a 17-10 loss at Philadelphia. He's experiencing swelling in a knee he had arthroscopic surgery on in August.
Blast 2 0 2 8 0 -- 12
Harrisburg 4 2 6 0 2 -- 14
First quarter: 1. Harrisburg, Coria, 2 pt., Bascome, 2:30; 2. Harrisburg, Martinez, 2 pt., (Lopez), 8:50; 3. Blast, Nelson, 2 pt., (Cabral), 13:29. Penalties: Blast, Nelson, (tripping), 8:38.
Second quarter: 4. Harrisburg, Bascome, 2 pt., 3:58. Penalties: Blast, Dieter, (hand ball), 3:58; Blast, Dieter, (tripping), 11:15..
Third quarter: 5. Blast, Celenza, 2 pt., (Cabral), :31; 6. Harrisburg, Bascome, 2 pt., 6:30; 7. Harrisburg, Lopez, 2 pt., (Leone), 8:21; 6. Harrisburg, Martinez, 2 pt., (Coria), 14:41. Penalties: Harrisburg, Martinez, (tripping), 3:49; Blast, Bader, (boarding), 12:18.
Fourth quarter: 7. Blast, Bader, 2 pt., 3:20 8. Blast, Celenza, 2 pt., (Santoro), 8:07; Blast, Tschantret, 2 pt., 9:06; Blast, Celenza, 2 pt., (Bowers), 11:24. Penalties: Harrisburg, Hernandez, (pushing), :28.
Overtime: Harrisburg, Roberto, 2 pt., (Leone), 8:26. Penalties: None.
Shots on goal: Blast 6-5-9-13--33; Harrisburg 4-8-8-8--28. Power-play opportunities: Blast 0-for-2; Harrisburg 2-for-4. Shootout opportunities: Blast 0-for-0; Harrisburg 0-for-0. Goalkeepers: Blast, Hileman, 20 shots, 13 saves; Harrisburg, Petras, 29 shots, 23 saves. A - 5,130.