UTICA CITY FC SIGNS MAURICIO SALLES AND LUCIO GONZAGA

UTICA, N.Y. – Utica City FC announced today that the club has signed Mauricio Salles and Lucio Gonzaga. Per team and league policy, the terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

Salles split time in the 2016-17 season with Ontario before joining the Soles de Sonora, helping lead the Mexico-based team to the MASL championship series. He scored 17 goals in 18 games and seven goals in seven playoff games with Sonora two seasons ago. He has appeared in 160 career arena games, and has scored over 200 goals and over 100 assists, playing for the Detroit Ignition, Rochester Lancers, Ontario Fury and Soles de Sonora prior to joining the Tropics. His best season came in 2014-15, when he had 40 goals in 20 games for the Rochester Lancers. Two years ago with Ontario, he was a 30-goal scorer.

Gonzaga, a São Paolo, Brazil native, spent the early days of his professional career playing in Brazil and Uruguay for RC Montevideo, Araxá, Rio Branco Andradas and São Caetano. He began his soccer career in the United States in 2007 with the Baltimore Blast. After playing for the New Jersey Ironmen of the Xtreme Soccer League for a year, Gonzaga returned to the MASL in 2009. When the Heat first signed Gonzaga in 2015, he was ranked 21st on the Baltimore Blast All-Time Roster with 211 points. Gonzaga has proven an asset to the Heat over the past few seasons.

“These two veteran players bring both goal-scoring and tremendous leadership,” said General Manager Tommy Tanner. “Their abilities will guide our team through the inaugural season and deep into the playoffs. Salles is great leader and a goal-scorer and Gonzaga has found a way to win everywhere he has played.”

The team has also signed Cameron Schiavone, per team and league policy, the terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

The team opens its inaugural season on the road December 1 with a game against the Harrisburg Heat at 7:05pm at the Farm Show Arena. The home opener is set for December 2 against the reigning champions, the Baltimore Blast. Tickets are still available for the 2pm kickoff on empirestatetix.com or by calling 315-790-9070.

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