Baltimore Bays

Nine veterans returned for the Baltimore Bays as they opened training camp yesterday for the second indoor season in the U.S. Interregional Soccer League.The returning veterans include two members of the 1994 league all-star team -- defender Mark Mettrick and midfielder Billy Ronson.Other returning players are midfielders Joe Layfield and Eric Spalt; forwards Eric Riedlbauer, Roberto Ascenzi and David Parravano; and defenders Joe Barger and Steve Nichols.The team's practices, which are open to the public, will be held Mondays at 9 p.m. at Du Burns Arena and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. at Myers Pavilion.

Jason Wright made 13 saves as the Baltimore Bays shut down the Philadelphia Freedom, 3-0, yesterday before 717 at UMBC Stadium.Danny Santoro scored off an assist by Eric Spalt in the 34th minute as the Bays took a 1-0 lead.The Bays went ahead 2-0 when Joe Barger scored in the 52nd minute. Seven minutes later, Rob Elliot scored from Jeff Nattans.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Jason Haupt and Matt Murphy each scored a goal as the Greensboro Dynamo defeated the Baltimore Bays, 2-0, last night in a U.S. Interregional Soccer League Atlantic Division game.Haupt opened the scoring for Greensboro (12-2) with his 11th goal of the season at the 15-minute mark of the first half, with Jimmy Coleman getting an assist on the play.In the 48th minute, Murphy scored an unassisted goal, sealing the loss for the Bays (5-11).

The problem with the way we Americans view soccer and the World Cup is that we think of it as an all-or-nothing thing.We know that soccer is the most popular sport in the world.We understand that World Cup competition, which begins at the end of this week, is the biggest sports event in the world -- bigger than our World Series or Super Bowl.So we ask when soccer will be as prominent here as football, baseball and basketball.We wonder when soccer will have a league of professional franchises, stretching from coast to coast, drawing crowds of 60,000-70,000.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Todd Haskins scored two goals and assisted on the game-winner to lead the Raleigh Flyers (4-6) to a 3-2 victory over the Baltimore Bays (2-8) in overtime last night. The Bays scored two second-half goals. Tarik Walker tied the game with one minute left.

Michael Goiley scored twice on headers in the first half to lead the Greensboro Dynamo past the Baltimore Bays, 3-2, in front of 1,311 fans last night at UMBC Stadium.Gabe Garcia set up Goiley's first goal at 17:15 to give the Dynamo (5-1) a 1-0 lead. Ed Quick answered 3:16 later for the Bays (2-6) with his first goal of the season. Goiley scored his second goal at 22:33 for a 2-1 Greensboro edge.Garcia added Greensboro's final goal of the half at the 25:22 mark.Joe Koziol brought the Bays within one after beating Michael Gosselin to a cross pass from Rob Elliott.

FAIRFAX, Va. -- Steve Nichols scored off an assist from Joe Koziol two minutes into overtime to lead the Baltimore Bays (2-4) past the Washington Mustangs, 2-1, in a USISL game at Washington & Lee High School yesterday.The Bays scored first when Mark Mettrick scored at 18:00 of the first half on a penalty kick. The Mustangs tied the score with 41 seconds left in regulation, as Jose Valencia scored on Bays goalie Scoop Stanisic (7 saves).

PHILADELPHIA -- Steve Wink, Steve Thomas and Justin Ceccareli each scored a goal, helping the Philadelphia Freedom to a 3-0 victory over the Baltimore Bays in a U.S. Interregionall Soccer League game last night.The Bays (1-4), playing their for the first time since May 7, had 10 shots on goal. Philadelphia (2-4) had 14 opportunities.At the 25-minute mark of the first half, Wink converted a pass from Paul Moylan into a score.

Now introducing the coach of the Baltimore Bays . . . Kevin Healey.Kevin who?That was the reaction of some soccer fans when Healey, 37, was chosen as coach of Baltimore's indoor and outdoor entry in the U.S. Interregional Soccer League.But the truth is that Healey has been the best-kept soccer coaching secret in Baltimore for at least the past 10 years.He has coached Baltimore teams (Dundalk Post 38 and Hummers) to four straight national amateur indoor soccer championships from 1990 to 1993, coached almost every Baltimore-born soccer player who has made it to the Blast, Spirit or the Bays, won 10 youth-league outdoor state championships, and has the Bays off to a 7-0 start entering tonight's game against the Hampton Roads Hurricanes at Du Burns Arena.

What makes Billy Ronson run?He is nearing 37, had major knee surgery at 35 and was not offered a contract by the Baltimore Spirit last season. He has played 15 seasons in Europe, seven with the Baltimore Blast and had an ordinary season with the Detroit Rockers of the National Professional Soccer League in 1992-93.But that is not enough to make Ronson quit.He is willing to risk his tiny frame (5 feet 4, 140 pounds) once more for another indoor soccer team -- the Baltimore Bays of the United States Interregional Soccer League.