01/17/2009 2:26 PM - The Baltimore Blast defeated the Philadelphia KiXX, 18-6, Saturday night at the Wachovia Spectrum to improve to 6-1 on the season.  Giuliano Celenza and Billy Nelson led the Blast with two goals each and Sagu earned his league-leading fifth win.  The Blast remains in first place in the NISL. 

For the second straight game, the Blast gave up the first goal as Hewerton Moreira scored in the fifth minute to give the KiXX the early 2-0 lead.  Machel Millwood answered a minute later, tying the game at 2-2 before Nelson and Denison Cabral added goals to put the Blast on top, 6-2, to end the first quarter.  Nelson's goal at 8:53 of the quarter was his first of the season.

The Blast held off the KiXX two-man advantage for 10 seconds in the second quarter, but gave up a Don D'Ambra power-play goal in the fifth minute of the quarter to bring the score to 6-4.  With Mike Lookingland already serving a two-minute tripping penalty, Scott Buete was called for tripping and Nelson, PJ Wakefield and Robbie Aristodemo defended the two-man advantage for 10 seconds before D'Ambra scored 20 seconds after Lookingland returned to the field.  Machel Millwood, who injured his ankle early in the quarter, left the field and did not return for the remainer of the game.

The KiXX tied the game at 6-6 when Anthony Maher scored at 5:39 of the third quarter but Cabral and Celenza scored back-to-back goals late in the quarter to recapture the lead for the Blast, 10-6.

Celenza scored his second goal of the night, in the 11th minute of the final quarter, to extend Baltimore's lead to 12-6.  WIth Philadelphia's sixth attacker on the field, defenders Ryan Pierce and Nelson scored late three-point goals to give Baltimore the 18-6 victory.  Pierce's goal was his first of the season.

In addition to Millwood, the Blast played without Jonathan Greenfield (knee), Matt Watson (hamstring), Adrian Bumbut (hamstring) and Rich Lesmes (illness).

All Blast games can be heard live on www.wcbm.com.

The Blast will return to 1st Mariner Arena on January 23rd to host the Monterrey La RaZa.  Tickets for all Blast games are on sale now and are available at the 1st Mariner Arena Box Office and at all TicketMaster outlets including TicketMaster phonecharge at 410-547-SEAT. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com. For additional information on Blast tickets, call the Blast at 410-73-BLAST.