The Ocean City Nor’easters got back to their winning ways on Friday night with a 3-1 win over Philadelphia Lone Star FC. Sander Roed (Louisville / Tranby, Norway) was involved in all three goals, scoring one and assisting on the other two by Nick Pariano (Duke / Philadelphia, PA) and Alessandro Arlotti (Harvard / San Remo, Italy).

With the win, the Nor’easters snap a string of three straight draws and extended their club record regular season unbeaten streak to 27 games (19-0-8) dating back to 2021. The team’s last loss came on July 9, 2021 against West Chester United. That WCU game was also the last time the Storm lost a home game. Their home unbeaten streak at Carey Stadium (“The Beach House”) is now at 12 games, which is the second-longest streak in club history.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: OCEAN CITY NOR'EASTERS vs. PHILADELPHIA LONE STAR FC

“It was a well-deserved three points against a tough Lone Star opponent,” said Nor’easters head coach Matt Perrella. “Obviously we’ve had a few draws lately and wanted to get back in the win column in this division there’s been a ton of draws so no one has come easy.”

Ocean City won’t have much time to rest before they’re back on the field. The Nor’easters will host Lehigh Valley United on Sunday, July 9 at Carey Stadium in Ocean City, N.J., America’s Greatest Family Resort.

Single-game tickets can be purchased for $10 each (general admission). The easiest way to purchase tickets is to buy them online through the Nor'easters website (OceanCityFC.com). Tickets can also be purchased at the Carey Stadium gate either with cash or with a smartphone.

The Storm remain in first place in the Mid-Atlantic Division. They hold a five-point lead over second place West Chester United who will host Reading United on Saturday (7 p.m.). WCU has played two fewer games than Ocean City and the two teams will square off in the regular season finale at the Beach House on July 16.

Local product Jack Sarkos (UCLA / Margate City, NJ) created the opening goal in the 16th minute. The former Mainland High School star received the ball about 40 yards from goal in the middle of the field and immediately turned and sent a through ball in behind the defense. Roed ran on to it and drifted toward the left side of the box, deeked the onrushing goalkeeper, took another touch to avoid him and put the ball into the empty net.

It was Roed’s team-leading seventh goal of the season and Sarkos’ second assist.

Lone Star’s chance of pulling off the upset was delivered a significant blow in the 30th minute. Ocean City’s Ryan Becher (UCLA / Hummelstown, PA) made a slide tackle in the box on Philadelphia’s Stephen Appiah and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Moments later, Nathan Karmbor Jr. stepped to the spot to take the penalty kick.

As he approached the ball he stutter-stepped and came to a complete stop briefly and then struck the ball past Stefano Camerlengo (Missouri-KC / Pescara, Italy). The referee blew the play dead and issued a yellow card to Karmbor for coming to a complete stop in his approach and the goal was taken off the board. Karmbor continued to protest the call and moments later was issued a second yellow card for dissent and was sent off.

WIth a man advantage the Nor’easters dominated possession and created multiple chances, but were unable to capitalize. They would take a 1-0 lead into the halftime break.

The Nor’easters would continue to control the game and it would pay off in the 58th minute with a second goal. Roed would receive a ball down the left wing and he would track it down near the corner flag. He would engage in a physical battle with his back to goal with a Philadelphia defender. He would make an impressive spin move to get around the defender and found himself dribbled down the end line toward goal. He would find Nick Pariano wide open at the top of the box and he would play a crisp pass to him and he buried it into the back of the net for his third goal of the season.

Ocean City would dominate play, but the shorthanded Lone Star side would break the shutout on a counter attack against the run of play in the 74th minute. A through ball was sent through from midfield and second half sub Francis Early would run on to it and find himself one-on-one with Camerlengo. Early would win the battle and cut Ocean City’s lead in half.

About four minutes later, the Nor’easters would regain their two-goal lead. Philadelphia tried to play the ball up toward midfield from the backline, but the Storm converged on the Lone Star player receiving the ball and took it away. Jamie Davis (New Hampshire / Cheshire, England) would come away with it and quickly play it up to Roed who would immediately find Arlotti making a run up the right wing. Arlotti dribbled into the box from the right side and blasted a shot past the goalkeeper from a tough angle. It was Arlotti’s second goal of the season and the 10th of his Ocean City career.

The goal would move Arlotti, the club’s team MVP from last year, into a tie for eighth on the club’s all-time scoring list with five other players. He moved up the club’s scoring charts as well with 33 points (10 goals, 13 assists), which ties him for eighth with Frank Tweneboa (2012-15). He also becomes just the fifth player in club history to have double digits in goals and assists, joining Byron Carmichael (2004-11), Ruben Mingo (2003-06), Frank Tweneboa (2012-15), and Ryan Heins (2003-07).

“We had three different goalscorers today,  so you focus on the positives which were the goals that we got,” said Perrella. “Although there was a goal conceded and we will have to work defensively on how to counter those moments to make sure that they don’t happen too often. But overall it was a great team performance. A lot of guys got minutes and we’ll just carry that into Sunday to hopefully push for the division title.”