Lights FC goalkeeper hustles from nuptials to net

Lights FC goalkeeper Ricardo Ferrino did something unique to take his mind off the team’s first loss of the season: He got married.

Ferrino hopped on a 5 a.m. flight the morning after the Lights’ 3-1 loss to San Antonio FC on Friday so he could be with friends and family in Queretaro, Mexico. Then, after celebrating his nuptials with bride Maria, he flew back to Las Vegas on Sunday so he could hop on the team bus bound for Herriman, Utah.

The Lights (2-1-2) play Real Monarchs SLC (4-1-0) at 6 p.m. Monday, and because Ferrino is one of only two goalkeepers on the roster, he needs to be at every game. Married or not.

“Everybody’s excited, everybody’s motivated, but I feel I have a little bit extra motivation because I want to get two wins,” Ferrino said. “The game and my wife.”

Ferrino’s journey this weekend seems fitting since he’s the most well-traveled goalkeeper in the United Soccer League. The 26-year-old almost never stays in his box, constantly coming out to challenge opponents and make saves.

It’s a playing style he first picked up playing forward as a kid.

“The goalkeeper on my team used to be really back in the goal and took his time to throw the long balls and he wasn’t aggressive. I hated that,” Ferrino said. “Now that I’m a goalkeeper I want to prove that it’s better to be that way.”

Ferrino’s methods have been largely effective as he’s tied for seventh in the league in saves (18) despite the Lights’ fewer number of games. It’s been a reversal from the goalkeeper’s rough preseason debut, when he allowed two goals to Major League Soccer’s Montreal Impact and picked up a red card preventing a third.

“He’s really come along. He’s made some pretty important saves for us,” midfielder Julian Portugal said. “I think Ferrino, for me he shows a lot of confidence in himself ,which is very important because that translates to us having confidence in him.”

Making sure Ferrino walks the line between confidence and arrogance falls to Lights technical director Jose Luis Sanchez Sola and Isidro Sanchez. They want him to have the freedom to make spectacular saves, but also pick his spots.

So far he’s done that, antagonizing opponents with finger wags, subtle hip checks, mock applause and other mind games in net. And don’t count on him growing out of that just because he’s got a ring on his finger.

“I’ve noticed through the years that it makes the forwards on the other team distracted,” Ferrino said. “They get too much into what I’m doing and they forget they have to score. It’s a lot about me and they’re getting mad with me and they get their head out of the game. They lose concentration. I enjoy it.”

More Lights: Follow Las Vegas Lights FC coverage at reviewjournal.com/lights and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.