Comets Hold off Rochester to Win Fifth Straight
February 19, 2012 - Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Kansas City Comets News Release
INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI - The Missouri Comets hot streak continued as the team beat Rochester 13-11 for its fifth straight victory. The Lancers mounted a furious comeback after trailing 13-5 with six minutes remaining in the game. Neto led the Comets scoring attack with three goals, all in the first half. The Comets are now 14-8 on the year.
The Comets led 13-9 and seemingly clinched the game when Rochester picked up a penalty at the 12:56 mark of the fourth quarter. However, the Comets Lucas Rodriguez was called for a penalty of his own less than one minute later and John Ball scored with the teams at even strength, four on four, to draw Rochester within two points.
Rochester was frantically trying to score the equalizer when the Lancers' Kyle Manscuk was whistled for a red card and ejected after a takedown of Brian Harris with 25 seconds left. Harris received a retaliation penalty and the teams played three on three until there were four seconds left. Doug Miller had a late look at a tie but goalkeeper Danny Waltman slid down for a save that preserved the win. Waltman tallied 26 saves in the game.
"Credit to Rochester for coming back, but I was proud of our guys for hanging on," Comets Coach Kim Roentved said after the game. "Danny made some saves that were as good as any I've seen in this building."
The Comets missed on several good early opportunities before Neto scored a nifty goal, flipping the ball backwards into the net for a 2-0 lead 3:01 into the first quarter. Mauricio Salles answered for Rochester just over one minute later with a three-point goal off a restart. The teams then traded goals until John Sosa with a header and Neto with a three-pointer scored back-to-back in the second quarter for a 9-5 Comets lead they carried into the half.
Nearly the entire third quarter was scoreless as both teams got great goalkeeper play from Waltman and Rochester's Patrick Hannigan. Geison finally scored with six seconds remaining in the period on a feed from Lucas Rodriguez. Geison scored the next goal as well, giving the Comets a 13-5 lead on a pass from Byron Alvarez 7:20 into the fourth quarter. The MISL's scoring leader with 78 points now on the year, Geison has scored in 19 straight games.
The Comets started the game short-handed with three players on the roster unavailable. Injuries during the game to Ryan Junge and Tiguinho, who had two first-half assists to give him 10 in his last four games, really left the bench thin. Rochester took advantage, getting goals from Miller and Gary Boughton less than one minute apart to make the score 13-9 and set up the late game drama.
Elsewhere in the MISL, the Milwaukee Wave lost to Norfolk 14-13 Sunday afternoon to keep alive the Comets hopes for a Central Division title. If the Wave lose at Syracuse Wednesday night, the Comets would forge a tie atop the Central with a sweep of two games against Milwaukee next weekend.
Those games will mark the end of the 2011-12 regular season for both teams. Friday the Comets will celebrate the team's 30th Anniversary with the jersey retirement of Kansas City soccer legend Gino Schiraldi, among other festivities.
The Central Division Finals will also match-up Milwaukee and the Comets. The Comets will host Game 1 of the series at the Independence Events Center Friday, March 9 at 7:35pm. Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday, March 11 in Milwaukee. If necessary, a 15-minute mini-game would immediately follow Game 2 to decide the representative in the MISL Championship Series.
For more information about the Comets, Season Tickets or Group Outings please call Nick McCabe at 855.522.7362 or email at nmccabe@kcarenasports.com.
Major Indoor Soccer League Stories from February 19, 2012
- Comets Hold off Rochester to Win Fifth Straight - Kansas City Comets
- Lancers Rally Falls Short in 13-11 Loss in Missouri - Rochester Lancers
- SharX Jump the #1 Wave 14-13 - Norfolk SharX
- Wave Falls to SharX, Losing Three Consecutive Games - Milwaukee Wave
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