Cougars Make it Five in a Row With Dramatic Defeat of Baltimore, 5-4
March 24, 2006 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
California Cougars News Release
BALTIMORE - The Cougars continue to conquer, perhaps no longer surprising opponents, but still pushing forward in the pack. On Friday the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) expansion team won its fifth-straight game and eighth in 10 games as it held the high-scoring Baltimore Blast to less than five goals at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore for the first time this season, and won 5-4 before a crowd of 6,823.
Buena Park, Calif. native Bernie Lilavois headed in a volley off the heel of Cougars' leading scorer John Ball with just 2:32 left in regulation for California's decisive goal. Rookie goalkeeper, and Lodi native, Dominik Jakubek, who tied a season-high with 19 saves in the game, repelled a point blank shot from Baltimore's Robbie Aristodemo in the final 30 seconds to lock up another Cougars' victory. Lilavois (two goals, one assist) led California in scoring.
The Cougars are within 1.5 games of the Chicago Storm (9-15) for the fourth and final MISL Championship Series berth. California (9-18), which has just three games remaining in the regular season, visits the Storm for the final time this season on Sunday at 2 p.m. (PST). St. Louis (19-5), Milwaukee (17-8), and Baltimore (15-11) have already clinched the first three MISL postseason spots. The MISL Championship Series begins in mid-April.
In winning eight of 10, the Cougars have defeated each of their MISL opponents, including two-straight wins against Baltimore.
"Winning five games in a row, that's ridiculous," Cougars Head Coach Troy Dayak said following the game. "What an accomplishment for us to win two-straight against a team like Baltimore, and against a team with a heritage like Baltimore has. This is another accomplishment for this team and for the California Cougars."
California, which had last been defeated one month earlier (Feb. 24, by Baltimore), yielded an early goal to Joel Bailey off a pass from Carlos Garcia, 4:02 into the first quarter. However, the Blast offense was not heard from again for more than 42 minutes, as the Cougars defenders and Jakubek, who improved to 5-2 (5-0 in his last five starts) allowed the California offense time to heat up. The Cougars have scored first in just six of 27 games.
Reigning MISL Offensive Player of the Week Vicente Figueroa, a San Jose native, scored his team-leading 24th goal, and ninth of the season against Baltimore, at 6:18 of the first quarter off an assist from Seyi Abolaji. Midfielder Brian Farber followed with his fifth goal of the season on a pass off the boards from Enrique Tovar, at 14:12 of the first quarter. Lilavois, punctuated a 3-1 first half edge for the Cougars with a shot that went in off the crossbar past Baltimore goalkeeper Sagu 10:02 into the second quarter. Defender Ryan Hall had the assist.
MISL All-Star Adauto Neto broke the Blast scoreless streak at 12:12 of the third quarter, with his 34th goal of the year. Longtime MISL standout David Bascome tied the game just before the quarter ended off a quick restart.
In the final quarter, the Blast jumped ahead 4-3 on a Machel Millwood score. However, Ball came back with his 13th goal of the year a little more than one minute later at the 5:53 mark to tie the game, pounding a shot into the upper right corner of the goal off the assist from Lilavois.
The game-winner came at the 12:28 mark when Ball assisted Lilavois following a series of quick one-touch passes by the Cougars. The assist was the 150th of Ball's 11-year career.
"That play, the game-winner ... that was the essence of how we want to play," Dayak said. "When guys are moving to the right spaces, making a series of passes, and moving fast - that's how we want to play as a team."
The Cougars improved to 3-11 on the road, while the Blast, losers of four-straight, fell to 10-3 at 1st Mariner Arena.
• Discuss this story on the Major Indoor Soccer League 2 message board...
Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from March 24, 2006
- Steamers to Play Milwaukee This Weekend - St. Louis Steamers
- KiXX Entertain Fourth-Placed Chicago on Saturday, March 25 - Philadelphia KiXX
- Cougars Make it Five in a Row With Dramatic Defeat of Baltimore, 5-4 - California Cougars
- MISL weekly - MISL 2
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
