MISL Championship Series Set to Kick Off
Published on March 14, 2014 under Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) News Release
TAMPA, Fla. - The 2014 MISL Championship Series kicks off on Friday night as the Missouri Comets play host to the defending champion Baltimore Blast in Game 1 of the best-of-three series at the Independence Events Center at 8:35 p.m. ET, with all of the action available live on YouTube.
The championship series matchup is a rematch of last season's which saw the Blast come away with a 2-0 victory to claim their sixth title. Baltimore took victory on the road in Game 1 of that series, but was forced to battle back from a four-point deficit in Game 2 before it took an 8-6 win to clinch the series.
The Blast have continued to impress this season, as they took the MISL regular season championship. At the heart of the club's success has been a stifling defense, which this year saw goalkeeper William Vanzela set a new current-era record with a 5.57 points-against average and .833 save percentage. Captain Mike Lookingland, who on Thursday was named the league's Most Valuable Player, has also been integral to the team's success. The standout defender not only led the league with 33 blocked shots while committing only 14 fouls, but also led the Blast with 56 points.
The Comets, on the other hand, enter with the league's best attack. Led by MISL Points Champion Leo Gibson, who finished the season with 76 points and a league-best 25 assists, Missouri finished the season with 329 points - an average of 16.25 per game. Five members of the Comets finished in the Top 20 of the league's top point scorers, with Rookie of the Year finalist Max Touloute also providing a late-season boost with 15 points in four regular-season games following his acquisition from the Pennsylvania Roar.
Missouri's offense has had difficulties against the Blast this season, however, as Baltimore took victory in both meetings between the teams. The Blast won 14-6 at Baltimore Arena on January 3 as Tony Donatelli had a seven-point game, and then claimed an 18-4 victory at the Independence Events Center as Lookingland had a hat trick.
Game 2 of the MISL Championship Series is set for Baltimore Arena on Sunday evening at 5:05 p.m. ET, with Game 3, a 15-minute mini-game, to be played if necessary following the conclusion of the contest.
MISL Championship Series
No. 1 Baltimore Blast vs. No. 3 Missouri Comets
Game 1: at Independence Events Center, Friday, 8:35 p.m. ET
Game 2/3: at Baltimore Arena, Sunday, 5:05 p.m. ET (mini-game to follow if necessary)
Major Indoor Soccer League Stories from March 14, 2014
- Comets Take Game One of Championship Series - Kansas City Comets
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- MISL Championship Series Set to Kick Off - MISL
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