MISL weekly

February 23, 2006 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2) News Release

This Week: (All Times Local To Home Team) & Broadcast Information
- Baltimore At California, Fri. 7:30 PT (WCBM-680, www.wcbm.com).
- California Host California, Fri. 7:30 PT (www.wcbm.com).
- Chicago Idle for next two weeks.
- Milwaukee At Philadelphia, Sat. 7:05 ET (The Joy-1340, www.milwaukeewave.com).
- Philadelphia Host Milwaukee, Sat. 7:05 ET (www.milwaukeewave.com).
- St. Louis First-place Steamers are idle until March 3.

Last Week:
- Baltimore (W, L) Neto, Garcia key in OT win over Chicago, 6-5; Lose 9-7 in STL (2/17, 2/20).
- California (L, W) Edged by Wave, 8-7; Defeat KiXX for second time, 5-3 (2/17, 2/20).
- Chicago (L, W) Blow 5-2 lead at Baltimore, lose 6-5 in OT; Topple Wave 7-5 (2/17, 2/19).
- Milwaukee (W, L) Squeak out 8-7 win in CAL; Short-handed goals hurt in CHI loss (2/17, 2/19).
- Philadelphia (L, L) Sinking KiXX drop two more, 8-6 to STL, 5-3 to CAL (2/18, 2/20).
- St. Louis (W, W) Increase standings' lead in PHI, 8-6, At home against BAL, 9-7 (2/18, 2/20).

What They Are Saying
* "We slowed down and took our time. We played harder defense and got five behind the ball. When we pulled the ball out and spread the floor, they had to go forward, and we could look for our chances." - St. Louis All-Star Shaun David, who had three goals in Monday's 9-7 win over Baltimore. (Post Dispatch, 2/22).
* "I've always dreamed of playing for the Blast. Throughout my career, I wanted to play in front of my friends and my family." - newly signed Baltimore Blast forward Dante Washington who played nine seasons in MLS, with the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team, and will now play for his hometown team. (The Sun, 2/23).
* "Lazo (Alavanja) is a hard player, and he is going to battle you. Their whole team is going to kick and fight and scream and punch and do everything they can to win games. If you don't have 16 guys who are doing the same, it's going to be tough." - Milwaukee Wave head coach Keith Tozer on Chicago All-Star defender Lazo Alavanja and the Wave's 7-5 loss to the rival Chicago Storm on Sunday. (Journal Sentinel, 2/20).

Baltimore Blast
baltimoreblast.com
Record: 13-7
Leading Scorer: Adauto Neto (26G, 17A)
Leading GK: Sagu (11-4, 4.95 g.a.a.)
Head Coach: Tim Wittman, 3rd Season

Blast Notes - On Wednesday announced signings of F Dante Washington and D Mike Lookingland. Both played in MLS in 2005. Both are local to the area. Washington was a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team and played nine seasons in MLS.
* Only team to have beaten St. Louis (16-4) and Milwaukee (14-6) twice.
* Outscore opponents 32-14 in first qtr.
* Tops in power play efficiency (52.9 percent), and penalty kill (73.3) rate.
* Neto involved in 5 of 6 goals Friday.
* Celenza leads the MISL in goals (30) power play goals (6) and first goals (6).

California Cougars
californiacougars.net
Record: 4-17 (Expansion Team)
Leading Scorer: John Ball (10G, 12A)
Leading GK: Jim Larkin (4-13, 6.49 g.a.a.)
Head Coach: Troy Dayak, 1st Season

Cougars Notes - Winners of three of last four games after 1-16 start. Cougars now trail the KiXX by 1.5 games, fourth-place Chicago by five games.
* On Friday Cougars host Baltimore, a team that has defeated California in three previous meetings by a total score of 35-15. Have not played since Feb. 3.
* Cougars have scored first in four of 21 games, including Monday's 5-3 defeat of Philadelphia. Are 2-2 in those games.
* Seven players with 10 or more points, led by Ball (22), Vicente Figueroa (19), Ricardinho (18), and Aaron Susi (18).

Chicago Storm
chicagostorm.com
Record: 9-12
Leading Scorer: Matthew Stewart (11G, 12A)
Leading GK: Danny Waltman (7-11, 5.06 g.a.a.)
Head Coach: Frank Klopas, 2nd Season

Storm Notes - Rare comeback win led into a rare 19-day break in the schedule for Chicago. After a crushing 6-5 overtime loss at Baltimore, in which Chicago led 5-2 in the fourth quarter, Storm rebounded to win 7-5 in Milwaukee, stunning the defending MISL Champions with go-ahead short-handed goals, separated by less than 20 seconds by All-Star D Lazo Alavanja and Stewart.
* Alavanja and Wave's Marcelo Fontana only two with two short-handed goals.
* Went 4-1 against Baltimore in 2004-05, 1-4 versus that club this season.
* Stewart (5G, 3A) in last three games.

Milwaukee Wave
milwaukeewave.com
Record: 14-6 (Defending MISL Champions)
Leading Scorer: Greg Howes (26G, 19A)
Leading GK: Nick Vorberg (10-6, 4.62 g.a.a.)
Head Coach: Keith Tozer, 14th season (22nd overall)

Wave Notes - Milwaukee has played 20 games with just 10 remaining in the regular season. They're currently two games behind the St. Louis Steamers in the MISL standings. Milwaukee ranks among the MISL's leaders in goals per game (6.6, third) goals allowed (5.1, second), penalty killing (66.7%, third), power plays (37.8%, second) and restart goals (20, tie-first).
* MISL's top road record at 7-3.
* Won first eight games, split last 12 games.
* Key injuries to Eduardo Sebrango, D/F Michael King, and D Lovelace Ackah.
* Howes leads MISL in points (45), restart goals (eight) and shots (108).

Philadelphia KiXX
kixxonline.com
Record: 4-14
Leading Scorers: Goran Vasic (7G, 11A).
Leading GK: Peter Pappas (4-12, 5.65 g.a.a.)
Head Coach: Don D'Ambra, 4th season

KiXX Notes - Saturday night's visitors - the Milwaukee Wave - have outscored the KiXX 28-15 in taking the first four of the six planned meetings this season. KiXX have lost nine-straight overall.
* Philadelphia has qualified for the postseason in its first nine years as a club. MISL-high 12 games remain, but a run will be required to make it to 10th.
* Two-time MISL MVP Dino Delevski has two goals and one assist since being signed by the KiXX on 2/16.
* Since being acquired from the Cougars, defender Vlatko Andonovski has missed 10 of 12 games with a calf injury.

St. Louis Steamers
stlsteamers.com
Record: 16-4
Leading Scorers: Carlos "Chile" Farias (7G, 28A)
Leading GK: Brett Phillips (14-3, 4.73 g.a.a.)
Head Coach: Omid Namazi, 1st season (6th overall)

Steamers Notes - With MISL All-Stars D Genoni Martinez and F Shaun David scoring at a quickening pace, the Steamers have taken a two-game lead in the MISL Standings.
* Martinez, a king off the restart, has six goals and two assists in last two games.
* David has six goals in last three games.
* Winners of all 10 games that have been played at St. Louis' Savvis Center.
* Joe Reiniger has 598 pro indoor goals.
* Have an edge in the season series with each of their MISL opponents.
* In 20 games, only three have been decided by one goal (Steamers are 2-1).

GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
Danny Waltman, GK, Chicago Storm, 5-10, 180
Danny Waltman didn't have what he'd consider an entirely ideal weekend. But when you consider that he had two of the best showings in what was a very offense-driven set of games, Waltman set himself apart from his goalkeeping peers, splitting two weekend games. On Friday in Baltimore, Waltman and the Chicago defense limited the Blast to two goals through three quarters, until a fourth quarter comeback allowed the opposition to escape with a 6-5 overtime victory over the Storm. Waltman made 16 saves and allowed one sixth attacker goal, among his six on Friday. On Saturday, he and the Storm came back to get the best of another of the MISL's strongest teams, again playing on the road, and defeating Milwaukee 7-5 at U.S. Cellular Arena. It was the Storm's second road win of the season. Waltman and the defense successfully killed two of three power plays and he saved nine of 14 shots on goal in defeating the defending MISL Champion Milwaukee for the second time this season. Waltman wins this award for the fourth time this season. The Gig Harbor, Wash., native leads MISL goalkeepers in minutes played (1067.25), is tied for first in games (18), and fourth in wins (seven), save percentage (66.9) and goals against average (5.06).

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Genoni Martinez, D, St. Louis Steamers, 5-9, 191
Genoni Martinez scored the Steamers first goal. He scored the game-winning goal. In all, the Steamers defender totaled four goals and one assist in St. Louis' 8-6 win over the KiXX before 8,137 at Philadelphia's Wachovia Spectrum on Saturday night. After starting things off for the Steamers, and knotting the game at 1 with his first score, the Mexico City native helped the Steamers take a 3-2 lead on an assist to Carlos "Chile" Farias at 6:21 of the second quarter. The first-place (15-4) Steamers never trailed the rest of the way in the closely played match. Martinez broke a third quarter tie with a successful penalty kick, making it 5-4. He also scored the Steamers sixth and seventh goals - both in the fourth. Martinez is a two-time MISL Defender of the Year. He's part of a defense that allows 4.5 goals per game, in a League where no other unit is yielding less than 5.1. In playing only 14 of 19 games, Martinez is tied for fourth on the Steamers in points, with 17 (10 goals, seven assists). He has four restart goals and four power play goals. On February 11, Martinez served as the captain of the Mexican All-Star Team that played before a capacity crowd at Milwaukee's U.S. Cellular Arena for the MISL All-Star Game. Martinez celebrates his 31st birthday on Wednesday (Feb. 22).

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Adauto Neto, F, Baltimore Blast, 5-10, 178
Adauto Neto scored his 100th career point in the first half of a 6-5 overtime thriller on Friday before a crowd of 6,378 at 1st Mariner Arena. But where the 25-year-old Brazilian made the difference was in keying an improbable comeback against a Chicago defense and goalkeeper Danny Waltman that had stymied the Baltimore offense for much of three quarters. Trailing 5-2 entering the final period Neto was involved in the scoring of all three fourth quarter goals, and set up the critical scoring play that resulted in a overtime game-winner for Carlos Garcia at 3:16 of the extra period. The first-time MISL All-Star, and third-year MISL veteran, first assisted Garcia with less than 12 minutes to go in regulation, then found Wendell Regis 6:22 into the quarter. Finally, with the sixth attacker on, Neto sent a pass off the boards to midfielder Robbie Aristodemo, who quickly sent it back to Neto, who beat Waltman for the goal and his fourth point of the game with 13:29 elapsed in the period before a frenzied crowd to complete the comeback. In overtime, the game-winning play started with an outlet by goalkeeper Sagu to Neto, then a long pass from Neto to Rich Daughtridge, who received it at the yellow line, and ripped a shot wide right. Garcia controlled the rebound and scored the game-winner. For Neto, the MISL's second leading scorer (41 points, 25 goals, 16 assists) trailing Milwaukee's Greg Howes (45 points), the weekly award is his third of the year, but first since November 21. He's earned the honor five times in his career. A 2003-04 MISL All-Rookie selection, Neto was the MISL Player of the Month in November.

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