MISL Milwaukee Wave

Wave Notebook

Published on February 9, 2010 under Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Milwaukee Wave News Release


While it truly takes guts to stand in the batter's box against a 90 mph fastball, it's not quite like the indoor soccer shot block.

After all, in baseball, you're not trying to get in the way of the ball.

The indoor soccer art of shot blocking is the ultimate testosterone measuring stick. It's also a vitally important part of team defense, and one that the Milwaukee Wave have strengthened over the last few weeks. In two wins over Baltimore and a loss at Monterrey, the Wave have blocked 45 shots. They lead the league with 127 total blocks, and are second in blocks per game with 9.8.

"It's all about, I don't care if or where it hits me," said Wave defender JP Rodrigues. He had six in one game against Baltimore and is first on the team with 19 total blocks.

Every shot blocker comes away with welts and war stories. Rodrigues' worst? When he got knocked out by a Philadelphia KiXX shot as a rookie with Orlando.

"I was standing at the back post, and it hit me right in the forehead," Rodrigues said. "I didn't have time to react."

Shot blocking is something that Wave coach Keith Tozer has seen drift away from the game over the last few years. In the 2000 championship season, the Wave blocked 591 shots in 44 regular season games, an average of 13.4 per game. Of course, scoring and shooting totals were much higher then, too.

But he said shot blocking is especially essential on restarts, which are such a significant part of indoor soccer now. The Wave even halted a 3-on-5 restart in Baltimore recently.

During the three-game stretch, one of the keys to the improved shot blocking has been the team-wide commitment. Defenders Rodrigues and Josh Rife (eight blocks) led the way, but were supported by forward Ryan Mack (five), midfielder Brett Wiesner (five) and forward Hewerton (three), among others.

"I didn't know how many we had, but we've been emphasizing individual and team defense," Tozer said.

A LITTLE BREAK: Two feet of snow postponed last Saturday's game at Philadelphia. While the rescheduled date should be announced this week, the Wave saw the unscheduled idle weekend as a positive.

Leading scorer Marco Terminesi remains home in Canada, undergoing tests to learn more about the inner-ear illness that has sidelined him for four of the past five games. So the Wave didn't have to play without him. Brett Wiesner, who injured his hamstring in Monterrey, also has more chance to recover without missing action. Instead of training Saturday, the team just rode stationary bikes to maintain fitness, and then gathered at Tozer's house on Sunday to watch the Super Bowl. The trained Monday and took Tuesday off before getting ready for their first home game in three weeks, Saturday against Rockford.

DOWN THE HOMESTRETCH: Tozer believes the road to the playoffs runs through Rockford. The Rampage have swept three games from the Wave, but only by a combined total of five points. The teams meet three more times before the end of the season, twice in Milwaukee. If the Wave can will all three by a combined total of six points, they would take the tiebreaker from the Rampage.

Rockford has lost standout goalkeeper Danny Waltman to a knee injury, but backup Ante Cop has exceed all expectations. He's 2-2 and allowing less than 9 points per game.

Monterrey, meanwhile, has control of the MISL at the moment. La Raza (8-5) holds a one-game lead on the Wave and a 1.5-game lead on Rockford. They also lead the season series against both teams, 3-2 with the Wave and 2-1 with Rockford.

Milwaukee hosts Monterrey on March 14 in their final meeting, and must win by 10 points to take over the head-to-head tiebreaker on point differential. Monterrey and Rockford also meet once more, in the season-ending game March 21 in Monterrey. Rockford needs to win that game by five points to take the advantage.

Milwaukee's schedule appears to be the best of the three. The Wave play five of their last six at home - and it could be six of seven, if the postponed Philadelphia game moves here. Rockford closes with four on the road, and Monterrey plays five of its last seven away from Arena Monterrey.

Baltimore and Philadelphia are certainly still alive - each has just six losses, same as Milwaukee and Rockford.

MEET THE PACKERS: Seven former Green Bay Packers will sign autographs at a special post-game session on Saturday to support the Go Pink! Soccer game.

Kickoff with Rockford is at 6 p.m. To participate in the autograph session, you need a game ticket plus a limited-edition pink soccer ball, which costs $20. Balls are available at milwaukeewave.com and at the game, and proceeds benefit Go Pink! Soccer. The foundation provides grants to women battling breast cancer.

Scheduled to participate are Dorsey Levens, Antonio Freeman, Frank Winters, George Koonce, Brian Williams, Bill Schroeder and Derrick Mayes.

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Major Indoor Soccer League Stories from February 9, 2010


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