Wave United Take Two from Cincinnati to Clinch Playoff Berth
August 19, 2003 - A-League (A-League)
Milwaukee Wave United News Release
(Milwaukee, WI) Milwaukee Wave United, the Wave's A-League (outdoor) team swept a pair of games from the Cincinnati Riverhawks last week (3-1 on 8/13, and 6-1 on 8/15) at Uihlein Soccer Park to extend its season high winning streak to four straight games and claim the second and final playoff spot in the Central Division.
Coach Art Kramer's team, which is now 14-9-0 (42 points), has five regular season contests remaining before it opens the 2003 A-League Playoffs against the arch-rival Minnesota Thunder on Friday, September 5, 7:35 PM at Uihlein Soccer Park. Game Two of the aggregate goals series will take place on Sunday, September 7, 5:05 PM at the National Sports Center in Blaine, MN. Ironically, Milwaukee's final regular season home game will also be against Minnesota, which visits the Uihlein complex on Wednesday, August 27 for a 7:35 PM match. August 27 is also "Soccer Mom's Night," with all moms admitted free if they are accompanied by a paid admission of a son or daughter. Call the Wave / Wave United Office at 414-224-WAVE (9283) for tickets or more information, or check out www.milwaukeewaveunited.com.
Up next for Wave United: Milwaukee embarks on a two-game weekend road trip to Atlanta (Friday, August 22, 6:45 PM CDT) and Charlotte (Saturday, August 23, 6:35 PM CDT). Despite the fact that both teams are out of the Southeast Division playoff race, it should be a challenging trip for Kramer's squad. Both games will be broadcast live on 540 AM, WRRD ("The Word") with air time for each broadcast 20 minutes prior to kickoff.
Tickets: All Wave United home games are played at Uihlein Soccer Park, 7101 W. Good Hope Rd. on Milwaukee's northwest side. General Admission tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for kids under 12. Reserved seating at Uihlein Soccer Park is limited to season ticket holders â call the Wave / Wave United Office at 414-224-WAVE (9283) for more information. Tickets for all Wave United home games are available at the Wave / Wave United Office, 1040 N. Water St. in downtown Milwaukee, the Uihlein Soccer Park Ticket Office, all TicketMaster outlets, and through phone charge at 414-276-4545. Groups of 10 or more should contact the Wave / Wave United Group Sales Dept. at 414-224-WAVE for group rate discounts.
Playoff Tickets: Same as above at $14 for adults, $10 for kids under 12.
Wave Camps: The 2003 Milwaukee Wave / Wave United Summer Soccer Camp season concludes this week with five camps in the Metro Milwaukee area along with a camp in Madison. This week's enrollment of 847 campers is an all-time single week record for the Wave Summer Camp program. New franchise and league records have also been set during the current camp season, with more than 4600 campers attending the 2003 sessions.
Camp# City Location
51 Whitefish Bay Jewish Comm. Center
52 Racine Score Soccer Comp.
53 Mequon Rotary Park
54 Brookfield Brookfield Soccer Park
55 Muskego Denoon Park
56 Madison Reddan Soccer Park
Last Week's Recap:
Wed. 8/13 @ Milwaukee Wave United 3, Riverhawks 1 Attendance: 3,110
Milwaukee started fast as rookie forward Nick Walls tallied on a blast from the top of the box in the 4th minute. Walls took a short pass from Greg Howes at midfield before dribbling to the top of the area where he blasted a left-footer past Cincinnati goalkeeper Matt Reid.
Wave United made it 2-0 in the 15th minute when Chad Dombrowski scored off another assist from Howes. Howes had worked his way to the end line on the right side of the penalty area before sliding the pass back to Dombrowski who drilled a low bouncer past Reid inside the far post.
Cincinnati countered with its only goal of the night in the 25th minute. Mike Apple stripped Troy Dusosky of possession on the right sideline; he then dribbled to the end line before setting up Yacks for the shot at the top of the box. Yacks' low bouncer went just inside the far post past diving Wave United goalkeeper Jeff Richey.
Despite numerous opportunities, Milwaukee would not score again until the 86th minute. Midfielder Dino Delevski found John Ball behind the Cincinnati defense following a quick restart; after getting possession near the left end line, Ball scored on a turning right foot shot from eight yards out.
Richey, who did not have to make any saves, posted his sixth win in six starts this season. He is now 8-0-0 in eight career starts.
Fri. 8/15 @ Milwaukee Wave United 6, Riverhawks 1 Attendance: 2,180
Greg Howes and Matt Schmidt each scored a pair goals as Milwaukee Wave United won a season high fourth straight A-League contest by defeating the Cincinnati Riverhawks 6-1 Friday night (8/15) before a crowd of 2,180 at Uihlein Soccer Park. Wave United improved to 14-9-0 (42 points) to move back within four points of the Central Division leading Minnesota Thunder, while the Riverhawks, who had their playoff hopes quashed by Milwaukee two nights earlier, dropped their fourth consecutive game to fall to 9-17-0 (27 points).
Howes got Milwaukee started with a pair of goals in the 11th and 12th minutes, respectively. He scored his eighth of the season when he converted off a ball chested down at the top of the box by Nick Wall. Howes followed another goal one minute later when he took a touch from Schmidt outside the box and then dribbled past a defender to convert from 10 yards out.
Wave United continued the onslaught in the 39th minute when Schmidt scored his second of the season by following in his initial shot that was stopped by Cincinnati goalkeeper Matt Reid. Todd Dusosky then netted his ninth of the campaign when he ran onto a through ball from Chris Morman and slotted the ball through the legs of Reid to make it 4-0.
Chad Dombrowski scored his fifth of the year just before halftime on a header at the far post off a cross from Howes, who had beaten his defender down the right side of the box.
Cincinnati got its only goal on a penalty kick from Marcel Matis in the 63rd minute. Goalkeeper Jim Larkin was called for a foul as he attempted to stop Allen Eller from eight yards out on the left side of the box resulting in the penalty kick for Matis, who scored his fourth of the season.
Schmidt finished the scoring in the 90th minute when he banged in a rebound off a shot from Digital Takawira that hit the left post.
Milwaukee launched a season-high 28 shots to 18 for Cincinnati. Larkin had four saves as he raised his record to 8-9-0 while Reid stopped seven shots in falling to 0-5-0. Wave United is now 3-0 against the Riverhawks this season, with one game left between the clubs on August 29 at Cincinnati.
Notes:
*Wave United established a new season high (and an all-time Milwaukee A-League record) by scoring five goals in the first half v. Cin on 8/15. The previous team mark for a half was four v. Por on 6/8.
*Wave United enters this week's action as the second highest scoring team in the league with 48 goals. (Rochester has 50). The all-time Milwaukee A-League record for goals scored in a season is 69 by the 2000 Rampage.
*Goalkeeper Jeff Richey is 6-0-0 in six starts this season and 8-0-0 in eight career starts. He has two shutouts this year and four for his career. In 751 career minutes he has surrendered just five goals (0.60 GAA).
*Goalkeeper Jim Larkin has six shutouts so far this season which is third on Milwaukee's all-time A-League shutout list. The single season record for Milwaukee A-League goalkeeper shutouts is eight set last season by current LA Galaxy goalkeeper Dan Popik.
*Forward Todd Dusosky scored the first goal in Wave United history (46th minute from Jeremy Aldrich on 5/23 v. Charlotte) and the fastest goal in Milwaukee A-League history when he found the back of the net just 44 seconds into the match on 8/3 v. Ind. He is currently second on the Wave United scoring list with 25 points (nine goals, seven assists) behind Greg Howes, who has nine goals and eight assists for 26 points.
*Forward Greg Howes has scored at least one goal in seven of his last ten outings, including the U.S. Open Cup matches against the Bavarians (7/23) and the Chicago Fire (8/6). He has also scored 20 points (seven goals, six assists) in his last eight regular season games.
*Rookie forward / midfielder Nick Walls scored all five of his goals in a six-game stretch from 7/19 â 8/13. He picked up his first assist on 8/15 v. Cin.
*Midfielder Dino Delevski has had two multi-goal games so far this season: 6/8 v. Por (two goals) and 8/3 v. Ind (two goals). Other multi-goal scorers include Todd Dusosky (three v. Ind on 6/29), Greg Howes (two v. Bavarians on 7/23, two v. EP on 7/27, and two v. Cin on 8/15), Digital Takawira (two v. Ind on 8/3), and Nick Walls (two @ Cal on 8/9).
*Forward Digital Takawira's two goals on 8/3 v. Ind were his first two A-League tallies this season. He is Milwaukee's all-time A-League goal scoring leader with 40. Takawira still ranks third on the Kansas City Wizards (MLS) all-time list with 28 goals from 1996-99.
*Midfielder Steve Bernal was forced to leave the 7/23 match v. the Bavarians with a left knee injury sustained in the 78th minute. He has not played since.
*Wave United's 3-2 win @ Cin on 7/19 was the 100th regular season victory in Milwaukee A-League History (1997-Present)
*Midfielder Matt Schmidt and defender Troy Dusosky are the only players to start every game so far this season.
*Despite missing the last two games due to a groin injury, rookie defender Joe Hammes is currently third on the club in minutes played (1803) behind Matt Schmidt (1956) and Troy Dusosky (1937). Hammes played every minute of every game from 5/23 â 8/9, a span of 22 games including the two U.S. Open Cup matches.
Wave MISL (indoor) Season Set to Begin October 11 / Home Opener at U.S. Cellular Arena October 18: The Wave will begin its 20th season (its third in the Major Indoor Soccer League) October 11 against the San Diego Sockers at San Diego. Milwaukee returns for its home opener October 18 v. the Baltimore Blast. All Wave home games will be played at the U.S. Cellular Arena at the corner of 4th St. and Kilbourn Ave. in downtown Milwaukee. Call the Wave / Wave United Office at 414-224-WAVE for more information, or visit www.milwaukeewave.com.
A-League Stories from August 19, 2003
- Blast Host Charleston Battery Sunday - Indiana Blast
- Wave United Take Two from Cincinnati to Clinch Playoff Berth - Milwaukee Wave United
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