BENNETT SCORES 4 TO LEAD WAVE OVER LANCERS

ROCHESTER, NY (Feb. 9) — Ian Bennett's game-changing strike 3.3 seconds before halftime sparked the Milwaukee Wave to their fifth consecutive victory on Sunday, 15-7 over the Rochester Lancers at Blue Cross Arena.

Bennett finished with four goals and nine points, while keeper Marcel Feenstra was again superb with 13 saves as the Wave improved to 13-2 to remain in first place in the Major Indoor Soccer League.

Mauricio Salles had given Rochester (5-11) a 5-2 lead midway through the second quarter with a marvelous 3-point blast from the left wing, and it appeared that would be the score at halftime. But Bennett gathered a turnover near midfield in the final seconds, pushed into the middle and unleashed a low shot that skipped beneath Rochester keeper Gavin McInerney to send the game to halftime 5-all.

Milwaukee then firmly grasped control of the game in the third quarter with four unanswered goals. Judson McKinney slotted home a textbook end-board pass from Hewerton, then Bennett converted back-to-back chances and Carlos Munoz finished a breakaway off Nick Perera's assist to make it 13-5.

"I thought we played a really good second half," said Wave coach Keith Tozer. "Ian's 3-point goal at the end of first half was really important. Coming out in the second half, pressuring, picking up the tempo was really good.

"It was a good weekend for us on the road to come out and win two games," said Tozer, whose team beat Syracuse 15-13 in overtime on Friday night.

Rochester did finally score in a 6-on-4 situation with under five minutes left, but the Wave extinguished any hope for the Lancers 40 seconds later when McKinney picked up a turnover and slid a pass to Bennett, who redirected the ball into the net against the sixth attacker.

Milwaukee returns home for four of its final five games, including next Sunday at 2 p.m against the Pennsylvania Roar. Fans have the opportunity to win a precious gemstone from Robert Haack Diamonds, foam fingers will be handed out while the last courtesy of Local 494, and former Wave standout Joe Hammes will be honored. For tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com or call 414-224-9283.