COMETS POUR IT ON WAVE 22-4

MILWAUKEE (Jan. 17, 2014) – The Milwaukee Wave's league-leading offense could not handle the Missouri Comets' high-energy defense on Friday night, the Wave falling 22-4 to the Comets in front of 4,349 at the Independence Events Center.

The loss drops the Wave (8-2) into a tie atop the Major Indoor Soccer League with the Baltimore Blast, who defeated St. Louis on Friday 14-2. The teams have a rematch at 6 p.m. Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

Milwaukee entered the game averaging a league-high 17.2 points per game but was held to a season low by keeper Danny Waltman and the Comets' defense, which not only allowed just the two goals but punished Milwaukee's sixth-attacker unit with three empty-net, 3-point goals.

Just as in the two previous meetings with Missouri, Milwaukee fell behind quickly. Ian Bennett scored the Wave's only first-half goal, a 2-pointer, as the Comets (8-4) grabbed a 9-2 lead by the first minute of the second quarter.

Settling down through the middle periods, Milwaukee did get within 9-4 when Luan Oliviera finished during a 4-on-4 situation with 5:56 remaining in the third quarter. Wave fans may have been hoping for a repeat of the season opener, when the Wave rallied from six points down in the game's final three minutes to force overtime before winning.

But the Comets pushed the lead to 11-4 with 1:04 left in the third quarter on a restart goal by Lucas Rodriguez, his second goal of the game. The Comets added another 2-pointer midway through the fourth, then that trio of 3-pointers as Milwaukee brought on Victor Quiroz as a sixth attacker with 6:53 remaining.

Saturday's game is College Night at the U.S. Cellular Arena; students who show their ID receive $5 off their ticket and 15% off merchandise. In addition, the first 1,000 people at the game receive a voucher for slice of pizza from Ian's Pizza.

For tickets to Saturday's game or any Milwaukee Wave game, visit Ticketmaster or call the Wave office at 414-224-9283. Find the Wave online at milwaukeewave.com.