MILWAUKEE WAVE BACK ON THE ROAD, LEITE’S SQUAD GEARS UP FOR EAST COAST ROAD TRIP.

By Henry Amini.

MILWAUKEE, WI - Following the 7-6 overtime win at home fortress UW Milwaukee Panther Arena, The 7-time champions Milwaukee Wave head out on an east coast journey where they’ll face the Baltimore Blast and Utica City FC on a turnaround of less than 24 hours.

“It’s another opportunity to show our depth,” Said Head Coach Marcio Leite. The Milwaukee Wave will undoubtedly show off a new look when facing the Baltimore Blast for a second straight game. Young performers made their mark against the Baltimore Blast in the Milwaukee Wave’s home opener win on Friday in the absence of Ian Bennett, Ricardo Carvalho, and Derek Huffman. Rookie goalkeeper Jerry Perez and young stars Max Ludwig and Alex Steinwasher had standout performances. Ludwig finished the game with a goal, his third of the season. Alex Steinwasher assisted the two momentum shifting goals scored in the fourth quarter.

Familiar faces stood out just as well, the balance of veteran presence and prolific rising stars is what makes this Milwaukee Wave team so special. Alex Sanchez earned himself an MASL Offensive Player of the Week honor following his four goal performance on Friday. Mario Alvarez was the second star of the game and it was his goal which sent the Milwaukee Wave into overtime after stepping out of the penalty box.

It’s not just depth this Milwaukee Wave side brings, it’s versatility. The shot-stopping Goalkeeper, William Banahene, made 15 saves through three quarters before Perez stepped into the net as an attacking presence, closing out the game for Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Wave will face the Baltimore Blast at TU Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, on Saturday, December 27, at 3:00pm CST.

“It's a totally different game, playing on a smaller court, so it will be very interesting,” Leite said, considering the shifts necessary when playing the same team twice, especially one with as much history as the heated rivalry between the Milwaukee Wave and the Baltimore Blast.

The Milwaukee Wave face Utica City FC the following day at Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, New York on Sunday, December 28, 2:00pm CST.

“It’s always a challenge to play Utica and Baltimore away from home,” Leite said. Back to back games have proved to be a significant challenge but this Milwaukee Wave team is up for it.

Watch the game LIVE! on the following platforms including MASL+, MASLtv on YouTube, National Soccer Network, Victory+, Sportsworld and Unbeaten Network. ###