MILWAUKEE WAVE SET TO DEFEND HOME TURF IN HISTORIC SEMIFINAL RIVALRY.

MILWAUKEE, WI - The Milwaukee Wave challenge the boisterous Baltimore Blast in the semifinals after defending their way to victory against the Empire Strykers.

The historic UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, once known as MECCA, is an arena with a rich and fabled history. It was as if the arena had a soul come to life on Monday; from the moment you stepped inside, there was a strikingly energetic air circulating throughout. 

First year head coach Marcio Leite’s squad is balanced, Monday night’s outmuscling of the Empire Strykers made that clear. 

The renowned Milwaukee Wave offense is perpetually opportunistic, nine goals throughout 75 minutes of playoff soccer made for the perfect display. The playmaking veteran Max Ferdinand found himself in form nostalgic of his early professional days, netting a hattrick in game two and a goal in the third knockout fixture. 

“Max didn't have the best game of Thursday in California,” Leite said, “But today, we saw a drive in his eyes...when his pride is a little hurt, he's going to make a difference and today he played like that. 
He had something to prove.”

Ferdinand is one of the most outstanding storylines of the upcoming semifinal series. He spent time in Baltimore as a member of the Blast where he was remarkably successful and he earned a Rookie of the Year award with the team just a few years before his first stint in Milwaukee. The 39 year old Haitian has displayed remarkable longevity in his career, notching more than 20 points for the Wave in the regular season and continuing to make his presence felt in the high stake 

“[The Strykers] are very aggressive, so using Jerry to break pressure to help us keep possession for long periods of time and make them chase… 
I thought it was a very good move,” Leite said. Under Leite’s guidance, decision making of the coaching staff has been bold. On Monday, it allowed them to control possession and, in breaking the Strykers’ high pressure, creating chances in transition. 

The cliches commonly surrounding the importance of defense in sports echo in the minds of Milwaukee Wave fans. Defense wins championships…

“It's a point of pride,” Javier Steinwasher said, “I'm similar to a lot of the guys that are on the defensive side of it… We take it personally.” 

“I'm a competitor, man. Like I said, I take it personally not to get beat. 
I try to make it miserable for the opponent to take me on… I’m looking forward to Baltimore,” Correa said. 

Defensive consistency has been the cloud looming over their heads throughout the season; until Monday, that is. There was a noticeable shift in the Wave’s serious commitment to challenges on the defensive side of the ball. Whether it can be accredited to the playoff atmosphere, the energetic fanbase, coaching, or simply the autonomous mentality shift of the players is up to the viewers. With Stuart Grable’s three blocks, the organizational acumen of Javier Steinwasher, the defensive consistency of Shawn Azcueta, the composure of Mario Alvarez, and the drive of Cesar Correa, the Milwaukee Wave cradled the Strykers to less than five goals through both games on Monday. 

The history between the Baltimore Blast and the Milwaukee Wave dates to back more than three decades of heated fixtures. The last time the two sides met in the Ron Newman Cup playoffs, the Blast won the series in two games; Ferdinand was playing for Baltimore in this series. The Milwaukee Wave notably beat the Blast in two straight MISL Championships between 2011 and 2012.

“The fans, I mean, they make it fun to be here. thank you to the fans,” Alex Steinwasher said. The Milwaukee Wave fan base remained lively on Monday and continues to be the backbone of the team’s success. 

The Milwaukee Wave will host the Baltimore Blast at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Friday, April 10 at 6:35pm CST for the first Ron Newman Cup semifinal game. 

They’ll host the Blast again at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Friday, April 10 at 6:35pm CST for the definitive closeout game. 

Tickets for their home games can be purchased through Ticketmaster via the Milwaukee Wave Website or at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena box-office on game day. ###