Three Splash Players Suspended for Brawl in Sacramento

The Continental Indoor Soccer League on Wednesday suspended three Splash players for a total of four games for their involvement in a bench-clearing brawl at the conclusion of Sunday’s 6-5 loss to Sacramento.

Defender Ralph Black will miss the next two home games, Aug. 28 against Sacramento and Sept. 1 against Dallas; Denis Hamlett and reserve goalie Ruben Fernandez will miss the Sacramento game.

Hamlett and Sacramento goalie Mike Dowler went for the final ball of the game, tripped over one another and fell into the net at the back of the goal. As Hamlett and Dowler pushed one another, players from both benches rushed into the goal mouth.

Black was suspended for his aggression and, after being struck by Kenny Latham, kicking him in the abdomen; Hamlett was suspended for spitting on a player; Fernandez was suspended for a scuffle that broke out in front of the bench area.

Dowler received a yellow card for his part in the fight; Latham was suspended for one game, against Carolina (2-18).

“I’m in total disagreement that a player spitting at or on another player is labeled violent conduct and is considered the same as hitting another player,” Splash General Manager Tim Ryan said. “I’m not in disagreement with the league’s decision (to suspend Black). I think Ralph’s intent was to protect his teammates, but under league rules his suspension was probably warranted.”

The suspensions, because they take place in each team’s next home game, might change the dynamics of the Western Division race, since the Splash (15-6) will be short-handed against third-place Sacramento (13-9), which trailed Anaheim by 2 1/2 games after a 4-3 loss Thursday to Arizona, and Dallas (18-3), which has the league’s best record.

“It’s going to hurt us, no doubt about it,” Splash Coach George Fernandez said. “We play Las Vegas the night before we play Sacramento, so we’ll be tired and we’ll be without two of our best defenders. No doubt we’ll be behind the eight ball.”