Splash Hit Magic Number in Regular-Season Finale

ANAHEIM — Twenty victories. There is something about the number that is important to Splash Coach George Fernandez.

The Splash beat the Arizona Sandsharks, 10-6, Saturday before 8,336 at The Pond and closed out the regular season with record of 20-8. Only the Dallas Sidekicks (23-4) have as many victories in the Continental Indoor Soccer League.

“It (20 victories) puts us above and beyond everybody else,” Fernandez said. “It gives us a little more respectability and gives us a two-game lead (over San Diego), so people can’t say we were fortunate to win the division.”

But Rod Castro, whose two goals gave the Splash a 5-3 lead after trailing, 3-1, said the team’s attitude going into next Saturday’s playoff game against the Sacramento Knights (15-12) at The Pond is important.

“Now we can go in on a roll and concentrate on our opponent,” Castro said, “rather than worry about what we’re doing wrong.”

The Splash did little wrong, scoring five consecutive goals in a 17-minute span, beginning late in the second quarter, to take a 6-3 lead.

After the Sandsharks (10-17) pulled to 7-6, the Splash closed it out with three consecutive goals, including Paul McDonnell’s third and Denis Hamlett’s second of the night--both with Arizona using a sixth attacker.