Splash Brings Its Best Effort Home in Victory : Indoor soccer: Anaheim turns back Houston, 9-4, at The Pond, moves into tie for first with San Diego.
The last time they met, the Splash and the Houston Hotshots set a Continental Indoor Soccer League record for most shots in a game with 111.
Houston set a season-high total with 63.
Saturday night at The Pond, the Hotshots had only 14.
The Splash had only 32, but that was more than enough in a solid effort that produced a 9-4 decision on Guaranteed Victory Night in front of an announced crowd of 8,581.
It was the first time the Splash has played well at home in four games, where the team is 2-2, and marked a rare complete-game performance.
“We’ve let ourselves down, and that lets the fans down,” team captain Doug Neely said. “Tonight we really clicked; we were patient when we had to be, attacked when we needed to. Offensively and defensively, it was our best game of the season.”
The victory moved the Splash (6-3) into a first-place tie with San Diego, and improved its record in the division to 5-1. Houston dropped to 3-7.
After falling behind, 3-2, early in the third quarter, the Splash reeled off five consecutive goals--including three straight by Dale Ervine. Ervine added a fourth goal with 1 minute 15 seconds left, and Denis Hamlett finished the scoring with 28 seconds to go.
“I’m a perfectionist, I’m never happy, I always think we can do better,” Splash Coach George Fernandez said. “But if we played every game like tonight, it would be a fluke if we lost.”
Goalkeeper Ruben Fernandez, who had a season-high 31 saves in the first meeting with Houston--a 10-6 Splash victory--had seven saves Saturday as he improved his season record to 3-1 and lowered his goals-against average to 6.0.
The Splash has outscored opponents in the fourth quarter, 29-17, and has been outscored in the first three quarters, 37-36.
“Houston was very patient defensively, and that made it difficult for us in the first half,” Ervine said. “That’s why it’s important for us to get on teams early; teams pack it in against us and we haven’t gotten on top. We cannot fall behind at home.”
Hamlett was superb most of the night, leading what George Fernandez called a “terrific” effort by his defenders.
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Splash Notes
Sam George scored twice and Doug Neely once for the Splash. The Hotshots were without second-leading point scorer Nebo Bandovic (strained back); the Splash were without Shane Hickson (ankle), Jaime Francisco (ankle), Bobby Bruch and Rod Castro. . . . The Splash continued to be slow starters in the first half, going into intermission tied at 2-2. George tied the score with the first goal, his eighth of the season, and Paul McDonnell tied it with the second--his third of the season. . . . The game will be shown on Prime Sports at 6 p.m. tonight.
