Advertisement

Splash Enjoys Victory Over Sockers

Share
TIMES STAFF WRITER

It has been a long time since the Splash celebrated the way it did Saturday night after climbing back into the Continental Indoor Soccer League’s Southern Division title hunt.

A week after the Splash appeared to be in no position to make a run--it was .500 and playing horribly--the Splash scored a team-record four power-play goals and beat division leader San Diego, 6-3, in front of an announced crowd of 7,276 at The Pond.

The Sockers (13-7) lost for the third time in four games. The third-place Splash (12-10) play host to second-place Mexico (12-8) next Sunday.

The Splash now have the best record among the four teams vying for two wild-card berths. It has seven games remaining, including one against San Diego and two against Mexico.

Advertisement

“Anything’s possible,” Splash Coach George Fernandez said after his team beat San Diego for the second time in three meetings. “We can’t rely on other people. We have to do it ourselves.”

The Splash did it, as it did in Thursday’s 5-3 victory over Arizona, with a renewed commitment to defense. In its two victories, the Splash held its opponent scoreless in the second half.

The Splash, which scored five consecutive goals to overcome a three-goal deficit against Arizona, overcame a two-goal deficit against San Diego.

Jose Vasquez scored the game-winning goal midway through the third quarter, going one-on-two and putting the ball away for the Splash’s third power-play goal and a 4-3 lead.

Denis Hamlett, after a goal-saving clear by John O’Brien, scored two minutes later to make it 5-3, and Rod Castro scored his second goal at 12:49 of the third quarter to make it 6-3.

Castro’s power-play goal, his second, set the team record. The Sockers led the CISL in penalty killing (84.4%).

Advertisement

Ruben Fernandez had 14 saves, and also had plenty of help as O’Brien, Sam George and Sean Bowers also made goal-saving blocks.

Said Ruotolo, who had two power-play goals against his former team: “This was a big game for us, and for some of us it was a little more personal. More importantly, it moves us closer to something bigger [first place]. But it’s totally up to us.”

Ruotolo, Castro and Coach Fernandez won indoor titles with the Sockers.

The Splash trailed, 2-0, after 3:09 on garbage goals by John Olu Molomo and Kevin Legg in front of the net. Ruotolo cut it to 2-1 on a direct free kick from the top of the arc that went between teammate Doug Neely’s legs and past goalkeeper Antonio Cortes.

After Legg beat Ruotolo badly to make it 3-1 going into the second quarter, Ruotolo came back with his second power-play goal of the night and 12th of the season after Neely missed from the opposite side of the goal mouth.

Advertisement