Splash Wins Despite Bickering Over Playing Time

One year ago, Bernie Lilavois came to the Splash and Dale Ervine’s troubles first began.

Ervine was benched, a move that led to his eventual trade from the Splash to Arizona.

Now back with the Splash, he scored in Friday night’s 10-4 victory over Houston in front of an announced crowd of 5,776 at the Pond.

Now, there’s another controversy involving a star player.

Raffaele Ruotolo, last year’s leading scorer, had his playing time reduced Friday by Coach Ian Fulton--to make full use of the Splash’s depth at midfield, Fulton said.

Already in uniform, Ruotolo had started to change out of his uniform before reaching the training room on his rapid stomp to the locker room from Fulton’s office when he got the news.

He said nothing, but his looks said everything.

Ruotolo didn’t warm up before the game, but at the time of kickoff, he was in uniform and rookie Mike Lynch, who did warm up, wasn’t.

“When we came back in from the field and saw him in uniform, all of us breathed a sigh of relief,” said Bernie Lilavois, who scored two goals. “We need Raffe, and all the players feel the same way.”

Ruotolo, the franchise career leader in goals and assists, scored twice.

“I didn’t like the idea, and I still don’t like the idea, and things better change--it’s as simple as that,” Ruotolo said after the game.

“[Fulton] said there were some younger guys he wanted to give a chance, and I don’t have a problem with that, but there is a time and a place to play certain guys, and I think those guys have to pay their dues. I’ve been in the [indoor] league for 10 years, and I’m not willing to be a third runner to anybody.

“I told [Fulton], ‘If you’re going to use me in threes, I prefer to sit in the crowd and make my two teammates who are changing with me happy.’ ”

Ruotolo said he changed his mind about playing after seeing his teammates’ reaction to his reaction: “I didn’t want to let my teammates down and I apologize for the way I acted.”

Fulton said Ruotolo wasn’t the only player to have his time reduced. Rookie Kenny Hesse was worked into the defensive rotation, and P.J. Palowski and rookie Andy Strouse shared time at forward.

“The inmates can’t run the prison,” Fulton said. “We’ve all got to be on the same page to win a championship. I expect a few bumps along the way.”

Fulton used a three-man rotation with Ruotolo, Sam George and Lilavois, a forward who Fulton thinks is a better player attacking the goal.

Lilavois admitted he didn’t like the idea of moving from forward to midfield, “but I’ve got to do what’s best for the team.”

Basically, Fulton took time away from Ruotolo so Palowski, who played two games in 1995, and Strouse could get into the game against Houston, which was riding a five-game winning streak.

Fulton said he is inclined to stick with the status quo.

“Of course--you go with the winning program,” said Fulton, who will coach the CISL West all-star team in August. “If we all play together, we’ll be fine. . . . I was pleased with the way we played.”

Regardless, it’s difficult to argue with the result. The Splash (7-3) won its fourth straight, stretched its Western Division lead to 2 1/2 games, and has the best record in the Continental Indoor Soccer League. Houston (7-5) dropped from first place in the East.

Paul Agyeman and Danny Barber rotated at the midfield position opposite Ruotolo.

Agyeman scored two goals, extending his goal-scoring streak to five games, and Barber also had a goal as the Splash scored a season-high 10 goals, scoring nine of the last 11.

“It shows that we can perform when the pressure’s on, that we can put controversy behind us and play the game the way it should be played.”

Ruben Fernandez faced 40 shots and made 15 saves. Ervine, John O’Brien and Strouse scored one goal apiece.