Splash Shows Confidence in Overtime Victory Over Seattle
At this point, with his team brimming with confidence after enduring a dismal midseason slump, it’s OK for Dale Ervine to make a locker room confession.
“Three weeks ago,” he said Sunday after the Splash’s 6-5 victory in overtime over Seattle, “I honestly think we would not have won [this] game.”
The Splash’s victory, in front of 6,719, was its third consecutive victory after losing nine of 13. It moved the team within a half-game of Dallas to host a first-round playoff series, and represented only the team’s second fourth-quarter comeback of the season--its first since July 18.
In doing all that, the Splash (14-12) boosted its confidence and salvaged a flat first-half performance in which it trailed, 2-1, against a team that had won two of three previous meetings.
But Ervine scored three goals, including the game-winner 2 minutes 44 seconds into overtime after Sam George (one assist) won the ball and Danny Barber (one goal, two assists) made a pass to the edge of the arc for Ervine’s 20-foot toe-poke.
Paul Agyeman began the fourth quarter with his first goal in 11 games, tying the score at 4-4, and Barber’s goal at 10:23 put the Splash in position to win in regulation. However, Tim Bartro’s ricochet from the corner boards with 18 seconds remaining tied it again.
Not overlooked by his teammates was Bernie Lilavois’ third-quarter shove of Todd Woodhouse, who had a three-inch, 20-pound size advantage. Lilavois was on the carpet after a foul, then took matters into his hands with his team trailing, 3-1.
“He ignited the crowd and he ignited us,” said Ervine, who has 12 points, including nine goals, in his last three games. “The rest of us realized that this was ridiculous. The game was physical and all of us let them get away with it.”
The Splash outscored the SeaDogs, 5-2, the rest of the way.
The Splash trails San Diego (15-10), Friday’s opponent at the Sports Arena, by two games. The Sockers clinched the Western Division title Saturday by beating Seattle in a shootout. Seattle is 9-18.
Despite the flat first quarter, Ervine said the Splash didn’t take a step backward Sunday after playing four terrific quarters in an 11-6 victory over Detroit Friday. Lilavois agreed.
“The playoffs are going to be real tight,” Lilavois said, “and we have to get used to having the composure to win the close ones.”
And the confused team with the wilting confidence of three weeks ago is history.
“We’re confident that if we play to our ability in the playoffs, we can win the whole thing,” George said. “I think any team that plays us in the playoffs will be a bit scared, and we’ll be confident whoever we play.”
Splash Coach Ian Fulton wasn’t bothered that his team failed to win the division title after winning the last two.
“Our goal was to get into the playoffs and we’ve done that,” he said. “The division doesn’t mean anything in the playoffs.”
