SPLASH TONIGHT

Opponent--Arizona Sandsharks

Site--America West Arena

Time--7

Records--Splash 12-11, Sandsharks 7-13

Splash update--This is the first of two consecutive games against Arizona; they play Sunday at the Pond. Player/coach Dale Ervine (17 goals, 20 assists) had a goal and two assists Sunday and moved into a tie for 20th on the all-time scoring list with 704 points, but Ervine’s milestone comes at a bittersweet time; his father, Robert, died Wednesday from a heart attack. Ervine decided late Thursday that he would make the trip to Phoenix. With four goals and an assist Sunday, Bernie Lilavois is third in the Continental Indoor Soccer League in goals (34) and sixth in scoring (49 points). Paul Agyeman (7-for-16 shooting in his last seven games) is serving a one-game suspension from the league for violent misconduct in Sunday’s game. Goalkeeper Ruben Fernandez has the league’s second-best goals-against average (4.92) and third-best save percentage (73.4%). The Splash’s four consecutive overtime games tied a CISL record (Sacramento, 1993); it has lost three in a row. Only one of its last 16 games has been decided by more than two goals.

Sandshark update--Arizona could be trouble for the Splash. Though it lost its first two meetings, the Sandsharks won last time, 5-4, one of four consecutive victories since Petar Baralic became coach. That victory, in Arizona, came in a shootout after the Splash blew a three-goal lead. Arizona has the second-worse scoring offense and no players among the top 20 scorers. The Sandsharks’ recent success moved them into the playoff hunt; they trail Portland by one game for the fourth Western Division playoff spot.