Splash Draws Inspiration From Loss

The Splash went into Friday’s game against Sacramento hoping to make a statement about the playoffs.

Instead, the Knights scored a 4-3 victory before an announced crowd of 7,798 at the Pond. The Knights will play the Splash in the first round of the playoffs.

Jon Parry, Sacramento’s leading scorer, just missed scoring his second goal as the horn sounded. He kicked the ball into the net, then did it again. He raised his fists in the air and shook them, ticking off Bernie Lilavois.

Parry’s antics, Lilavois said, took away any psychological edge Sacramento might have gained with the victory.

Simply, he took it personally, and his teammates didn’t buy that the Splash lost anything in the head game.

“It’s like [spitting] on us in front of our fans,” said Lilavois, who collected two goals, his 42nd of the season. “Maybe it would have been nice to win and make a statement, but what he did at the end. . . .

“In that sense, I’m glad he did what he did, because it ain’t going to happen again.”

Lilavois and Parry squared off. Sacramento’s Craig Huft kicked Lilavois’ leg, which was being iced afterward. Splash midfielder Armando Valdivia came to Lilavois’ defense as everyone converged at the Knight net. No one threw punches, but the point was made.

The rivalry is alive and well.

After losing eight games in a row, the Knights won for the second consecutive game. They put five players behind the red line and frustrated the Splash all night as it won for the first time ever at the Pond.

Sacramento (14-11) is four games behind first-place Seattle with three games to play. The Splash (14-12) is 4 1/2 games back with two to play, including Sunday’s game at Arco Arena against the Knights.

“The nice thing about it is that we play them again in 48 hours,” Ervine said, “and we still have things within our control.”

If the teams tie, head-to-head play will determine who has the home-field advantage. Sacramento leads, 2-1. If the Splash win Sunday, point differential will determine it. The Knights hold a two-goal lead.

Although the Splash talked like it was intent on making a statement before the game, it didn’t play that way in the first half. Mark Thomas was unmarked and scored 29 seconds into the game, and Parry’s 35th goal of the season gave the Knights a 2-0 lead.

The Splash wiped out two-goal deficits the last eight times it faced such a task. Not this time.