Comets Don't Show Up in Second Half Fall to Wave

The Missouri Comets went into the half against the Milwaukee Wave on top, but a poor second half saw the Comets get played off the field as the Comets lost 27-10, and now have themselves a big hill to climb on Sunday needing to win both the game and the mini game to advance to the finals.

The first quarter though saw both teams come out incredibly fast, the game started at a break neck speed, the game was end to end. The Comets were the first ones to take advantage of it, as Leo Gibson scored to make it 2-0 after getting a ball laid off to him from Lucas Rodriguez. Around the half way point of the quarter, the Comets doubled the lead, again through Gibson, this time off of an assist from Neto. Both teams pressured but neither team could grab another goal.

The Wave came firing back in the second quarter. In just over 3 minutes, the Wave were tied at 4-4. First Marco Terminesi beat Danny Waltman after cutting by two defenders. Joe Hammes tied the game shortly after that. Around the midpoint of the half, the Comets had a chance to grab the lead again, this time on the power play as Tom Oatley went to the box for a trip. Right off the free kick, Geison found Rodriguez, who fed Bato, Bato, from no angle beat Marcel Feenstra and made it 6-4 Comets. The Wave grabbed their first lead of the game with just under 5 minutes left, as Evan McNeley got off a 3 point shot that squeezed under Waltman and into the net to make it 7-6 Wave. A minute later though, the Comets had a chance to take the lead again after Oatley was once again sent to the box for a trip, this time in the box, giving the Comets a penalty kick. Byron Alvarez stepped up and buried the penalty, restoring the lead at 8-7. It would be the Comets last lead of the game.

Very early in the second half, Neto found himself in the penalty box for holding. On the ensuing power player, the ball got knocked into the box, where Terminesi headed the ball towards goal. Cristiano appeared to get the ball headed off the line and the two officials continued play, but then consulted with the person that was controlling the goal line and changed their decision. Based off of comments from Thad, who was behind the goal, the ball didn't totally cross the line.

The Comets though didn't work past the bad call though and things only got worse. The Wave scored five more goals in the third quarter, with Guiliano Oliveiro scoring twice, and Hewerton, Ian Bennett, and Josh Rife each added a goal each to make it 19-8 after 3 quarters. The Comets spent a good portion of the early 4th quarter with the 6th attacker on the field. But another 3 point goal by McNeley made it 22-8 and brought Waltman back onto the field for the rest of the game. The Comets controlled much of the 4th quarter, but that was mainly because the Wave were content to sit back and counter. The Comets created some chances but were unable to get it past Feenstra. On the counter Hewerton got his second of the game off an assist from Marcio Leite. Shortly after Hewerton's goal, Bato scored his second of the game, but it was much too little too late. In fact as Missouri continued to push, Waltman got caught too far up field and JP Rodrigues lofted a 3 point goal into the net to make it 27-10.

The Comets now have a tough ask in Milwaukee on Sunday. The Comets will have to win the game there, then win the mini game as well to make their way into the MISL finals.