Comets Fall to Blast

For the first time this season, the Missouri Comets suffered a loss.  This one at the hands of the Baltimore Blast 12-4.  The first quarter saw both teams playing some very good defense as neither side was able to find the net.  Into the second quarter, the two teams still had trouble breaking down the opposition, but finally in the 9th minute of the second quarter the Blast broke through and the flood gates started to open.  In a 3 minute span, the Blast made it 6-0.  First Machel Millwood finished off a turning side volley.  Then Adriano Dos Santos had a simple finish after Adauto Neto danced past the Missouri defense.  The third goal came from Agustino Nunez on another turning side volley that beat Danny Waltman.  The Comets went into the half down 6-0.

Early in the second half the Comets finally got on the board through Vahid Assadpour.  Off a restart, Assadpour found a hole between the wall and goalkeeper Tony Hernandez to make it 6-2.  Overall it was the only foot wrong that Hernandez made all night.  The Blast keeper played fantastic all night keeping the Comets out of the net for the most part.  Around the midpoint of the half, the Blast restored their 6 point lead through Max Ferdinand.  Of a Blast restart, the Comets couldn't clear their lines and Michael Lookingland picked out Ferdinand who made it 8-2.  Late in the quarter the Blast made it 10-2 through Nunez.  Ferdinand turned Coady Andrews and Waltman inside out before laying the ball off to Nunez who had an easy finish.

Into the fourth quarter the Comets pushed the game, but the Blast struck on the counter just over a minute into the quarter.  Lucas Roque played a cross into the middle of the box and Nunez just wanted the ball more than Ryan Junge and Nunez headed it in to make it 12-2.  Shortly after that, the Comets brought on Assadpour in the 6th attacker role for the majority of the quarter.  The Comets maintained the majority of the possession in the Blast's defensive third, but really struggled to create chances.  And when they did create good chances, Hernandez was there to make some very good saves.  Just before the 10th minute of the quarter Pat Healey got called for a handball in the box.  Byron Alvarez stepped up and buried the PK, but it was as close as the Comets got as the game ended 12-4.