Comets Win Back and Forth Game with San Diego

In arguably their most exciting game of the year, the Comets remained undefeated pulling out a 10-7 win over the San Diego Sockers at the Independence Events Center to move to 9-0. It was the Sockers though that came out with the more impressive start of the game. Just 14 seconds into the game San Diego was on top after Chiky Luna got the ball out wide and played it to the back post where Kraig Chiles tapped the ball home. After absorbing the early high pressure from the Sockers, the Comets started to keep San Diego pinned in their own end of the field. But that led to Sockers counters and five and a half minutes in, the Sockers doubled their lead. On a 3 on 2 counter, Matias Kruger fed the ball wide to Ney who beat Danny Waltman to make it 2-0 Sockers. With the 2 goal lead the Sockers seemed to lay back a bit, and the Comets made them pay. Off a restart in the corner, Vahid Assadpour laid the ball back to Brian Harris who fired the ball home to put the Comets within one goal. It was then the Comets turn to high pressure, keeping the Sockers pinned in their own end unable to clear. This led to a give away by goalkeeper, Chris Toth. He played the ball right to Bryan Perez who controlled the ball and laid it off to Leo Gibson who slotted the ball into the corner to make it 2-2. The Comets kept up the pressure and won another free kick at the top of the arc. And again the Comets scored off the restart. This time it was John Sosa playing the ball wide to Assadpour who turned and fired. Toth got a piece of it, but couldn't keep the ball out of the net as the Comets took their first lead of the game.

The second quarter continued the Comets run as under two minutes in it was a 4-2 lead as Alain Matingou scored off an assist by Assadpour. The Comets kept up the pressure, but it wasn't until just under nine minutes in that they were to add to their lead as Assadpour picked up his second of the game at the back post after a Matingou run on the opposite side of the field. Late in the quarter though the Sockers started their own run again. First Chiles picked up his second of the game, finishing off a ball from Ney to make it 5-3. Then with just over 3 minutes left, Nick Perera scored to make it 5-4 as the teams headed into half time.

The Sockers continued their run in the start of the third quarter as well. Just over two minutes in, the Sockers struck on the beak as Eduardo Velez fed Ney on the break leading to the goal to tie the game at 5-5. The Sockers kept up the pressure as the third quarter went on and took a deserved lead as Perera laid off a long ball to Jeff Hughes who fired home to make it 6-5 Sockers. The game quickly broke down as in the same of a minute there were three penalties and a shootout attempt. Both Harris and Chiles went to the box for boarding making it 4v4 before Touloute was brought down by Toth to set up a Gibson shootout. Toth though made the save in the shootout and neither team could score on the ensuing short sided game. Shortly after the power plays ended though the Comets tied the game. Gibson got into the box and fired a shot that went wide right to Max Touloute who was able to settle the ball and fired it high over Toth and into the net tying it 6-6.

As the fourth quarter started, the Comets struck early. Gibson received the ball in the corner and was able to turn his defender. He attempted to fire a wall pass to Touloute but the pass off the wall hit a seem, went off a defender, went off Toth and rolled into the net to give the Comets the win. The Comets picked up the high pressure again and were rewarded as Harris picked off a pass at midfield. Harris then raced to the yellow line and fired a shot that took a deflection and went in to make it 8-6. With the two goal deficit, the Sockers pushed forward trying to find a way back in, but it was the Comets who hit on the counter this time as Gibson played Touloute into the corner. He controlled the ball and laid it off to the on coming Matingou who fired the ball into the net to make it 9-6. Coming out of the restart the Sockers put their sixth attacker on. With the extra man, the Sockers controlled the game and quickly found a goal as Chiles received the ball in the corner and beat Waltman to get the Sockers back within 2. The Sockers then shortly went back to the sixth attacker after winning possession and were looking to cut the lead to one, but the Comets took advantage of the empty net, winning the ball near the yellow line, Assadpour fired a shot over Hughes head and into the net. The Comets will get another competitive game this week as they take on the Milwaukee Wave in Milwaukee.