Comets Sweep St. Louis

For the second year in a row, the Missouri Comets swept the St. Louis Ambush, closing out their three games against their cross state rival with a 10-5 win. The Comets used a big second and third quarter to give them their separation and were led by the league's point leader, Leo Gibson, who had three goals and four assists on the night for the Comets.

St. Louis actually jumped out to the early lead as Jeff DiMaria scored just over five minutes in to give the Ambush the early lead. The Comets though responded immediately. Off of a restart after a blue card was issued, John Sosa played the ball to Vahid Assadpour who beat Alan Hagerty to tie the game at 1-1. Neither team was able to take the lead as the quarter ended with the teams tied at 1-1.

The second quarter saw the Comets again capitalize on a power play. Thirty seconds into the game, Chad Vandegriffe was sent into the box for tripping. Just 12 seconds later, Gibson scored his first of the night to put the Comets on top. St. Louis were the ones o come back and equalize this time, as Elvir Kafedzic scored off a restart less than five minutes in to tie the game at 2-2. A little over a minute later, the Comets were back on top though Gibson got his first assist of the night, setting up Bryan Perez to put the Comets on top for good. Just over 30 seconds later, Assadpour scored his second of the night to extend Missouri's lead to 4-2. With just over five and a half minutes left the Ambush cut the lead to 4-3 and then with a minute and a half left in the quarter Perez went to the box for a tripping blue card. Short handed though the Comets were the ones to find the net as Alain Matingou scored to extend Missouri's lead to 5-3 with just 17 seconds left in the quarter. So with two power plays and one short handed opportunity on the night, the Comets came away with goals in all three situations.

The third quarter saw the Comets extend their lead further. In the first six and a half minutes of the quarter, Kiel Williams scored, following by Matingou, both assisted by Gibson as Missouri extended their lead to 7-3. Less than 10 minutes into the half, Gibson scored his second of the night off a restart off a feed from Sosa. Gibson finished the quarter by setting up Brian Harris for a goal to extend Missouri's lead to 9-3. With just over 30 seconds left in the quarter, Gordy Gurson recorded his first points against the Comets this season, scoring to cut the lead to five as the two teams went into the fourth quarter.

Early on in the fourth, the Comets were able to extend their lead to 10-4 with Gibson scoring his fourth of the night. The Comets countered after a St. Louis restart with Assadpour feeding the ball ahead o Gibson who cut inside and fired a shot off the near post and in for his fourth of the night. For much of the rest of the quarter, the Comets were able to kill the clock with possession although with just over six and a half minutes left in the game, Odaine Sinclair scored to make it 10-5. Late on, St. Louis pulled Hagerty and inserted the sixth attacker, but Chris Mattingly barely had a chance to get out of his box. Missouri basically possessed the ball, playing keep away for the final two minutes 39 seconds to see the game off and pick up their 17th win of the season. Missouri will now head back to Kansas City before heading to Wichita for a game on Sunday.