Missouri Comets News Release -- www.missouricomets.com
Friday, November 4, 2011
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – The day after the Missouri Comets and Wichita Wings opened the MISL season with a nail-biting affair that ended in overtime, the Comets showed off their experience by dominating the visiting Wings 14-4 on Friday night. The win allowed the Comets to sweep the two-game series on opening weekend.
The packed house of 4,379 fans at the Independence Events Center was treated to another great goal from midfielder Geison as well as a goal from current MISL Most Valuable Player Byron Alvarez, his first of the season. The Man of the Match, however, was Ryan Junge, who scored two goals, including a 3-pointer, against Wichita’s sixth attacker to seal the victory.
The game was tense to open with the two teams going back-and-forth with great defense to negate early offensive threats. But it didn’t take long for Alvarez to show why he is the reigning MISL MVP. With the Comets on a power play, “El Matador” took on Wichita goalkeeper Sanaldo Carvalho and put it past him to give the Comets an early lead. Following his goal he resumed his tradition of jumping into the crowd getting high fives from anyone who was in the vicinity.
Former Comet Bryan Perez scored his second goal of the season to briefly tie the game, but the Comets rattled off quick goals from Geison and Vahid Assadpour in the second quarter to take a 6-2 lead into the half.
The Comets took control after the break, dominating play from the kickoff as they peppered Carvalho and outshot the Wings 12-3 in the third quarter. The pressure paid off when Junge scored four minutes into the half. The Comets didn’t stop the pressure and gave a few young guns some valuable playing time. Young players such as Coady Andrews, Matt Iverson and even Tanner Hunjak, the MISL’s youngest player, got some much needed action.
Former Comet-killer Carlos Farias finally put his name on the scoresheet in the fourth quarter to cut the Comets lead to 8-4, but constant pressure on the Wings and their sixth attacker gave the Comets two empty-net goals from Junge and Assadpour to complete the 14-4 win.
The Comets are on the road next Saturday, November 12th as they face the expansion Rochester Lancers at noon, CT.