Wisconsin Soccer Central

Twice in their first four games of the Major Indoor Soccer League season, the Milwaukee Wave stormed back to win after facing big deficits.

So even when they fell behind the Missouri Comets on Friday night, the unbeaten Wave probably had plenty of confidence that they were still in the game - and even more after back-to-back 3-pointers pulled them within striking distance.

But this time, the Missouri Comets made sure there would be no comeback.
Leo Gibson and Ramone Palmer scored in a 14-second span early in the fourth quarter as the Comets dealt Milwaukee its first loss with a 15-6 victory in Independence, Mo.

Defender Brian Harris finished off the scoring for Missouri (3-1) in the final minutes, capping a hat trick that started with the game's first two goals. The Comets led 7-0 at halftime and went ahead 9-0 on Lucas Rodriguez's goal just 52 seconds into the third.

Carlos Munoz, who had a hat trick last Saturday as the Wave (4-1) rallied from a eight-point deficit to beat the Baltimore Blast 12-10, fired in a 3-pointer with 2:32 left in the third. And when Tony Walls (Wauwatosa East/UW-Green Bay) scored his first pro goal, another 3-pointer just 1:37 into the fourth, it looked liked another comeback was on.

The Comets saw eight- and six-point leads disappear in a 23-21 overtime loss to Milwaukee in a season opener Nov. 16, but held firm on this night. Gibson scored his second of the night at the 3:20 mark and Palmer extended the lead to 13-6 at 3:34.

Danny Waltman stopped 16 of the 18 shots the Wave put on goal, while Nick Vorberg made 12 saves for Milwaukee.

The Wave remained tied with Syracuse atop the MISL standings after the Silver Knights suffered their first loss with a 10-6 setback against the St. Louis Ambush. Milwaukee is off next weekend before playing host to the expansion Ambush on Dec. 28 and Syracuse in its annual New Year's Eve Day game at U.S. Cellular Arena.