In their last game of the 2012-13 regular season, the Blast defeated the Milwaukee Wave, 10-6. Rookie Lucas Roque led the way with two goals and Jamie Darvill scored his first goal of the season to give the Blast an early 2-0 lead. The Blast will return to 1st Mariner Arena on Saturday, March 9 for a home playoff game against an opponent still to be determined.

Darvill started the scoring, just three minutes into the match, to give the Blast a 2-0 lead and Adauto Neto added a power play goal late in the quarter to extend Baltimore’s lead to 4-0. The Wave got on the scoreboard in the final seconds of the quarter when Luan Oliveira cut Baltimore’s lead to 4-2.

Roque’s first goal put the Blast on top 6-4 early in the second quarter, five minutes before Bryan Perez scored for the Wave to cut it to 6-4.

Milwaukee’s Ian Bennett tied the game at 6-6 in the sixth minute of the third quarter but Roque scored his second goal, with just three seconds left in the third quarter, to put the Blast back on top, 8-6.

Lucio Gonzaga added to the Blast lead with a goal just 51 seconds into the final quarter to seal Baltimore’s 21st victory of the season.

The Blast ended the 2012-13 regular season the way they ended the last two MISL seasons, with a match against the Milwaukee Wave. The are no strangers to fierce battles and important games – they’ve played each other for more than 20 years and have met in the last two MISL Championships.

Blast vs. Wave

Like the Blast, the Wave have secured a spot in the 2013 postseason and are awaiting their playoff seeding and opponent. Unlike the Blast, who finish the regular season Saturday, the Wave have five more games to go.

Dating back to the 1992-93 season, the Blast vs. Wave rivalry is the fiercest and longest-standing rivalry in indoor soccer. The Blast is 32-48 all-time against the Wave in the regular season while holding a 9-6 edge in postseason play. Since the 2003 postseason, the Blast and Wave have played each other six times in the playoffs with Baltimore winning the Championship matchups in 2003 and 2004 and Milwaukee beating the Blast for the title in 2011 and 2012. The Blast defeated the Wave, 15-4, in Baltimore on November 16 but the Wave earned a 6-5 win on December and a 10-8 overtime win on January 12, both in Milwaukee.

Keeping the Winning Alive in Baltimore

On the heels of the successful Orioles season and the Ravens’ Super Bowl win, the Blast will begin the 2013 postseason in early March. Though their opponent is yet to be determined, the Blast will host a Semifinal home game on Saturday, March 9. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow.

Celebrity Game

The annual media/celebrity game ended in a 1-1 tie. Joel Greenwaldt scored early for the red team and Nick DiMarco tied it up in the final seconds.

Just the Facts:
Saturday, February 23 vs. Milwaukee Wave – 7:35 p.m.
 
By the Numbers:
Baltimore Blast: Tied for First place, 20-5
Milwaukee Wave: Tied for first place, 18-3
 
The Blast will end the 2012-13 regular season the way it ended the last two MISL seasons, with a match against the Milwaukee Wave. The teams, tied atop the MISL standings, are no strangers to fierce battles and important games – they’ve played each other for more than 20 years and have met in the last two MISL Championships. The Blast are on a five-game win streak, while the Wave, who beat the Soul 15-10 Monday night, lost to the Missouri Comets last Sunday, to snap a 16-game winning streak.
 
Machel Millwood, Baltimore’s longest-tenured player, leads the way with 59 points despite missing the last five games with a hamstring injury. Lucio Gonzaga follows with 55 points and Mike Lookingland with 49. Max Ferdinand (48), Tony Donatelli (47), Adauto Neto (45) and Pat Healey (35) also rank among the league’s top-25 point scorers. Goalkeeper William Vanzela leads the MISL with 15 wins.
 
The Competition
Like the Blast, the Wave have secured a spot in the 2013 postseason and are awaiting their playoff seeding and opponent. Unlike the Blast, who finish the regular season Saturday, the Wave have five more games to go.
 
Dating back to the 1992-93 season, the Blast vs. Wave rivalry is the fiercest and longest-standing rivalry in indoor soccer. The Blast is 31-48 all-time against the Wave in the regular season while holding a 9-6 edge in postseason play. Since the 2003 postseason, the Blast and Wave have played each other six times in the playoffs with Baltimore winning the Championship matchups in 2003 and 2004 and Milwaukee beating the Blast for the title in 2011 and 2012. The Blast defeated the Wave, 15-4, in Baltimore on November 16 but the Wave earned a 6-5 win on December and a 10-8 overtime win on January 12, both in Milwaukee.
 
Keeping the Winning Alive in Baltimore
On the heels of the successful Orioles season and the Ravens’ Super Bowl win, the Blast will begin the 2013 postseason in early March. Though their opponent is yet to be determined, the Blast will host a Semifinal home game on Saturday, March 9. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow.
MISLNation
Every MISL game this season can be seen live on the Internet at www.MISLNation.com.
 
Tickets
Tickets to all home Blast games, regular season and postseason, are available by calling 410-73-BLAST or going to www.TicketMaster.com. Tickets for the March 9 playoff game will go on sale tomorrow.

In another typically hard-fought battle between the Blast and the Wave, the Wave’s Josh Rife scored just 40 seconds into overtime to claim the 10-8 victory.

Playing their second game in less than 24 hours, the Blast jumped out to an early 4-0 lead as Tony Donatelli opened the scoring midway through the first quarter and leading scorer Machel Millwood added a goal in the 10th minute to extend Baltimore’s lead.

After being held scoreless for 21:43, the Wave scored two goals in less than two minutes to tie the game at 4-4 in the second quarter.  Former Blast player Fabinho scored Milwaukee’s first goal, cutting Baltimore’s lead in half, before Ian Bennett tied the game at four apiece.

Milwaukee took their first lead of the game, 6-4, early in the third quarter but the Blast fought back and tied the game at 6-6 on a Lucas Roque goal.

With seven minutes to go, Rampa knocked in a goal to give the Wave the 8-6 lead but the Blast battled back again, with Donatelli scoring his second goal of the game to tie it at 8-8.

With the Wave on the power play, Rife scored the game-winner less than a minute into overtime to push the Blast into second place, a half game behind Milwaukee.

BLAST ANNOUNCES 2012-13 SCHEDULE

The 33^rd Season of Indoor Soccer in Baltimore Will Begin on November 3

Baltimore – The Baltimore Blast released its 2012-13 schedule today, with the action slated to kick off on Saturday, November 3 at 1st Mariner Arena against the Chicago Soul, the MISL’s newest addition.  The Blast will play 26 regular season games, 13 at home and 13 on the road, and will compete against teams from Milwaukee, Missouri, Syracuse, Rochester, Wichita and Chicago.

In a rematch of the 2011 and 2012 MISL Championships, the Blast and Wave will meet for the first time this season on November 16 in Baltimore.  The two teams, who boast the fiercest and longest-standing rivalry in the MISL, will play each other four times during the 2012-13 regular season.

The MISL Playoffs will begin with the semifinals March 8-10, featuring matchups between the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds and the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds. Each pair will meet in a home-and-home series with a mini game following the second game if needed.  The championship will follow the same format on March 15-17. The higher seed will have the option to choose which game it hosts.

The MISL Board of Governors increased each team’s number of regular season games from 24 to 26 beginning with the 2012-13 season, adding two games for each team without increasing the length of the regular season. The Governors also voted for a single-table format, eliminating the past divisional alignment.

Keeping with the Baltimore Blast tradition of affordable family entertainment, fans will be treated to various promotional items throughout the season.  The team will also host a variety of theme nights including Hall of Fame night, Boy and Girl Scout nights and a post-game Christian concert featuring Thousand Foot Krutch on January 25.

Season tickets, mini plans and single-game tickets for the 2012-13 Blast season will go on sale soon.  Season tickets and mini plans will be available through the Blast office at 410-73-BLAST.  Single-game tickets will be available at the 1^st Mariner Arena Box Office and at all TicketMaster outlets including TicketMaster phone charge at 410-547-SEAT.  Tickets can also be purchased online atwww.ticketmaster.com.  For additional information on Blast tickets, call the Blast at 410-73-BLAST.

BALTIMORE BLAST 2012-13 SCHEDULE

Date                                                  Opponent                                Eastern Time

Saturday, November 3                                 vs. Chicago Soul                                   7:35 p.m.

Friday, November 9                                      vs. Chicago Soul                                   7:35 p.m.

Saturday, November 10                               vs. Syracuse Silver Knights                 7:35 p.m.

Friday, November 16                                    vs. Milwaukee Wave                            7:35 p.m.

Saturday, November 17                                    at Rochester Lancers                               7:00 p.m.

Friday, November 23                                        at Wichita Wings                                     8:35 p.m.

Saturday, November 24                                    at Missouri Comets                                  8:35 p.m.

Friday, December 7                                       vs. Wichita Wings                                 7:35 p.m.

Saturday, December 15                               vs. Missouri Comets                             7:35 p.m.

Friday, December 21                                        at Chicago Soul                                       8:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 22                                    at Milwaukee Wave                                  7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 1                                          at Rochester Lancers                               4:00 p.m.

Friday, January 4                                          vs. Rochester Lancers                          7:35 p.m.

Saturday, January 5                                     vs. Rochester Lancers                          7:35 p.m.

Friday, January 11                                            at Chicago Soul                                       8:30 p.m.

Saturday, January 12                                       at Milwaukee Wave                                  7:00 p.m.

Friday, January 18                                            at Syracuse Silver Knights                        7:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 20                                          at Syracuse Silver Knights                        1:30 p.m.

Friday, January 25                                        vs. Rochester Lancers                          7:35 p.m.

Saturday, January 26                                   vs. Missouri Comets                             7:35 p.m.

Friday, February 1                                            at Syracuse Silver Knights                        7:30 p.m.

Saturday, February 2                                    vs. Syracuse Silver Knights                 7:35 p.m.

Friday, February 8                                            at Wichita Wings                                     8:35 p.m.

Sunday, February 10                                        at Missouri Comets                                  4:10 p.m.

Saturday, February 16                                 vs. Wichita Wings                                 7:35 p.m.

Saturday, February 23                                 vs. Milwaukee Wave                            7:35 p.m.