With seven and a half minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Baltimore Blast had a three-on-one opportunity. After one shot missed wide and another cleared the glass, it was apparent that Friday was simply not the team?s night.
Defensive lapses and missed opportunities throughout the game led to a 7-2 loss to Milwaukee before 6,015 at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore on Friday night.
Visibly frustrated with the loss, Blast coach Danny Kelly paused a fewmoments before voicing his concern with the loss.
“The performance tonight was embarrassing,” Kelly said. “We were outplayed, we were outworked. And some of these guys in the locker room need to understand what it means to put on a Baltimore Blast uniform. And I?m questioning the heart of some of the guys in that locker room.”
The Blast (5-8) was shut out for the first 54 minutes of the game, before Denison Cabral broke an 87-minute home scoreless streak with a fourth-quarter goal.
Despite out-shooting the Wave, 24-12, the two-point output was the Blast?s worst since scoring one point in a 6-1 loss at Milwaukee on Dec. 17, 2004.
“Some of the mistakes made in that game were inexcusable, and there are going to be some changes,” Kelly said. “The team that we had out there tonight showed me that they weren?t willing to do what it takes to win games or wear a Blast jersey.”
The Wave (7-8) entered the game in fourth place, mere percentage points ahead of the Blast. Baltimore is in the middle of a five-game homestand, its longest of the season. And having lost six of its last seven, the team?s urgency is at a high.
“You never want to say it?s do or die with 18 games left in the season, but I think with this team we?ve reached that point,” Kelly said. “It?s do or die.”
Todd Dusosky had a goal and an assist for the Wave, while Greg Howes added a goal in the second quarter. The dagger came when Joe Hammes ripped a three-point goal under the crossbar in the third quarter.
The Blast welcomed back defender and team captain P.J. Wakefield (Calvert Hall/UMBC) who had missed more than a month with a foot injury. He assisted on Cabral?s goal, and was named Blast player of the game upon the conclusion of the contest.
“To be home and only score one goal, it seemed like nothing went right for us tonight,” Wakefield said. “You score one goal, its not going toget it done.”
The Blast is back at home tonight for a 7:35 start against last place California (5-10).
WIPE OUT
» Until Cabral?s goal with 5:59 remaining, the Blast were on pace for the first shutout in franchise history
» Boys soccer teams from Arundel and Eastern Tech high schools were recognized before the game for successful 2006 seasons.
