February 10, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMETS pick up third straight win in convincing fashion
Team Beats Visiting Baltimore Blast 18-9 to Split Season Series

INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI – The Missouri Comets used a second quarter scoring explosion and great special teams play to defeat the Baltimore Blast 18-9 at Independence Events Center Friday night. Midfielder Lucas Rodriguez led the scoring attack with six points on two goals and an assist, all in the second half. The win improved the Comets record to 12-8 on the season.

The action was end-to-end in the opening five minutes of the game with both teams playing aggressively. However, both defenses managed to turn away all early scoring opportunities as the first quarter ended in a 0-0 tie.

Baltimore then struck first six minutes into the second quarter with back-to-back goals in a span of :27-seconds. The Comets answered in a big way by scoring four goals in a span of 1:20 beginning at the 8:15 mark of the second. Vahid Assadpour scored goals to start and end the run. The first was on a feed from Byron Alvarez, followed a mere :09-seconds later by a Bato Radoncic unassisted three from straight away that deflected off the inside of the post and just past Blast goalie Sagu. A Neto score and the second Assadpour goal gave the Comets a 9-5 lead, a margin that would stand until halftime.

The second half featured outstanding special teams play from the Comets as they converted on all three of their power play opportunities and killed both Baltimore power plays. Lucas Rodriguez started his big second half with a powerful left-footed shot from 50 feet away on the left wing for three points and a 12-5 lead. Baltimore then scored the next two goals to draw within 12-9, but the Blast would get no closer.

Alvarez converted a power play on an assist from Rodriguez less than two minutes into the fourth quarter. A second Rodruguez goal, again on the power play, gave the Comets a 16-9 lead that all but iced the game with just under 10-minutes to play. Geison, the MISL’s Player of the Month for January, added an empty-net goal late to keep his scoring streak alive at 17 straight games. He now has an MISL-leading 71 points on the year.

Comets players wore pink jerseys that were auctioned off following the game to benefit the Ali Kemp Educational Foundation. For more information about the Ali Kemp Educational Foundation visit www.takedefense.org.

The Comets next play Sunday at Milwaukee. The Wave sports a record of 16-2 after a win over Wichita Friday night that clinched the Central Division championship. Fans are encouraged to watch Sunday’s 3:00pm game against Milwaukee at the Official Watch Party home of the Comets, the BrewTop Pub and Patio in Lee’s Summit.

For more information about the Comets, Season Tickets or Group Outings please call Nick McCabe at 855.522.7362 or email at nmccabe@kcarenasports.com.

Comets Indoor Soccer: The Major Indoor Soccer League returned to Kansas City in 2010 as the Comets, one of the most storied & iconic sports franchises in Kansas City’s history, began a new era at the Independence Events Center in Independence, MO.

December 30, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Comets Fall in tight battle
Comets Lose for First Time Against Wichita Wings

(Park City, KS) There may be teams in this league with

better records or more championships, but it is becoming clear that the best games in the league this year will be between the Wichita Wings and the Missouri Comets. A thrilling comeback on Wednesday led to an exciting and sometimes heated match in Hartman Arena Friday night. The Wings won this match 12-10 after jumping to a 10-2 lead in the first half and holding off a furious comeback from the Comets. Neto led the Comets tonight with a goal and an assist for 3 points, Kevin Ten Eyke had four points and Edvin Worley had the game winner for the Wings.

The Wings started the game wanting to get some revenge for their crushing loss to the Comets on Wednesday night. They certainly gave their fans something to cheer for as they jumped out to an 8-0 lead. Alex Mosely started things off for the Wings with a goal from Kevin Ten Eyke. Ten Eyke then served 6’8” Alargie Jobe for a goal. Frederico Moojen added another before Ten Eyck got in the action himself. When the 1st quarter was over the Comets were in a deep hole, losing 8-0.

The Comets answered in the 2nd quarter with 8 points of their own from John Sosa, Geison, Leo Gibson and Neto. Jamar Beasley scored in the middle of all that to keep the Wings ahead going into the break 10-8. Tempers began to flare between these two rivals though throughout the corner. The referees were busy as 16 fouls were called in the quarter. At different points in the quarter we saw 4 on 4 and even 4 on 3 action as the penalty boxes were full.

At halftime the teams collected themselves and controlled their emotions. The Comets came out firing, but Sanaldo was once again on top of his game. Geison, Neto, Gibson and Lucas Rodriguez each had seemingly easy goals that Sanaldo was somehow able to get in front of. Ultimately the quarter ended without a score from either team.

So far this season, the Comets were undefeated against the Wings and were determined to keep that streak going. They controlled play throughout the 4th quarter, tallying shot after shot. Byron Alvarez was finally able to get one up and over Sanaldo for the game tying goal with under 3 minutes to play in the quarter. Although many fans would have loved to see this game go on forever, Edvin Worley scored off a rocket shot from just inside the arc for the game winning goal.

The Comets are back in action next weekend with back-to-back games against the Milwaukee Wave and these Wichita Wings. Both games can be seen at the Official Home of the Comets Watch Party, the BrewTop Pub in Lee’s Summit. The next home game for the Comets is the annual Retro Game, this year played at Sprint Center in downtown Kansas City. The Comets will wear jerseys inspired by Comets teams of the 1980’s. At halftime legends from former Comets teams will play an exhibition against legends from the other storied MISL franchises. For tickets or information call the Comets at 816-478-BALL (2255) or visit CometsIndoorSoccer.com

For more information about the Comets, Season Tickets or Group Outings please call Jeff Husted (816-478-7870) or email jhusted@cometsindoorsoccer.com.

Comets Indoor Soccer: The Major Indoor Soccer League returned to Kansas City in 2010 as the Comets, one of the most storied & iconic sports franchises in Kansas City’s history, began a new era at the Independence Events Center in Independence, MO.

December 27, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Comets set for two games vs wings
Home & Home Series Highlights MISL’s Holiday Schedule

(Independence, MO) Ever since the announcement of the Wichita Wings return to the MISL, fans have been looking forward to the return of the Comets v. Wings rivalry that made the original MISL so much fun. This week serves up two exciting installments in the season series between the two storied franchises.

The Comets and Wings kick-started the 2011-2012 MISL season back on November 3rd. As advertised the teams fought hard and the Comets walked away with a 16-14 win in overtime. That win was followed up by another win the next night in Independence, this time by the score of 14-4. Since then the Comets offense has flourished scoring nearly 14 points per game. The team currently has three players (Geison, Byron Alvarez and Vahid Assadpour) in the league’s top ten for points and five players in the top 25 (Ryan Junge and Neto).

The Wings have some offensive firepower of their own. Even though they lost their first four games they came within 2 points of beating the division leading Milwaukee Wave. Led by former Comets, Jamar Beasley and Bryan Perez the Wings have improved with every game. They have won 3 of their past 5 games, only losing to Milwaukee twice.

The key matchups this week will be Chile Farias on offense against Brian Harris making his return after missing the last three games with an injury. Fans will also want to watch Wings legend Larry Inlow trying to slow down the shoot-first style of MISL points leader Geison. In the first matchup of the season Geison was able to notch 5 goals, but Inlow and fellow Wings defender Brian Cushing keyed in on Geison and held him to just one goal in the second game.

The first game this week is at the beautiful Independence Events Center on Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 7:35 pm. It is also the Comets' first Media Game where fans can see their favorite media personalities like NBC Action News’ Brett Anthony, Fox 4’s Nick Vasos, 105.1 JACK FM’s Bryan Truta and many more battle it out in a short exhibition soccer match at halftime.

Friday’s game will be played at Wichita’s Hartman Arena in Park City, KS. Kickoff is also at 7:35 pm for that game. Fans are once again encouraged to watch this game at the official home of the Comets Watch Party, the BrewTop Pub in Lee’s Summit.

For more information about the Comets, Season Tickets or Group Outings please call Jeff Husted (816-478-7870) or email jhusted@cometsindoorsoccer.com.

December 23, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Comets downed by Silver Knights
Team Outscored 12-2 in Second Half

(Syracuse, NY) The holiday season didn’t start off the way the Comets hoped it would as they lost to the Syracuse Silver Knights Friday night 18-8. Cory Elenio and Savisa Ubiparapovic each had a hat trick for the Knights while Lucas Rodriguez led the Comets with 4points on two goals. The two teams battled hard for 30 minutes before Syracuse ran away with the score in the 2nd half.

Coming off a stretch where they lost six of their last seven games, the Syracuse Silver Knights started the game off with a high pressure attack that put the Comets on their heels. Halfway through the 1st quarter the Comets looked like they had solved the Knights tactics and Lucas Rodriguez put home a rebound to give the Comets the early 2-0 lead. The Comets pressured the Silver Knights immediately off the kickoff and it paid off when Geison was able to find the net only 17 seconds later and all of a sudden the Comets had a 4-0 lead. Andriy Budnyy was able to get it past Danny Waltman to get the Silver Knights on the board as the 1st quarter ended with the Comets leading 4-2.

The 2nd quarter ended up being a fierce battle between two teams anxious to get any advantage they could. Both teams adopted an aggressive approach that moved play up and down the arena floor and resulted in what was the most physical game for the Comets to date. Nine fouls were called between the two teams and all the scores were a direct result of those penalties. Syracuse’s Jeffrey Hughes scored off a restart, then Byron Alvarez converted a Penalty Kick for the Comets last lead of the night. Nelson Santana tied it up for the Knights on a Penalty Kick of his own and the half ended with the teams knotted up at 6.

Coach Kim Roentved probably wishes he could have packed up the team and started the Holiday weekend right then, because the 3rd quarter was all Syracuse. Four different players scored for the Knights as the high pressure attack returned caught the Comets out of position several times. In the 4th quarter the Comets tried to mount a comeback with Vahid Assadpour in as the sixth attacker. Lucas Rodriguez got his second of the night as the Comets cut the Silver Knights lead to 16-8, but Cory Elenio was able to beat the sixth attacker and put the final nail in the coffin as the Comets will return home with a 18-6 loss.

The Comets are finally back at the beautiful Independence Events Center this Wednesday December 28th to take on the Wichita Wings. It is also the 1st annual Media Game. Brett Anthony from NBC Action News, Bill Althaus from the Independence Examiner, Bryan Truta from JACK FM and Nick Vasos and Sarah Clark from Fox 4 will join more of your favorite media personalities in a short soccer exhibition at halftime. Kickoff is at 7:35pm. For tickets and information visit CometsIndoorSoccer.com

For more information about the Comets, Season Tickets or Group Outings please call Jeff Husted (816-478-7870) or email jhusted@cometsindoorsoccer.com.

Comets Indoor Soccer: The Major Indoor Soccer League returned to Kansas City in 2010 as the Comets, one of the most storied & iconic sports franchises in Kansas City’s history, began a new era at the Independence Events Center in Independence, MO.