Splash Ends 4-Game Losing Streak

ANAHEIM — Four games ago, the Splash began a four-game trip at Sacramento in a game featuring two of the hottest teams in the Continental Indoor Soccer League.

Four losses later, the Splash returned to the Pond to host Arizona, the only team in the league with a longer losing streak.

The Splash’s frustration ended with a record-tying 12-4 Western Division victory over the Sandsharks on Sunday in front of an announced crowd of 6,043.

That the Splash (6-7) tied a team record for goals didn’t hurt, either. It scored 12 for the fourth time in franchise history and scored four more goals than in any game this season.

The offensive struggles of the defensive-minded Splash (6-7, five games behind Sacramento) gave it a sense of “urgency but not panic” to beat Arizona (3-12), said player/coach Dale Ervine. Players echoed those sentiments.

“It’s no secret the team is not scoring enough goals,” said forward Terry Rowe (one assist). “Overall, we’re defending very well, but it’s also important we score our fair share. To score six or seven goals is not too much to ask.”

The Splash had five at halftime as the Sandsharks lost for the sixth consecutive time. The Splash got successive goals from Shane Hickson, Ervine and Danny Barber to take a 3-1 lead and second-quarter goals from Armando Valdivia and Bernie Lilavois to make it 5-2.

Before Sunday, the Splash had the league’s best scoring defense (5.1 goals per game), but ranked last in scoring (5.30) and shots (30.7).

It outshot Arizona, 43-17, and got a lift from Lilavois, the team’s scoring leader (18 goals, nine assists). Lilavois wasn’t even expected to play after injuring his back in Thursday’s 4-3 loss to Seattle and sitting out Saturday’s 5-4 loss at Portland. Lilavois scored three goals for the second time against Arizona and added two assists. Valdivia also had a hat trick, the first of his career.

Mathew Davis and Hickson--playing a home game in a Splash uniform for the first time since 1995--had two goals apiece, with Hickson scoring the first and last goals--the final one on a power play at 9 minutes 7 seconds in the fourth quarter.

“We were like big kids on recess,” Hickson said.

Hickson played three years for the franchise before playing in Sacramento last season and rejoining the Splash on Aug. 5.

“We had a lot of people scoring. . . . It can only help us,” Hickson said. “It should give us team confidence and personal confidence.”

The Splash’s four road losses were by a combined six goals. The game against Arizona was its third in four days.

The Splash is 5-1 at the Pond, 1-6 on the road. Five road losses were by two goals or fewer.

“We had a tough road trip and we didn’t miss a beat,” said captain Doug Neely, one of four players who had an assist but didn’t score. “The good thing about it is we made things go right.”