Team Chemistry Remains Good During Search for Winning Formula
A four-game losing streak could have had Splash players pointing fingers at each other after recent losses in Sacramento, Monterrey, Seattle and Portland.
Instead, it’s one big happy extended family. Despite being closer to last place than first place, the Splash (6-7)--five games behind Sacramento (12-3) as teams reach the midpoint in the season--has shown the framework for being a winning team even though it has the worst-scoring offense (5.54 goals per game) in the Continental Indoor Soccer League.
During its recent four-game road losing streak, two losses were by one goal, the others by two goals.
“It has been positive--I think this is the best atmosphere we’ve had,” said Ruben Fernandez, one of the league’s best goalkeepers. “Even though we were down, the attitude of the people is like, ‘We’ll get it back.’ I think there’s a real sense of family. No one is pointing fingers. Everyone is together. That’s a good sign. Especially in professional sports.
“A lot of times, when things go wrong, so many people try to look for answers and point fingers. We have the sense that we’re all responsible when things go good or bad.”
Fernandez’s sentiments are, for now, typical within the locker room.
“I don’t know if you normally find this level of closeness at the professional level,” said player/coach Dale Ervine, who has been largely responsible for the atmosphere and chemistry through the Splash’s rough start.
The Splash is 5-1 at home, 1-6 on the road. Its defense, with a 4.92 goals-against average, is the league’s best. The problem has been that blasted offense.
“We’ve outplayed teams on the road except for finishing our opportunities,” Ervine said. “We’re playing tremendous--we’re just not finishing and taking the pressure off our defense.
“If we’re not creating [scoring] opportunities, then there’s a problem. We need to continue to create opportunities and we’ll be fine.”
Perhaps the other thing the team needs to do is shift in three-man rotations, as it did Sunday when it ended its four-game losing streak. Before matching a franchise record with 12 goals in a 12-4 victory over Arizona, Splash opponents showed continued improvement in scoring by quarter (12, 13, 17, 18), shots per quarter (80, 82, 97, 99) and shot percentage by quarter (.150, .159, 175, .182). The Splash shooting got progressively worse by quarter through 12 games: .208, .162, .157, .144.
The Splash has outscored opponents in the second half only four times in 13 games--all victories. It has been outscored in the second half six times--all losses. Its last five losses have been by a combined eight goals.
In the bust-out game against Arizona (3-12), the Splash outshot the Sandsharks, 43-17. The difference, besides being at home, was the forwards and midfielders began the second quarter by rotating in shorter three-man shifts of 45 seconds to one minute instead of the more typical two-man, two-minute shifts.
“It gave us more freshness and sharpness,” Ervine said.
It led to seven second-half goals. The offense’s previous best for an entire game was eight goals.
“There’s such a fine line between scoring and not scoring; if we get the bounces, we’re 9-4 instead of 6-7,” Ervine said. “Had we finished our opportunities [in those losses], we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.”
The Splash plays in Dallas (9-9) Saturday and hosts Houston (10-5) on Sunday as it begins a 14-day stretch in which it plays eight games--none at back-to-back sites and all but one involving a return trip to Anaheim.
“I don’t know if we’ll do [the three-man rotations] for entire games or not,” Ervine said, “but it’s definitely something that, when done properly, can be very effective.”
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Two midfielders whose playing time would benefit from the shorter shifts are rookie Brian Irvin and second-year player Mathew Davis, who played one game last season. Davis scored twice in the third quarter against Arizona while rotating with Armando Valdivia and Danny Barber. Valdivia scored three goals after the rotation adjustment, two in the second half. He had scored only one goal the previous five games.
“Every time Mat had an opportunity, he has come through,” Ervine said. “He’s done everything I’ve asked and more.”
Davis and Irvin also give the Splash a different look when they play. Because of their styles, the team is less predictable.
“We were very generic--we had so many players who were so similar, we didn’t have people who could change the look of the game,” Ervine said. “Without a doubt, they give us a look we didn’t have last year.”
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Because of the Jet Jam, the personal watercraft racing event, parking for Sunday’s 7:35 p.m. game against Houston will be restricted to Lots 6 and 7 across the street from the Pond on Katella, and Lot 5 on Douglass (for those with preferred parking) who must enter through the back way off Cerritos, which is accessible from State College Blvd. north of Katella. The lots open at 6:30 p.m.
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Newly acquired defender Shane Hickson, one of the original members of the franchise when it was the Los Angeles United, had two goals and an assist in his first home game at the Pond since 1995. In 70 previous games with the team, Hickson had scored only 11 goals.
One of those goals was on the power play--only the Splash’s eighth of the season. The Splash was 10th in the league in power-play effectiveness (25%).
“Our power-play is so much better with him in there,” said Ervine, whose team has scored on two of three power-play opportunities since Hickson joined the unit.
Hickson practiced once before joining the team.
“It felt like going back to the old neighborhood,” Hickson said. “From the first practice, I felt a part of this team. It was like I never left.”
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The third-quarter back injury that forced Bernie Lilavois out in the 4-3 loss to Seattle ended his 10-game streak with at least two points. Lilavois, carried out on a stretcher, missed the game against Portland two nights later, but scored three goals and had two assists against Arizona.
“I’ll just start another streak,” said Lilavois, who has 18 goals and nine assists.
