Blast Defeats Wave, 6-2, in Game 3 of MISL Championship

BALTIMORE, MD (AP)- Scott Hileman made 14 saves and Danny Kelly's goal broke a third-quarter tie as the Baltimore Blast earned its second consecutive Major Indoor Soccer League title by beating the Milwaukee Wave 6-2 Saturday night.

Lee Tschantret scored twice and Chris Handsor and Denison Cabral each had a goal and an assist as Baltimore completed a three-game sweep of the regular-season champion Wave before a season-high crowd of 9,862 at 1st Mariner Arena.

Hileman was named the Most Valuable Player of the Championship Series.

The game was tied at 2 early in the third when Blast defender Dewan Bader intercepted a poor distribution pass from Milwaukee goalkeeper Dan Green. Bader played a ball deep in the Wave zone and Handsor bounced a cross-field pass from the right boards to Kelly, who scored from the left wing at 4:45 of the third.

Greg Howes and Giuliano Oliviero scored for Milwaukee.

David Bascome also tallied for the Blast, while Carlos Farias had two assists.

Bascome staked Baltimore to a 1-0 lead 3:40 into the game, driving around Milwaukee's Chris Morman at the top of the penalty area and tucking a shot inside the left post. Howes tied it at 12:10 of the first quarter, keeping the ball on a 2-on-1 break and scoring from the right side.

Oliviero scored on a run through the penalty area, giving the Wave its only lead of the night 7:32 into the second quarter, but Handsor tied the game at 9:09, scoring from the right wing on an odd-man rush.

After Kelly's goal, Tschantret scored off a give-and-go pass from Farias for a 4-2 lead with 1:10 left in the third. Cabral and Tschantret scored fourth-quarter goals.

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)