Splash Make Up for Experience With a Victory

The Splash got seven goals from players who have played 38 games or fewer in their indoor soccer careers, and scored a 10-6 victory over Houston on Saturday to maintain first place in the Southern Division of the CISL.

Sam George (38 career games) and Armando Valdivia (25) scored two goals apiece.

Other goals came from Francisco Jaime (18 games), Paul McDonnell (31) and Jose Vasquez (two).

The veterans helped too. Dennis Hamlett (101) scored twice, including one against a sixth attacker, and Dale Ervine (470) had a goal and three assists. Ervine has six goals and five assists in four games for the Splash (3-1).

The Hotshots, playing in front of 3,980 at the Summit, dropped to 1-3.

“If we play as a team, everyone is going to enjoy the fruit--anyone can score,” Splash Coach George Fernandez said. “If we play like individuals, only certain individuals are going to score. If we play like a team, we’re capable of scoring eight or 10 goals.

“This was huge--you can’t get a bigger game. [Friday] was a wake-up call and they answered it. They showed a lot of character and pride.”

Fernandez called it the season’s best performance, even more impressive because it came within 19 hours of a 7-3 loss to San Diego--which he called the worst performance in Splash history.

Ruben Fernandez (six career games), in his first start of the season, also gave the coach something to think about by making 31 saves.

“It definitely helps him,” George Fernandez said. “It gives me more confidence in him. He proved tonight that he can get the job done.”

The Splash, tied at halftime, scored four in the third and fourth quarters, and four times scored within one minute of Houston.

Rod Castro, who has been sick, and Doug Neely, who was in a wedding, did not make the trip.