The Week That Was 3/6/23

Major League Indoor Soccer didn't just have its first coronation Saturday, it had its first two! The Central Division and Southern Division crowns went to the Omaha Kings and Houston Bolt, respectively. The Cleveland Crunch remain one game back of Rapid City FC in the Eastern Division. 

This weekend, the MLIS schedule will feature a season-high nine games and all five playoff spots will be definitively accounted for.

Saturday, March 11

Omaha 5 Chicago 3 F

In a defensive stalemate it was two short-handed goals in the second quarter that gave the Omaha Kings what turned out to be an insurmountable 4-1 lead. Omaha's 5-3 win over the Chicago Mustangs (7-3) gave them a 3-1 win in the season series and clinched the Central Division title. Omaha (9-1) landed the first slot in the MLIS Final Four, which ironically will be played in Chicago. The Mustangs must now try to land one of two wild card spots and win a play-in game to reach the Final Four.

Houston 11 Wichita 7 F

It looked like the Houston Bolt were not going to follow in Omaha's footsteps when the Wichita Selection took a quick 4-0 lead in Houston's Maya Indoor Soccer arena. With the Southern Division title on the line , the Bolt made two rallies and then pulled away for an 11-7 win. The Bolt (9-3) cut the lead to 4-3, only to see Wichita (5-4) surge ahead for a 6-3 lead midway through the second starter. A late Jonatan Sevilla goal for Selection put Wichita up 7-5 at halftime, but they were shut out for the game's final 31:03. Jonathan Segovia's goal at 2:30 of the fourth quarter gave Houston their first lead and proved to be the game-winning goal.

Cleveland 11 Cincinnati 1 F

Playing without Admir Suljevic, Mikey Derezic, and Marijo Musa, the Cleveland Crunch traveled to Cincinnati and spotted the Swerve a 1-0 lead before reeling off 11 unanswered goals in an 11-1 win. Rookie Parker Csiszar had four goals and goalkeeper Connor Robinson had a stand out performance in the Crunch net. Cleveland (7-3) avenged an earlier 9-8 loss to Cincinnati (3-5) in the same building.

Rockford 19 Milwaukee 5 F

The Brew City United (0-8) tied their season high in goals with five, but allowed a season-high 19 goals in a 19-5 loss to the Illinois State Line Falcons (2-6). Both of the Falcons wins this season have come at Milwaukee's expense.

Sunday, March 12

Wichita 12 Austin 9 F

The Wichita Selection (6-4) kept their playoff hopes alive with a 12-9 win over the Austin Emerald (0-10). For Austin', the three-goal margin of defeat and nine goals scored were season bests. Wichita needs to win their last two games, also against Austin, and hope that the Cleveland Crunch or Chicago Mustangs falter, allowing them to back into a wild card playoff spot.

Grand Rapids 13 Cincinnati 5 F

The Cincinnati Swerve fell to 0-3 against Rapid City FC this year with a 13-5 loss. Cincinnati entered the weekend with faint playoff hopes and a 3-1 home record, but lost to Cleveland and Grand Rapids by a combined 24-6. Rapid City FC (8-2), meanwhile, maintained their first place lead and won their fifth straight game.

...and coming up:
Eastern Division
Cincinnati Swerve 3/17/23 at Grand Rapids, 3/19/23 at Cleveland
Cleveland Crunch 3/18/23 vs. Detroit, 3/19/23 vs. Cincinnati
Detroit Waza Flo 3/18/23 at Cleveland, 3/19/23 at Grand Rapids
Rapid City FC 3/17/23 vs. Cincinnati, 3/19/23 vs. Detroit

Central Division
Brew City United 3/18/23 at Omaha
Chicago Mustangs 3/18/23 at Illinois, 3/19/23 vs. Illinois
Illinois State Line Falcons 3/18/23 vs. Chicago, 3/19/23 at Chicago
Omaha Kings 3/18/23 vs. Milwaukee

Southern Division
Austin Emerald 3/18/23 at Wichita, 3/19/23 at Wichita
Houston Bolt season complete
Springfield Demize season complete
Wichita Selection 3/18/23 vs. Austin, 3/19/23 vs. Austin