ALVAREZ POSTS FIVE-POINT PERFORMANCE AS WAVE SECURE SEASON SERIES OVER COMETS

MILWAUKEE, WI – The 7-time champion Milwaukee Wave claimed a 10-6 victory over the Kansas City Comets on Tuesday morning at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, securing the regular season series and moving into sole possession of first place in the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL).

Final Score: Milwaukee Wave 10, Kansas City Comets 6.

The annual School Day Game brought an energetic crowd of local students to the Panther Arena, and the Wave responded with one of their most complete performances of the season in a matchup between two MASL heavyweights.

Milwaukee seized control early behind a dominant first-half effort led by Mario Alvarez. The veteran defender opened the scoring on a power-play goal, finishing a well-timed run after a strong hold-up play from Andre Hayne. The duo later reversed roles, as Alvarez won possession defensively and sprung Hayne, who calmly beat Comets goalkeeper Philip Ejimadu to double the lead.

“[Alvarez] doesn't get too much on the blocking sheet because usually he doesn't let his men shoot… he's one of the best defenders in the league, if not the best,” Head Coach Marcio Leite said.

Alvarez continued to impact the match on both ends of the floor. His defensive pressure contributed to Milwaukee’s third goal when Cesar Correa forced a turnover in midfield, setting up Michael Da Silva for his second goal of the season. Rian Marques added his first of the year before the end of the opening quarter, giving the Wave a 3-1 advantage.

“We had time to really prepare for this game, and I believe it showed,” Leite said.

Milwaukee wasted no time extending the lead in the second quarter. Just nine seconds after kickoff, Alvarez assisted Oscar Flores on a run behind the defense. Hayne and Alvarez connected again moments later for Alvarez’s second goal of the match.

“He is a leader in the group. A technical leader. Not a guy that talks too much, but I think he shows up with his play,” Leite added.

The Wave’s momentum continued as Alvarez completed his hat trick off a connection with Alex “Saucy” Sanchez. Max Ferdinand followed up a Flores shot to cap a five-goal quarter, sending Milwaukee into halftime with a commanding 7-1 lead.

Kansas City responded in the third quarter with goals from Kenosha native Zach Reget and Dominic Francis to trim the deficit. However, Alvarez added to his tally once more—finishing with five total points on the day—again assisted by Sanchez.

Flores, the Venezuelan rookie, continued his strong debut season by assisting Alex Steinwasher later in the match. Through his first season, Flores has recorded 11 goals and five assists with 11 games remaining.

“I feel very welcome. The team, the staff, everybody—the players and the trainers—have welcomed me in, and it means a lot right now,” Flores said, with Correa assisting as translator.

The Comets deployed Reget as a sixth attacker late in the fourth quarter, but Milwaukee answered between Kansas City goals as Sanchez found the net off an assist from Derek Huffman. The early Wave lead proved insurmountable as Milwaukee closed out a 10-6 win on home turf.

“Being consistent at home, winning the games… we definitely need to take care of those,” Leite said.

With the victory, Milwaukee extends its winning streak to three games and claims the regular season series over the Comets with three wins. The Wave now sit atop the MASL standings.

Milwaukee heads west for a two-game road trip next weekend, facing the Tacoma Stars at accesso ShoWare Center on Sunday, February 15 at 7:05 PM CST, followed by a matchup against the Empire Strykers at Toyota Arena on Monday, February 16 at 2:05 PM CST.