David Bascome’s Baltimore Blast moved one step closer to the championship final after securing a gritty 7-5 victory over the Milwaukee Wave in the opening leg of their Semi-Final Playoff Series.
In a high-intensity encounter at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, the Blast demonstrated the clinical efficiency and defensive resolve that have become the hallmarks of Bascome’s tactical approach. Although Milwaukee drew first blood through Alex Sanchez midway through the opening quarter, the response from Baltimore was swift and devastating.
The visitors turned the tide before the first interval, with Chad Poarch leveling the score just a minute after Sanchez’s opener. The momentum remained firmly with the Blast as Alejandro Chavez and Juan Pereira struck in quick succession to hand Baltimore a commanding 3-1 lead heading into the second period. That advantage was further extended when Jonatas Melo found the net, leaving the home side with a significant mountain to climb.
The third quarter appeared to put the result beyond doubt as Nico Williams and Emmanuel Belliard scored within thirty seconds of each other to push the scoreline to 6-1. However, the Wave finally found a spark through Oscar Flores late in the period, signaling the start of a dramatic and nervy comeback attempt.
Flores struck again just one minute into the fourth quarter, and as Mario Alvarez and the veteran Ian Bennett found the net, the Baltimore lead was slashed to a single goal with nearly nine minutes remaining. Despite the relentless pressure from the Milwaukee crowd and the Wave’s attacking line, Bascome’s men refused to buckle.
With the game on a knife-edge and the home side pushing for a late equalizer, Juan Pereira stepped up to deliver the decisive blow. His second goal of the night with just eleven seconds remaining on the clock silenced the arena and ensured the Blast would return to Baltimore with a vital lead in the series. The two sides will meet again for the second leg, where the Blast now sit in the driver's seat for a place in the showpiece final.
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