Comets' Gibson Named Player Of The Week, Waltman Joins Him On MISL Team of the Week

The Major Indoor Soccer League announced today that Missouri Comets defender Leo Gibson has been named the league’s Player of the Week for the 16th week of the 2012-13 season. Gibson recorded his sixth hat trick of the season as the Comets snapped the Milwaukee Wave’s 16-game winning streak on Sunday afternoon at the Independence Events Center.
The Comets fell behind to a pair of goals by Ian Bennett, but Gibson led the fight-back in the second quarter. Gibson scored both goals as Missouri was able to draw level at the halftime break, the second coming while the Comets were shorthanded. The shorthanded goal was a league-leading fifth by Missouri this season.
The goals gave the Comets momentum into the second half, and Gibson capped his night with what proved to be an insurance tally on a fourth-quarter power play that gave his side a five-point lead with a little more than five minutes to play.
Gibson was joined on the Team of the Week by teammate Danny Waltman who recorded 13 saves, including some vital stops in the second half. Baltimore’s Ptah Myers was named for a second consecutive week with Gibson in the defensive unit after recording a pair of goals in the Blast’s 12-6 win against Wichita on Saturday night.
Syracuse’s forward pair of Andriy Budnyy and Kenardo Forbes both earned selection after scoring the crucial goals in the Silver Knights’ 17-15 overtime victory against Rochester. Budnyy’s second goal of the game tied the match 15-15 with 12 seconds to play, and Forbes notched the overtime winner a little more than five minutes into the extra session.
Rochester’s Gary Boughton completed the lineup despite the Lancers’ defeat, with the athletic midfielder recording a seven-point night against Syracuse that included a 3-point goal and a pair of assists.
The 2012-13 MISL season continues on Friday night as the Wichita Wings visit the Syracuse Silver Knights at The Oncenter at 7:30 p.m. ET in a game that will see the loser eliminated from playoff contention. Missouri can clinch the No. 3 seed in the playoffs that night as they host the Chicago Soul at the Independence Events Center at 8:35 p.m. ET.
Saturday night sees the Baltimore Blast and Milwaukee Wave clash for the final time this regular season, with the Blast needing victory at 1st Mariner Arena at 7:35 p.m. ET to maintain a chance at earning top spot in the standings. Sunday then sees the Wave move on to face the Rochester Lancers at the Blue Cross Arena at 4 p.m. ET in a must-win game for the Lancers’ playoff chances, while the Comets and Wings conclude their regular-season series at the Independence Events Center at 4:10 p.m. ET.