Splash Hustles to Beat Portland
ANAHEIM — It was only the Splash’s third goal of the season, but it typified what Splash player/coach Dale Ervine hopes the next 27 games will hold.
Francisco Jaime, a defensive runner who is rarely noticed, stole the ball from an opponent, made a nice pass to Bernie Lilavois, who easily scored in a 7-2 victory over Portland Friday night.
It was defense that created the offense in front of an announced crowd of 6,013 at the Pond.
“Sometimes I go unnoticed,” said Jaime, who had seven goals and three assists in 36 career games with the Splash. “That’s my job--steal balls. It’s a sacrifice. Sometimes I would like to be more offensive minded, but I do whatever the coach tells me.”
Ervine said Jaime’s performance was an example of what he’s looking for this season--why he was brought back, and why he’s playing.
“That’s something we didn’t have last year,” Ervine said. “His pressure, his intensity, the way he closes down defensively to make things difficult for the other team. He gives us a different look.”
Jaime, in a Splash uniform for the first time since 1995, had two assists, two steals that led to goals and was a general nuisance to Portland. He played his role and left the money plays to the money players. And it paid dividends.
The first five goals were scored by Doug Neely, Armando Valdivia, Lilavois, Ervine and Danny Barber.
The Splash had a 5-1 halftime lead, and four of its first six goals were created by being alert on defense or outhustling Pride.
Although Ruben Fernandez turned in an impressive performance in goal, with seven saves, there was plenty of defense to go around.
The Splash scored the first of two goals in a 50-second span in the first quarter when Neely took a ball played from Portland’s new goalkeeper, Brett Phillips, and converted a three-on-two situation himself.
With a 2-1 lead, Jaime made his play that led to the first of two goals by Lilavois. It was the first of five consecutive goals for the Splash, who defeated Portland exactly one year ago, 11-3, in the home opener at the Pond.
After a power-play goal by Ervine, the Splash’s newest defender, Thor Lee--an all-star for the defunct San Diego Sockers--intercepted a long pass by Phillips, who ventured out of the arc. Lee hit the cross-bar on his shot from beyond midfield, but Barber headed in the rebound for a 5-1 lead.
Jaime’s steal led to Ervine’s second goal and a 6-1 lead 5 minutes 10 seconds into the third quarter.
The performance made a winner of Ervine in his coaching debut and spoiled the return of Ian Fulton, who coached the Splash last year but is now with Portland (1-1).
Valdivia finished with a goal and two assists.
“Everybody worked hard, whether their role was scorer or defensive player,” Splash assistant Mike Fox said. “[The Pride] didn’t have a lot of opportunities to score, and that was the key.
“That’s something we talked about from the beginning--the offensive opportunities are going to come with good defense.”
