The St. Louis Ambush dropped a 7-6 duel to the Milwaukee Wave Sunday afternoon at The Family Arena. The loss dropped St Louis to 0-3 on the season, while Milwaukee improved to 2-0.
Milwaukee got on the board first when Alex Sanchez scored off a pass from Andre Hayne in the ninth minute of the game. St. Louis answered less than a minute later when Will Eskay placed a shot in the upper back corner of the net, assisted by Franck Tayou. The first quarter elapsed with the score knotted at one.
St. Louis took an apparent lead in the first minute of the second period on a goal from Julio Varela but Milwaukee initiated a challenge based on the assertion that their goalkeeper had been fouled before the goal by Ambush defender Uzi Tayou. After a video review, officials upheld the challenge, reversed the goal and play continued with the score 1-1. The Tayou brothers joined forces to give St. Louis the lead for real when Franck assisted Uzi in the eleventh minute of the period. The Ambush lead didn’t last long, as Milwaukee turned the tables with goals less than a minute apart by Tony Walls and Troy Morrison. The visitors enjoyed a 3-2 lead at halftime.
At the start of the second half, Pollo Cortes replaced Paulo Nascimento in goal for St. Louis. The Wave increased the lead to 4-2 when Javier Steinwascher beat Cortes in the fourth minute of the third quarter. Milwaukee scored again in the eighth minute when the Ambush defense left Sanchez wide open, enabling him to take a pass from Breno Oliveira and score with ease. Less than a minute later, Oliveira tallied one of his own to make it 6-2. St. Louis got one back in the eleventh minute when Will Eskay was able to get a shot by Wave goalkeeper William Banahene. The home team inched closer when Mohamed Ndiaye fired a rocket into the net from the top of the arc for a 6-4 score. The Wave went on a power play in the fourteenth minute when Franck Tayou earned a blue card for holding. The clock ran out on the third frame with the power play still alive and Milwaukee leading by two.
The Ambush started the final quarter by killing off the penalty. They would make it a one-goal game (6-5) when Ndiaye drew Banahene out of the goal before passing to Franck Tayou, who found the back of the net. Milwaukee got another power play in the eighth minute when Dylan Hundelt was sent off for tripping. The Wave made good on the opportunity this time when Max Ferdinand made the score 7-5. In the fourteenth minute, Will Eskay donned the sixth attacker jersey for St. Louis and promptly completed the hat trick to once again make it a one-goal contest (7-6). Despite the thrilling comeback attempt, it was too little, too late as the clock ran out and Milwaukee went home victorious.
The Ambush will be back in action next Friday, December 20 at 7:05 p.m. CT when the Dallas Sidekicks invade The Family Arena. Season, single-game and group tickets are now on sale. Call the Ambush office at 636-477-6363 for more information.
