news

  • image
    FEATURE COMETS GEISON NAMED MISL MVP Mar 15, 2012

    Midfielder was Wire-to-Wire MISL Scoring Leader  in 2011-12

    INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI – Comets forward Geison was named today the Major Indoor Soccer League’s Most Valuable Player for the 2011-2012 season.   He led the league with 90 points and 38 goals in a year that was by far the most productive of his career.  Along with MVP, the league announced Goalkeeper of the Year, Defender of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year at a press conference in Baltimore, Maryland, site of tomorrow’s first leg of the MISL Championship Series featuring the Baltimore Blast and Milwaukee Wave.

    It is the second straight year a Comets player has received the MVP award.  Forward Byron Alvarez took the honor last season after leading the league in scoring.

    “It’s good,” Geison said of receiving the award.  “I’ve put a lot of work in.  Always doing extra stuff after practice.  It was a surprise, but I always believe if you work hard you will get something out of it.  I couldn’t do it without my teammates.  The work that everybody put in was the key.”

    The disappointment of the team’s season ending in the Central Division Finals was still fresh on his mind.

    “My fiancé said, ‘I thought you were going to be more happy’,” he recounted.  “I just can’t be fully happy.  I would have traded the MVP for the championship.” 

    Geison’s previous career high was 33 points last season for the Comets.  He surpassed that number on December 9 in just his ninth game of the year.  He began the season with a five-goal performance against Wichita.  His 10 points that opening night stood up as his season-high and gave him a lead he never relinquished in the scoring chase.

    “He became a big scoring threat for us this year, which we expected of him,” Comets coach Kim Roentved said.  “I can’t say we expected him to score 90 points.  He obviously worked extremely hard and took his game to a new level.  He matured from being a good player last year to a great player this year.  I’m very proud of him.  And the fact that he’s just 25 years old makes me very excited for his future.”

    MISL award winners were selected through a vote by MISL team management and select media members.  Geison received 32 points in MVP voting, topping Rochester’s Mauricio Salles by 14 points. 

    Baltimore’s Sagu was named Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Comets’ Danny Waltman by a mere two points.  Sagu’s teammate Mike Lookingland was Defender of the Year, besting Leo Gibson of the Comets.  Slavisa Ubiparapovic of Syracuse was named Rookie of the Year.  And Milwaukee’s Keith Tozer topped Roentved for Coach of the Year honors in the MISL. 

    Baltimore and Milwaukee will face off in the best-of-three 2012 MISL Championship Series starting this Friday night at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore (6:35 p.m. CDT, MISLLive.com), with the second leg set for 3:10 p.m. CDT Sunday at U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee (MISLLive.com).  A deciding mini-game will be played immediately following Game 2 if needed.

    A complete list of MISL award winners and their bios is included below.

    2011-12 MISL Award Winners

    Most Valuable Player – Geison, Missouri Comets

    Geison had a career year for the Comets, leading the league with 90 points and 38 goals. He also recorded at least a point in 22 consecutive games to close out the MISL regular season.

     

    Rookie of the Year – Slavisa Ubiparapovic, Syracuse Silver Knights

    After bursting onto the scene with a 10-point game in just his second indoor contest, Ubiparipovic remained a focal point for the Silver Knights in their inaugural season. The 24-year-old led all rookies with 61 points, tied for seventh in the league.

     

    Coach of the Year – Keith Tozer, Milwaukee Wave

    Keith Tozer and the Milwaukee Wave went from strength to strength this season, earning the legendary coach his 700th career victory. Tozer’s side was strong at both ends of the field, leading the MISL with 169 goals and finishing second with only 123 goals against.

     

    Defender of the Year – Mike Lookingland, Baltimore Blast

    Lookingland was the anchor of the stingiest defense in the league, which conceded only 108 goals. Blocking 30 shots and being sent to the penalty box only once all season, Lookingland’s leadership was vital to the Blast’s success.

     

    Goalkeeper of the Year – Sagu, Baltimore Blast

    Sagu earned his fourth Goalkeeper of the Year award, and second consecutive, after another remarkable season that saw him lead the league in points-against average and wins and finish second in save percentage.