MILWAUKEE - At the midway point of their 28-game A-League schedule, the Milwaukee Wave United's 1-7-1 start is pretty much a distant memory these days.
And instead of trying to just win games, sitting at 5-7-2 for 17 points and seven points behind Seattle for fourth place in the Western Conference - and with four games in hand on the Sounders - Wave United can honestly start talking about a playoff chase.
"It's just a good stretch right now," forward Greg Howes said Friday night after his 75th minute goal gave Milwaukee a 2-1 victory over Virginia Beach at Uihlein Soccer Park, extending Wave United's unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1). "We've got a lot of momentum and we're feeling confident.
"It's getting close. We know coming from indoor it's going to be a little bit of a change and a transition, but I think everyone is starting to get their legs and we're starting to play team ball and our roles are starting to get defined."
Howes was referring to the fact that the team started the season with 16 players who played with the Milwaukee Wave of the Major Indoor Soccer League and had little time to train together outside before the A-League season started in May.
Howes said it normally takes him four to six weeks to get used to play outdoors.
"My six weeks is up, so I have no excuses," he said. "And I think (Jamar) Beasley's four weeks is up, so I don't think anyone has excuses anymore. We have all our legs and we're looking forward to the rest of the year."
"I knew it would take some time," added veteran forward Digital Takawira, who set up Howes' goal, "but I knew it would come."
Actually, Wave United faced a similar situation last season - though their slow start wasn't nearly as bad as this year. Last season, they were 7-8 before winning 11 of their final 13 matches to finish 18-10 and on top of the overall league standings.
"Last year, we were coming from behind the 8-ball all year and we ended up with the best record in the league," Howes said. "So to think we can't do that again this year, I don't think it's too far out of our ability."
The mark of winning: After losing at Virginia Beach 5-2 on June 18 - the most goals allowed in a game by Wave United in their two-year history - Milwaukee switched to a man-marking system that singles out the opponents' top forward options.
Since the change, Wave United is 4-1-1. The lone loss in that stretch was in the first game they used the strategy, a 2-0 setback at Richmond in which Howes was denied on a penalty kick in the 62nd minute and Milwaukee allowed two goals in the final 9 minutes.
"Most players nowadays are used to seeing zonal marking, and they've been seeing it now for the last couple years," Wave United coach Art Kramer said. "I don't know many players that like to be man-marked all over the field."
While opponents may not like it, Milwaukee defenders appear to love the individual challenges that the system is built on - and the wins that have come from it.
"It's been working out," defender Joe Hammes said. "We're kind of riding this little point streak we've got going, and I think we'll stick with it."
New-look Nino: Rookie midfielder Nino Marcantonio has drastically changed his look in the past few weeks.
First up was the new hairdo - his formerly flowing locks were significantly altered June 26. At first it was a total shave, but it has since grown back to what looks like a crew cut.
"It was when I scored my first goal," Marcantonio said, referring to his 110th-minute goal that gave Milwaukee a 2-1 win over rival Minnesota. "(My teammates) just came in behind me and started shaving it."
As if that wasn't enough, the former Maryland player now has a small cast on his hand - and a funny story as to how he got it while conducting Wave youth soccer camps.
"We were showing kids how to celebrate, and I caught my (pinkie) finger and I broke it," Marcantonio said. "I just slid … It was stupid. But the kids wanted to see the celebrations and I show them one and I caught my finger. It's fractured."
Marcantonio took both incidents in stride, laughing and smiling while discussing them.
"Whatever we've got to do to win - shave my head, break my pinkie, it doesn't matter," said Marcantonio, who has three points on the season. "It's coming together. We've got a good team."
One strength for Wave United is that they can change their look on the field and not have too much of a drop off. Against Virginia Beach, all three substitutes Kramer used - Marcantonio, Takawira and midfielder Giuliano Oliviero - played very well.
"Anybody on this team can start," said Marcantonio, who counts five starts among his 11 appearances. "We've got a very talented group of players, and everybody who comes off the bench can make a big impact. Digi is a former All-Star, Giuliano … these guys have played in the league before, they're all great players.
"I'm the rookie, and I can make a difference, as well. Whether you play 5 minutes or 20 minutes or the whole game, whenever you're in there, you've just got to make a difference."
Corner kicks: Takawira's assist on Howes' game-winner was his first point of the season. He has 115 points in 87 career A-League games. … Milwaukee defender Ibrahim Kante drew a yellow card in the 25th minute, his fourth of the season - one more and he faces a one-game suspension. That nearly happened in the 85th minute, when Kante avoided another card on a rough tackle that likely deserved one. … Attendance update: 11,405 in eight matches, 1,629 per game.
