Ambush Open Season Sunday in Independence

St. Charles, MO (November 12, 2016) – The St. Louis Ambush commence the 2016-17 season when they visit the cross-state and division rival Kansas City Comets this Sunday, November 13 at 5:05 p.m. at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena in Independence.

Tony Glavin kicks off his first full season as Ambush Head Coach. He took the reigns of the team last December when they were 0-6 and guided them to a 5-15 overall record. Glavin earned his first win as Head Coach of the Ambush at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena when the Ambush defeated the Comets for the first time ever, a 6-5 contest on December 29, 2016. Tony expanded his role with the team during the off-season when he became part of the club’s new ownership group.

The Ambush begin the season with a mix of returning players and new faces. Veteran players on the roster include Cody Costakis, Corey Adamson, Kory Dowell, Chris Mattingly, Stefan St. Louis, Richard Schmermund, Kentaro Takada, Victor France, Ian Garrett,  Greg Kranz, Daniel Berko and Ross MacGregor. Veterans Lucas Almeida and Dylan Hundelt are also back with the team, but won’t be available for Sunday’s match due to injury.

New faces for the Ambush include Casey Clark, Vadim Cojocov, Cody Blentlinger, Nathaniel Kast, Carlos Contreras, Nikola Marojevic, Jonathan Ramos and Joao Pepe. Some other familiar names, who will be noticeable by their absence on the Ambush roster include Andre Hayne (Milwaukee), Freddy Moojen (Florida), Peter Sliwa (Florida), AnthonyArico (Florida) and Odaine Sinclair, who will get the opportunity to face his former teammates in Sunday’s contest. Also absent from the St. Louis roster are veterans Jeff DiMaria and Elvir Kafedzic, who both retired.

While some of the new players are getting accustomed to the indoor game, not all are strangers to the Ambush Head Coach. Glavin owns and coaches the PDL St. Louis Lions and Clark, Cojocov, and Blentlinger have played for Tony on the Lions team. Veteran Ambush players who also played for the Lions include Costakis, Dowell, Kranz and Hundelt.

After months of preparation for the season, Glavin said he’s ready to get it started. “I’m looking forward to the beginning of the season. Kansas City is always a tough place to play and I know we’re going to have our work cut out for us. I’m excited to see our young players develop and am ready to go.”

The Comets take to the pitch with a new name and new Head Coach. Formerly known as the Missouri Comets, the franchise returned to the Kansas City Comets name that was made famous by the original Major Indoor Soccer League squad. Goran Karadzov is the new Head Coach, taking the helm after three years as an assistant coach under Vlatko Andonovski, who stepped down in August.

Many of the Comets’ scoring threats from last season are back, including the top four point scorers in Vahid Assadpour, Leo Gibson, Lucas Rodriguez and John Sosa. The four combined for 150 of the team’s 273 points.

Sunday’s duel is the season opener for the Ambush and the third of the season for the Comets. It is the first of three meetings between the Ambush and Comets during the 2016-17 regular season and the only one to be played on the Comets’ turf.

The Ambush launch their home schedule when they host the Tacoma Stars at the Family Arena next Saturday, November 19 at 7:05 p.m.  Group, season and single-game tickets are now on sale for all ten home games. For more information, visit the team’s official website, stlambush.com, follow the Ambush on Facebook and Twitter, or call the Ambush office at 636-477-6363.