Milwaukee Wave signs 3 veterans

From the Milwaukee Wave
Communications Department
FONTANA, OLIVIERO, FEENSTRA RE-SIGN
First XSL season begins at U.S. Cellular Arena as Detroit visits

MILWAUKEE (Oct. 3, 2008) Two popular veterans with more than 500 career goals combined have been signed by the Xtreme Soccer League and assigned to the Milwaukee Wave, the XSL announced today.

Midfielder Marcelo Fontana and forward/midfielder Giuliano Oliviero both were members of the 2005 league championship team in Milwaukee and are coaches with the Wave Summer Soccer Camp program and in area youth clubs. Also back with the Wave next season will be second-year goalkeeper Marcel Feenstra.

Fontana, 35, tallied 15 2-point goals and 14 assists last season, and then added a memorable 3-point, end-to-end dash in the playoffs against the Baltimore Blast. Fontana has at least 12 goals in each of his seven seasons with the Wave and 163 total goals in an 11-year indoor career.

Oliviero, 34, eclipsed the 900-point career mark last season and finished with 46 points (1 3PG, 15 2PG, 13A). Like Fontana he’s tremendously consistent, with at least 10 goals and 10 assists in each of his 13 indoor seasons, seven in Milwaukee (1995-97, 2001-08).

Feenstra, 27, is a native of Den Helder, Holland. As a rookie last year, he would have led the league in points allowed average (6.65) and save percentage (.814) had he played enough minutes to qualify. The 6-foot-4 Feenstra won all five of his starts in helping the Wave to a 22-8 regular-season record.

"We are very happy to be able to sign two of our veterans who have been very instrumental with our success both on the field and off," said Wave Head Coach Keith Tozer. "Marcel had a very good rookie year and we look forward to him improving in his second year."

These three players join Marcio Leite, the first signing of the XSL, on the Wave roster. Additional players will be signed and announced in the coming weeks.

The Milwaukee Wave open their Silver Anniversary season at 6 p.m. Dec. 13 with a home game against the Detroit Ignition. The inaugural season of the Xtreme Soccer League features Milwaukee, Detroit, the Chicago Storm and New Jersey Ironmen playing a 20-game schedule from mid-December through April.