It would have taken a miracle on Fourth Street for the first-place Edmonton Drillers to leave the Bradley Center with a victory Saturday afternoon.

At least that's the way the Milwaukee Wave saw it. Keeping its home record clean at 6-0, the surging Wave moved within one-half game of the Drillers with a convincing 14-4 indoor soccer victory before 4,333 fans.

Milwaukee (10-5) has split the first four games of an eight-game series with Edmonton (9-3), its new North Division rival, and will not play the Drillers again until early March.

"We don't want to let anybody off the hook," said Wave midfielder Peter Hattrup, who shook out of a slump with a two-point goal and two assists. "Everyone comes here thinking, 'We're going to lose unless there's a miracle.' We want no miracles on our watch."

The Wave used a precise defensive effort to hold its opponent under 10 points for the third consecutive game. And Milwaukee's offense eventually broke through, scoring eight third-period points to spoil a strong effort by former Wave and Milwaukee Rampage goalkeeper Carmine Isacco.

"They had a whole week to prepare for us, and we played on Thursday," said coach Ross Ongaro, whose Drillers are 9-0 at home but 0-3 on the road. "When (Wave coach) Keith Tozer has time to prepare for you, you're going to be in a tough, tough situation."

Wave defenders Michael Richardson and Glenn Carbonara stymied Drillers midfielder Nikola Vignjevic, the second-leading scorer in the National Professional Soccer League. The Yugoslavian had recorded back-to-back seven-point games but was blanked by the Wave.

"They man-to-man marked him, big-time, no doubt about it," Ongaro said. "They didn't foul him. They just played him very tight and made it difficult for him to get the ball. They didn't allow him to get the ball in any kind of dangerous position."

Carbonara and Jason Willan scored first-half goals, and two-pointers by Steve Morris and Matt Tirschman quickly put the Wave in command, 8-0, early in the third quarter.

Hattrup entered the game with just 3 two-point goals in 14 appearances, and Tozer admitted he pondered benching the veteran.

"During the course of the week I had him with the second team," Tozer said. "But because I have so much respect for him and he's played for me for seven years, I went to him. We've got guys who can fly, but we need guys who can slow down the tempo of the game."

Hattrup's first assist was a pinpoint restart cross to Willan at the far post. The second came on a ball played from the right side to forward Brian Loftin, who converted with a left-footed touch in the box.

Hattrup ended his goal drought when he worked free to score a header inside the near post in the third quarter.

"I have been frustrated, and it's a long time since I scored a goal," Hattrup said. "Luckily they kept it away from my feet so I could head one in."

Wave goalkeeper Victor Nogueira finished with 13 saves to improve his record to 7-3, andIsacco had 18 saves while losing for the third time in nine decisions.

The Wave, which won its fourth straight and sixth in the last seven games, will be idle nearly two weeks before playing St. Louis on New Year's Eve Day at the Bradley Center.