Blast trades Gilbert, Eller to Cleveland
Published on March 29, 2005 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Baltimore Blast News Release
Baltimore â Baltimore Blast General Manager Kevin Healey announced today that the team has traded defender Neil Gilbert and midfielder Allen Eller to the Cleveland Force for forwards Joel Bailey and Sipho Sibiya. Bailey and Sibiya will arrive in Baltimore this week and will play for the Blast Friday night when the team hosts the Force.
"First, we'd like to thank Allen Eller for his contributions to the Blast, on and off the field. We are happy that we were able to move him back to his hometown and we wish him the best of luck," Healey said. "We are very pleased to be able to add Joel and Sipho to our team. Joel has excellent speed and a tremendous amount of upside potential. Sipho is a talented target forward who also brings additional championship experience to our team."
Bailey had 10 points (eight goals, two assists) for the Force in 18 games this season. The 5-11, 165-pound native of Trinidad made his MISL debut last season, recording 13 points for the Force. Bailey played collegiate soccer at Wheeling Jesuit University where he was an NSCAA/Adidas Division II All-American after his senior year and the WVIAC Rookie of the Year after his freshman year.
Sibiya, a 33-year old native of Pretoria, South Africa, started his career in 1996-97 with the Edmonton Drillers. The 5-10, 175-pound forward has also played for the Milwaukee Wave and St. Louis Steamers, winning an MISL Championship with the Wave in 2001. Sibiya ranked fifth on the Force with 23 points (13 goals and 10 assists) in 30 games this season.
Gilbert, a 10-year veteran of professional indoor soccer, joined the Blast prior to the start of the 2003-04 season after stints in six other cities. Eller, a native of Cleveland, won two MISL Championships with the Blast.
The Blast (13-18, sixth place in the MISL), has eight games remaining in the regular season and needs to move into the fourth spot in order to advance to the 2005 MISL postseason. The Blast will host the Force Friday night, April 1st , at 1st Mariner Arena then will travel to play the Philadelphia KiXX on Sunday. The first 2,500 fans who enter 1st Mariner Arena on Friday night will receive a free Giuliano Celenza bobblehead, courtesy of the Baltimore Blast and 1st Mariner Bank. Blast tickets are on sale now by calling the Blast office at 410-73-BLAST. Single-game tickets cost $20 and $17 and are available at the 1st Mariner Arena Box Office and by calling TicketMaster at 410-547-SEAT or online at www.ticketmaster.com. For additional information on all Blast tickets, call the Blast office at 410-73-BLAST.
Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from March 29, 2005
- Cleveland Force Investor/Operator to Sell Majority Ownership - MISL 2
- Cleveland franchise put up for sale - Cleveland Force
- Blast trades Gilbert, Eller to Cleveland - Baltimore Blast
- Force acquires two players in trade - Cleveland Force
- This Week With the Force - Cleveland Force
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