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Building a Future

February 23, 2012 - Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Norfolk SharX News Release


Norfolk, Virginia - It is seldom that I feel compelled to write a "game" story that goes beyond the game. But Sunday's stunning win over the Milwaukee Wave, the number one team in the league, and the defending league champions, was a game that deserves far more coverage than goals, stats and averages. It's more about the players and coaches that make up the Norfolk SharX and how far they've come since we heard the first whistle that began their first season in the Major Indoor Soccer League last November.

It's about the "guys" and how they could come together as a team against an MISL legend and come back from being down in the match time and time again until they got the win. And with 59 seconds left, they GOT the win.

This win meant a lot to a team with a 4-17 record at kick off who had just lost yet another player for the season to injury. This win meant a lot to a team that with three games left could have just gone through the motions for the rest of the season and then left the confines of Scope for the outdoor game. But this team doesn't think that way.

And the results of this game were so much more than just a "win." It will be just one little moment in time in the SharX history, but for the team and the organization at this time, it was a huge step in building the SharX future.

" I am so proud of our team, our coaches, our staff, our volunteers, and our fans," said SharX owner Marcie Laumann. "So many people quit on us months ago yet I never stopped believing that what we do as a team is far more important to Hampton Roads than any final score. Thanks to everyone who came to the game. We will never ever stop believing!"

"From the day that I accepted the job of head coach, I knew it was going to be a real challenge and it has been," said Jon Hall, SharX head coach. "But this game showed that a lot of people have been working very hard for this organization and it's a big milestone for us. It showed that we don't give up and as a team we've always approached every game one at a time. I am thrilled that we won this game - because it's Milwaukee and they're the cream of the crop and have a great coach with a storied history. They are where we want to be. They are what we want to be."

The SharX players that I spoke to echoed this time and time again after the game.

"For me it shows where we are as a team, said forward Matt Clare. "It shows the amount of faith that we have in our coaches and in each other." He added that it was the biggest moment of his indoor career.

"I was over the moon to get such a good result against a great team," said defender Tennant McVey. "It shows how far we've come this season. I think people I think had written us off and other teams weren't taking us seriously but now we have beaten Baltimore and Milwaukee and we've shown that we can play at this level. For us as a team, it shows how far we've come. And I want to thank the crowd on Sunday who played as big a part in that win as anyone on the field.

Defender Andrew Marshall believes that, " it helped give us some validation for being in this league. We aren't at the same level as the Milwaukee's and Baltimore's yet but it is a confidence booster for the guys. It helps represent us off the field too - it shows that the office, the staff and the club as a whole are doing the right things. "

Midfielder Jamie Gunderson said "It means a lot to me and the SharX organization to beat Milwaukee. They are one of the best teams in the league. It was an incredible feeling when the horn went off in the fourth quarter. Beating the Wave says a lot about the SharXorganization because it shows the SharX are moving in the right direction. Even though we are young we can compete with anybody in the league. I feel very proud to be a part of this team. I appreciate all the faith the owners have in us."

From Matthew Delicate, defender - "It's always great beating a team that's at the top of the table. Hopefully next season it will be in the playoffs and championship game."

The most exciting part about the game on Sunday was the support from the fans," said goalkeeper Tyler Benham "It was absolutely amazing; there were 2000 people there, but it felt like there were 5,000!!!"

"This victory for our team means that everything Marcie (Laumann) has gone through with a first year organization has put us on the right path," said forward Gerson Dos Santos. "It's not just another victory for us - it's a giant boost forward into next season."

Midfielder Brandon Massie agrees with his teammates. "The win over Milwaukee meant a lot to me in many different ways. First off it was great to put a performance of that magnitude together in front of our organization and fans. We proved to everyone that we can play with anyone in the league. The win gives us, as a club, as fans, and as players, a lot of confidence going into our last two games and we want to finish the season on a high note."

New signee Rob Acosta added, "To me, the win was a reflection of a season of hard work and perseverance as a unit. We were brought together four months ago - none of us were indoor players, but under the right leadership have been able to put together a competitive and cohesive team. Furthermore, I think it's a great accomplishment right before the end of the season, to show the rest of the league that we've put it together and we plan to stir up the pot in our final few matches - and we'll be even hungrier next season!

Defender Yomby William was unable to play due to injury but had this to say from the sidelines: "The game was fantastic to watch! The boys wanted it, we all wanted it. The fans did their part by not allowing us to sleep. A win like that will then send a message to those who didn't believe we could win against a strong side like the Wave. What matters is how you finish and we have been doing quite well the last couple of games. The coaches have pushed us during practices and came out with game plans that we followed and it paid off.

We are all very happy and will approach the upcoming games with the same desire we had Sunday."

SharX goalkeeper Jamie Lieberman has a professional connection to the Wave. Lieberman is on the roster for the U.S. National Futsal Team, coached by Milwaukee's head coach Keith Tozer. " The win against Milwaukee meant so much to me on many different levels, he said. "I wanted to have a great game against the Wave. World cup qualifiers are this summer and I want to represent the U.S. during the qualification process. The Wave staff and players helped turn me into a professional and I am incredibly grateful for all they have done for me. I told myself before the game that the best way I can thank them, is by making it very difficult for them to walk out of our home stadium with a win."

Tozer was very complimentary of the organization after the match. "When I went to a new team, I felt it would take three years to get to the playoffs. With indoor soccer, everyone seems to think that you've got to win a championship the first year. That's not possible. When I went to Los Angeles to rebuild the team, I started with 20 players and ended with twelve for year two. By the end of the third year, I had 20 good players that made up a good team. Jon Hall has done a great job in finding new indoor talent - not old talent. There isn't any. There is no pool of indoor players as there is in the outdoor game. The majority of indoor coaches come from the outdoor game - they have to learn by trial and error. I learned the same way. Jon has put in a lot of hours getting this team together and he's done an outstanding job. He has really held the team together."

The SharX have two more games this season and the next one will be another face off with a number one team when they host Eastern Division Champion Baltimore on February 26 at 2 p.m. at Scope. The final game is slated for March 4 also at Scope. The team is fired up and ready to play spoiler once again! The SharX invite you to join them with your friends, your families and your noisemakers! Let's cheer them on to another stunning victory.

For more information about the Norfolk SharX, Norfolk's newest professional sports team, including sponsorships, tickets, internships or to volunteer, please call 757-419-3317 or visit www.norfolksharx.com .



Major Indoor Soccer League Stories from February 23, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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