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Cleveland Force Steams Past St. Louis For First Road Victory

November 14, 2004 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Cleveland Force News Release


ST. LOUIS, MO. -- The Cleveland Force won its first road game of the season and posted a victory in the second game of back-to-back weekend games tonight by a final score of 4-2 to the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Central Division St. Louis Steamers at the Savvis Center. Cleveland scored three goals in the final two minutes of the game to secure the victory. Cleveland Heights native and goalkeeper Bayard Elfvin records first career MISL victory in very first career MISL start.

With the win, the Force improved to 2-3 overall, 2-2 versus Central Division opponents, 1-2 on the road and 16-22 all-time in St. Louis. With the loss, the Steamers snapped their three game winning streak and fell to 3-2 overall, 0-2 versus Eastern Division opponents and 2-2 at home.

Cleveland and St. Louis battled to a scoreless first quarter. The scoreless first quarter marked the second straight game that the Force has held their opponent without a goal as well as marking the third time this season Cleveland has been unable to find the back of the net in the opening period.

The Steamers got on the board first (0-1) when forward Joe Reiniger broke the scoreless tie as he scored the power play goal off the assist from forward and University of Akron standout Mike Apple at 13:05 of the second quarter. The Force tied the game (1-1) when defender Rene Rivas scored his second goal of the season on the penalty kick and power play at 14:44. Rivas was given the penalty kick when St. Louis defender Randy Soderman was given a two-minute penalty for an intentional hand ball in front of the goal with just 16 seconds remaining in the first half.

The Steamers opened the second half scoring (1-2) when Head Coach Daryl Doran found the back of the net off the cross from Soderman at 1:31 of the third quarter.

With less than two minutes left in the game, Cleveland tied the game (2-2) when forward Chris Handsor scored his seventh goal of the season with the sixth attacker on at 13:13. The Force took their first lead of the game (3-2) when forward Antonio Sutton found the back of the net off the assist from Sipho Sibiya at 13:27. Cleveland sealed the victory (4-2) when defender John Ball scored his third goal of the season and second against the sixth attacker at 13:50.

The Force will have the next week off and will return to action after the Thanksgiving Holiday when they play host to the Eastern Division leading Philadelphia KiXX in the second of eight meetings on Friday, November 26 at the Convocation Center at Cleveland State University. The game can be heard live on WHK 1420 AM in Cleveland as well as 1440 AM in Warren/Youngstown or worldwide on the Internet at www.thesportsking.com starting at 7:05 p.m.

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