Comets Join Playoff Party
Published on February 24, 2003 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2) News Release
The Kansas City Comets became the third team to clinch a spot in the 2003 MISL Playoffs, highlighting the latest weekend of MISL action. On Friday night, the Comets downed Baltimore 17-6 at Kemper Arena, and on Saturday night, Kansas City ended the Milwaukee Wave's 11-game winning streak with a 10-6 victory. The victories, coupled with Cleveland's 10-8 overtime win over Dallas on Sunday, allowed the Comets to wrap up a postseason berth.
The Cleveland Force also recorded a pair of triumphs over the weekend (16-8 over Harrisburg on Friday, and the win over Dallas on Sunday) to move to 15-14, now three games ahead of the third-place Baltimore Blast in the Eastern Conference. Baltimore (12-17) and fourth-place Harrisburg (12-19) both lost twice over the weekend. Only one game separates the teams, setting up a huge match this Saturday night when the Heat takes on the Blast at 1st Mariner Arena.
Philadelphia used a goal from Don D'Ambra with 11 seconds left in regulation to defeat the Heat 7-6 on Sunday afternoon. The win allowed the KiXX, who have already clinched a playoff berth and lead the Conference with a 21-7 mark, to remain a perfect 15-0 at home this season.
Kansas City extended their lead over third-place San Diego to four full games; the Sockers were idle and remain 12-19. The Dallas Sidekicks dropped their third straight contest in Cleveland, falling to 7-22 overall, four games behind the Sockers. Entering the week, San Diego's magic number to clinch a playoff spot is two.
The Sockers will get their chance to clinch with a pair of home games this weekend. Baltimore and Philadelphia will both play three times this week: the two clubs will meet in Philly for a School Day Game this Wednesday morning, and both will play Friday and Saturday nights. Including the School Day Game, the Blast will face all three of its Conference playmates this week, ending with the Heat on Saturday.
All told, eight MISL games will take place this week before the schedule calms down next week in preparation for the All-Star break.
COMETS SWEEP WEEKLY AWARDS WITH CORNELI, CECCARELLI: Â Offensive:
Kansas City Comets forward Nick Corneli has been named the MISL Offensive Player of the Week for the seven-day period ending February 23. Corneli scored nine points in a pair of games over the weekend as the Comets improved to 15-14 on the season.
The 27-year-old Corneli scored seven points (three 2pgs, assist), including the game-winner, in the Comets' 17-6 win over Baltimore on Friday night at Kemper Arena. His 2pg at 3:11 of the third against Milwaukee on Saturday tied the game at 6-6 and helped propel the Comets to a 10-6 win, ending the Wave's 11-game winning streak.
For the season, Corneli has now scored 22 goals and 60 points, good for 13th in the League. He joins Nate Houser, Dino Delevski (five times), and Nino DaSilva (twice) as other Comets to win weekly offensive honors this season.
Others Receiving Consideration: Cleveland Force forward Steve Butcher scored five points in Cleveland's two wins over the weekend. Others had more productive offensive weeks, but none made their points count more than Butcher: both of his goals were game-winners.
Milwaukee's Todd Dusosky scored eight points in two games over the weekend, including six points (3pg, 2pg, assist) in the Wave's 13-8 win over Baltimore on Sunday.
Defensive:
Kansas City Comets goalkeeper Paolo Ceccarelli has been named the MISL Defensive Player of the Week for the seven-day period ending February 23. Ceccarelli went 2-0 and saved 33 of 39 shots (.846 save percentage) faced as the Comets clinch a playoff spot this past weekend.
Ceccarelli stopped 15 of 18 shots in Kansas City's 17-6 win over Baltimore on Friday night, and the 33-year-old turned away 18 of 21 shots on Saturday as the Comets ended the Milwaukee Wave's 11-game winning streak with a 10-6 victory.
The native of Toronto is now 15-8 with an 11.64 points against average this season. Ceccarelli is ranked second in the MISL with a .750 save percentage, and leads the League with 428 saves. Ceccarelli was also named the League's Defensive Player of the Week on November 11 and December 30 of this season.
Others Receiving Consideration: Cleveland Force goalkeeper Jim Larkin enjoyed a week almost as superlative as Ceccarelli's, saving 38 of 46 shots (.826 save percentage) in a pair of Force victories. The 27-year-old allowed only 16 points in 128 minutes as the Force improved to 15-14 overall.
THIS WEEK'S MISL SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, February 26 Baltimore at Philadelphia 10:35 a.m. ET
Friday, February 28 Cleveland at Baltimore 7:35 p.m. ET
Philadelphia at Dallas 7:05 p.m. CT
Kansas City at San Diego 7:05 p.m. PT
Saturday, March 1 Cleveland at Milwaukee 1:05 p.m. CT
Harrisburg at Baltimore 7:35 p.m. ET
Kansas City at Dallas 7:05 p.m. CT
Philadelphia at San Diego 7:05 p.m. PT
MISL GAME RECAPS (February 17 â February 23, 2003)
Games of 2/21/2003
(Home CAPS) SCORING ATTN SHOTS PIM PP W/L GOALIE (SV-SF)
CLEVELAND 16 2-6-2-6 3,277 36 2 0-1 Larkin (19-23)
Harrisburg 8 2-4-2-0 37 2 0-1 Damico (12-19)
Cleveland scored the final eight points of the game en route to a 16-8 win over the Harrisburg Heat on Friday night at The Convo. After the Heat's Marco Coria tied the game at 8-8 with a 2pg 58 seconds into the third, Steve Butcher, Chris Stathopoulos, Giuliano Oliviero, and D.J. Newsom scored during the Force's decisive game-ending run. Ato Leone scored a 2pg and assisted on two others for four points in the Heat's favor. Newsom, Stathopoulos, and Oliviero all scored a pair of goals for the Force, and John Ball assisted on four goals. Jim Larkin saved 23 shots in the win, and Chris Damico (12 saves) takes the loss.
(Home CAPS) SCORING ATTN SHOTS PIM PP W/L GOALIE (SV-SF)
KANSAS CITY 17 0-2-6-9 5,101 40 2 1-1 Ceccarelli (15-18)
Baltimore 6 0-4-0-2 29 2 1-1 Phillips (10-17)
Baltimore led 4-2 at the half, but the Comets outscored the Blast 15-2 after intermission en route to a 17-6 victory at Kemper Arena. Nick Corneli's 2pg at 11:39 of the third quarter stood as the game-winner; Corneli scored three goals and seven points on the night. Paolo Ceccarelli saved 15 of 18 shots in goal for the win, and Baltimore's Brett Phillips turned away 10 of 17 shots in the loss. Nino DaSilva, Nate Houser, and Alex Zotinca scored four points apiece for the Comets. Denison Cabral, Tarik Walker, and Danny Kelly scored the Blast goals.
Games of 2/22/2003
(Home CAPS) SCORING ATTN SHOTS PIM PP W/L GOALIE (SV-SF)
KANSAS CITY 10 4-0-2-4 6,265 28 9 1-2 Ceccarelli (18-24)
Milwaukee 6 4-2-0-0 31 12 1-2 Green (16-26)
The Wave took a 6-4 lead into the third quarter, but the Comets scored the final three goals of the contest to capture a 10-6 win and end Milwaukee's franchise-record 11-game winning streak. Jeff Davis scored the game-winning power play goal at 1:30 of the third quarter, and Paolo Ceccarelli wrapped up an outstanding weekend with 18 saves on 21 shots. Dino Delevski scored two 2pgs and assisted on another for five points. Pat White, Martin Dugas, and Todd Dusosky scored the only Wave goals, and Dan Green (16 saves) took the loss.
Games of 2/23/2003
(Home CAPS) SCORING ATTN SHOTS PIM PP W/L GOALIE (SV-SF)
PHILADELPHIA 7 0-5-0-2 5,347 30 2 1-2 Vasic (0-0)
Harrisburg 6 4-2-0-0 21 4 0-1 Damico (13-16)
Don D'Ambra scored the game-winning goal with just 11 seconds left in regulation as the Philadelphia KiXX upheld there perfect (15-0) home record this season with a 7-6 win over the Harrisburg Heat. Peter Pappas started in goal for Philly and made nine saves; Goran Vasic, in goal as the sixth attacker, captured the win. Chris Damico saved 13 of 16 shots in the loss. Ze Roberto, Kevin Burk, and Chris Morman scored Harrisburg's goals. D'Ambra, Pat Morris, and Goran Vasic found the net for the KiXX; Vasic assisted on the scores by D'Ambra and Morris. With one block, Harrisburg's Genoni Martinez tied Chris Morman's single-season record for rejections with 78.
(Home CAPS) SCORING ATTN SHOTS PIM PP W/L GOALIE (SV-SF)
MILWAUKEE 13 0-4-2-7 6,206 35 0 0-1 Nogueira (19-27)
Baltimore 8 2-2-2-2 37 2 0-0 Hileman (12-22)
P.J. Wakefield's 2pg at 9:31 of the fourth quarter tied the game at 8-8, but the Dusosky brothers led the Wave to a 13-8 win at the Bradley Center on Saturday afternoon. At 9:52, Troy Dusosky put the Wave in front 10-8 with a 2pg, and Todd Dusosky sealed the win with a 3pg at 13:43. Victor Nogueira saved 19 of 23 shots in the victory, and Scott Hileman took the loss with 12 saves. Todd Dusosky finished with six points (3pg, 2pg, assist) for Milwaukee, and four different players scored for the Blast, including P.J. Wakefield, who also blocked four shots in the contest.
(Home CAPS) SCORING ATTN SHOTS PIM PP W/L GOALIE (SV-SF)
CLEVELAND 10 (OT) 4-2-2-0-2 6,585 30 10 0-3 Larkin (19-27)
Dallas 8 2-2-2-2-0 38 11 0-0 Sagu (15-25)
Steve Butcher scored the game-winning goal at 8:19 of overtime, giving the Force a 10-8 overtime win at The Convo on Sunday. Dallas had tied the contest at 8-8 with a 2pg from Antonio Sutton (his second score of the game). Giuliano Oliviero scored a pair of 2pgs for Cleveland. Jim Larkin saved 19 of 23 shots for Cleveland, and Sagu turned away 15 of 20 shots in goal for the Sidekicks. Frank Filo and Nick Stavrou also scored for the Sidekicks, and Kiley Couch and Chris Stathopoulos added 2pgs for the Force. Dallas' loss allowed Kansas City to clinch a berth in the 2003 MISL Playoffs.
TEAM CAPSULES (February 17 â February 23, 2003)
BALTIMORE BLAST (12-17)
The Blast went 0-2 over the weekend, falling 17-6 in Kansas City on Friday night and 13-8 in Milwaukee on Sunday. The Blast maintains a one-game lead over Harrisburg in the MISL's Eastern Conference. Tarik Walker, Danny Kelly, and Denison Cabral scored for the Blast against the Comets, and Kelly, Walker, Dewan Bader, and P.J. Wakefield found the net against the Wave. Brett Phillips (10 saves) took the loss in K.C., and Scott Hileman (12) saves was in goal against the Wave. Leading scorer Cabral ranks 20th in the League with 51 points. Sean Bowers ranks third in the MISL with 67 blocks. Hileman is now third in the League with a 10.62 PAA. The Blast will play two of its next three games at home, before hitting the road for its final four games.
For The Record:
Home: 9-7 Road: 3-10 vs. Eastern Conference: 6-8 vs. Western Conference: 6-9
Up Next: Wednesday 2/26 at Philadelphia; Friday 2/28 vs. Cleveland; Saturday 3/1 vs. Harrisburg; Saturday 3/15 at Kansas City
CLEVELAND FORCE (15-14)
Cleveland moved over .500 with a pair of victories last week, 16-8 over Harrisburg on Friday and 10-8 in overtime against Dallas on Sunday. The Force has opened up a three-game lead over third-place Baltimore and leads fourth-place Harrisburg by four games. Giuliano Oliviero scored four goals and eight points in the two games and Chris Stathopoulos added three goals and six points, while John Ball added five assists. Jim Larkin saved 38 of 46 shots over the weekend, and leads the League in minutes played (1,607) and ranks second with 415 saves. Oliviero now ranks eighth in the League with 69 points. Stathopoulos is tied for 15th with 57 points. Defender D.J. Newsom is fifth in the MISL with 52 blocks.
For The Record:
Home: 11-5 Road: 4-9 vs. Eastern Conference: 6-7 vs. Western Conference: 9-7
Up Next: Friday 2/28 at Baltimore; Saturday 3/1 at Milwaukee; Tuesday 3/4 at Dallas; Friday 3/14 vs. Philadelphia;
DALLAS SIDEKICKS (7-22)
Dallas lost its only game of the week, falling 10-8 in overtime in Cleveland on Sunday. With the loss, the Sidekicks dropped to 7-22, four games behind third-place San Diego in the West. Antonio Sutton scored a pair of goals against the Force, and Frank Filo and Nick Stravrou added the other two. Sagu (15 saves) gets the loss in goal against Cleveland. David Doyle continues to lead the team in scoring; his 68 points tie him for ninth in the League. Tatu ranks 17th overall with 56 points, and is tied for fourth in the League with 26 assists. Stavrou now ranks 19th in the MISL with 52 points. Sagu is fifth overall with a 10.84 PAA, and ranks third in both minutes played (1,461) and saves (315). The Sidekicks will play their next three games at home, where the team is 5-8 this season (as opposed to 2-14 on the road).
For The Record:
Home: 5-8 Road: 2-14 vs. Eastern Conference: 5-10 vs. Western Conference: 2-12
Up Next: Friday 2/28 vs. Philadelphia; Saturday 3/1 vs. Kansas City; Tuesday 3/4 vs. Cleveland; Friday 3/14 at Kansas City
HARRISBURG HEAT (12-19)
Harrisburg's losing streak reached three games with a pair of defeats last week, 16-8 in Cleveland on Friday and 7-6 in Philadelphia on Sunday. The Heat remains one game behind third-place Baltimore in the Eastern Conference; Harrisburg will face the Blast this Saturday night. Ato Leone scored four points against the Force, giving him 65 points (11th overall) on the season. Leone is also third with 28 assists. David Bascome added a 2pg in Cleveland, moving him into 16th place on the League's all-time scoring list with 907 career points. Bascome is sixth in the League with 78 points, and is tied for second with 35 total goals, is second in 2pgs (34), and leads the League with 13 power play goals. Chris Damico started both games and saved 25 of 35 shots. Marco Coria is 14th in the MISL with 58 points. Genoni Martinez remains the highest-scoring defender in the League with 68 points (tied for ninth overall), and leads the League with 78 blocks, which ties Chris Morman's single-season franchise record. Following this Saturday's pivotal matchup with the Blast, the Heat will play three of its final three games at home, beginning with the Got Milk? School Day Game on Wednesday, March 5 against Milwaukee.
For The Record:
Home: 8-7 Road: 4-12 vs. Eastern Conference: 5-11 vs. Western Conference: 7-8
Up Next: Saturday 3/1 at Baltimore; Wednesday 3/5 vs. Milwaukee; Saturday 3/15 at San Diego; Saturday 3/22 vs. Cleveland
KANSAS CITY COMETS (15-14)
The Comets recorded a pair of significant wins at Kemper Arena over the weekend and with Dallas' loss to Cleveland on Sunday, Kansas City became the third team to clinch a spot in the 2003 MISL Playoffs. On Friday against Baltimore, the Comets trailed 4-2 at the half but outscored Baltimore 15-2 in the second half en route to a 17-6 win, and on Saturday night, K.C. ended Milwaukee's 11-game winning streak with a 10-6 victory. Nick Corneli scored four goals and nine points over the weekend, including seven against the Blast. He now ranks 13th in the League with 60 points this season. Dino Delevski sat out Friday night's game but scored five points (two 2pgs, assist) against the Wave to give him a League-leading 123 points this season. Delevski leads the League in total goals (43) and 2pgs (35), is tied for the League lead with eight 3pgs, and is second with 29 assists. Nino DaSilva ranks fifth in the MISL with 79 points; his 27 2pgs are tied for fourth in the League. Nate Houser is tied for 15th in the MISL with 57 points. Defender Jeff Davis ranks fourth in the circuit with 57 blocks. Keeper Paolo Ceccarelli is seventh in the League with an 11.64 PAA, is second with a .750 save percentage, and leads the League with 428 saves. Ceccarelli saved 33 of 39 shots over the weekend.
For The Record:
Home: 6-9 Road: 9-5 vs. Eastern Conference: 9-6 vs. Western Conference: 6-8
Up Next: Friday 2/28 at San Diego; Saturday 3/1 at Dallas; Tuesday 3/4 vs. Philadelphia; Friday 3/14 vs. Dallas
MILWAUKEE WAVE (24-6)
The Wave's franchise-record 11-game winning streak was snapped with a 10-6 loss against Kansas City on Saturday, but Milwaukee returned to its winning ways with a 13-8 over Baltimore on Sunday at the Bradley Center. Martin Dugas, Pat White, and Todd Dusosky all scored for the Wave on Saturday, and Dusosky bagged a 3pg, a 2pg, and an assist for six points against the Blast on Sunday. Dusosky ranks seventh in the League with 72 points, and leads the MISL with 36 assists. Joe Reiniger and Greg Howes continue to fight for the team's scoring lead; Reiniger is third in the MISL with 88 points and Howes is fourth with 84 points. Howes is fourth in the League with 33 total goals, and Reiniger is fifth with 32 tallies. Howes is also third in the MISL with 29 2pgs. Reiniger is tied for first in the MISL with eight 3pgs. Victor Nogueira, who won against the Blast with 19 saves on 23 shots, leads the League with a 7.65 points against average, 21 wins, and a save percentage .770. Milwaukee leads the League in offense (14.2 points per game) and defense (8.9 points per game), and is also first on the power play (54.0%) and in penalty killing (71.9%). Beginning this Saturday, the Wave will play four of its final six games at the Bradley Center.
For The Record:
Home: 12-2 Road: 12-4 vs. Eastern Conference: 11-3 vs. Western Conference: 13-3
Up Next: Saturday 3/1 vs. Milwaukee; Wednesday 3/5 at Harrisburg; Saturday 3/15 vs. Dallas; Sunday 3/16 vs. Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA KIXX (21-7)
Don D'Ambra's 2pg with 11 seconds to play gave the KiXX a 7-6 win over Harrisburg on Sunday, and allowed Philly to maintain its perfect (15-0) record at the First Union Spectrum this season. D'Ambra, Pat Morris, and Goran Vasic (3pg) scored the KiXX goals; Vasic also assisted on the scores by D'Ambra and Morris. Peter Pappas save nine shots in goal. Leading scorer Joel Shanker, who left Sunday's game with an ankle injury, is 12th in the League with 64 points. Pappas is second in the MISL with a 9.16 points against average, and is fifth with a .732 save percentage. The KiXX will play their next five games on the road, where the team is 6-7 this season.
For The Record:
Home: 15-0 Road: 6-7 vs. Eastern Conference: 12-3 vs. Western Conference: 6-4
Up Next: Sunday 2/23 vs. Harrisburg; Wednesday 2/26 vs. Baltimore; Friday 2/28 at Dallas; Saturday 3/1 at San Diego
SAN DIEGO SOCKERS (12-19)
San Diego was idle last week. The Sockers remain in third place in the Western Conference, four games in front of fourth-place of Dallas. Carlos "Chile" Farias remains one of two players with over 100 points this season; with 104 points, he ranks second in the League. Farias is also tied for second in the League with 35 total goals, is tied for the League lead with eight 3pgs, and is tied for fourth with 26 assists. Midfielder Mariano Bollella is 18th in the League with 56 points. Goalkeeper Nick Vorberg is sixth in the League with an 11.04 PAA. Defender Gaston Pernia is second in the MISL with 72 blocks. The Sockers will play their next four games at home, where the team is 7-7 (as opposed to 5-12 on the road).
For The Record:
Home: 7-7 Road: 5-12 vs. Eastern Conference: 3-12 vs. Western Conference: 9-7
Up Next: Friday 2/28 vs. Kansas City; Saturday 3/1 vs. Philly; Saturday 3/15 vs. Harrisburg; Friday 3/21 vs. Baltimore
LEAGUE NOTES: Entering the week, the San Diego Sockers (12-19) face a magic number of two to clinch a playoff berth. San Diego faces Kansas City and Philadelphia at home this weekend
Philadelphia remains undefeated at home (15-0) this season. With three more home games left, the KiXX have a chance to become the second team in League history to go a full season with losing at home. The Milwaukee Wave (22-0 in 2001-02) was the first
With a 2pg in Cleveland on Friday night, Harrisburg's David Bascome moved into 16th place on the League's all-time scoring list with 907 career points.
Baltimore now leads the MISL with 21 restart goals
Harrisburg (Bascome, Genoni Martinez, Ato Leone, and Marco Coria) and Kansas City (Dino Delevski, Nino DaSilva, Nick Corneli, and Nate Houser) are the only teams in the League with four players among the top 20 scorers in the MISL
QUOTE CORNER:
"The four assists is a record for my life. I don't think I ever had four assists before. I'm not a dishing [passing] guy."
- Cleveland Force midfielder John Ball, after recording four assists in a 16-8 win over Harrisburg on Friday night.
"We didn't panic, we stayed composed and we got through this. This is the kind of game we needed. My concern is at 24-6, whatever we are, maybe the candle's not burning quite as bright. But we dug down deep, and this was good preparation for the playoffs
- Milwaukee Wave head coach Keith Tozer, after his team's 13-8 win over Baltimore on Sunday
"Whenever the ball doesn't go in, it is a good save. It doesn't matter how you make it."
- Kansas City Comets goalkeeper Paolo Ceccarelli, after a 10-6 win over Milwaukee on Saturday night at Kemper Arena
DELEVSKI EXTENDS LEAD WITH FIVE POINTS ON SATURDAY NIGHT...
Kansas City's Dino Delevski missed Friday night's game against Baltimore, but the 2000-01 MVP was back in form on Saturday against Milwaukee, scoring five points in the Comets' 10-6 win. Delevski now has 123 points on the year, 29 ahead of his closest competition, Carlos Farias of San Diego. Delevski and Farias remain the only players in the MISL to break the 100-point mark this season. Milwaukee's high-scoring duo of Joe Reiniger (88 points) and Greg Howes (84) and Nino DaSilva of the Comets (79) round out the League's top five.
Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from February 24, 2003
- Heat Places DiFlorio on Waivers - Harrisburg Heat
- Heat Weekly - Harrisburg Heat
- Comets Join Playoff Party - MISL 2
- Back on The Block - Cleveland Force
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.
