Comets Weekly

September 23, 2003 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Kansas City Comets News Release


The Kansas City Comets opened up their preseason schedule last Tuesday, September 16, with a convincing 15-11 victory over the intrastate rival St. Louis Steamers at Kemper Arena. Second-year forward Brian Soell scored three goals and assisted on three others, while Dino Delevski added four goals and newcomer Jamar Beasley tallied three scores and an assist. Steve Butcher and Mike Apple both scored twice for the Steamers. DJ Horvath, acquired over the summer from the San Diego Sockers started in goal and recorded seven stops as the Comets built a 9-2 lead in the first half. Rookies Josh Schreck (eight saves) and Eric Kenas (five) played goal in the second half.

On Saturday, September 20, the Comets tied the Steamers 8-8 at Family Arena in St. Charles. Jamar Beasley scored four goals and Aleksey Korol, just signed on Friday, added a goal and two assists. Brian Soell (who scored six points in the Comets' 15-11 exhibition win over the Steamers on the 16th), Luciano Sato, and Sammy Ekeme scored the other Kansas City goals. DJ Horvath started in goal for K.C. and played the first half; he was replaced in the third by rookie Josh Schreck. Eric Kenas played the final half of the fourth stanza.

The 23-year-old Beasley, signed by the Comets on September 8, has now scored seven goals in his first two indoor outings. The speedy striker tallied three goals and an assist against St. Louis on Tuesday.

COMETS' ROSTER TAKES SHAPE:

On Friday, the Comets announced that forward Aleksey Korol (kuh-ROLL) and defender Matt Tanzini have signed Major Indoor Soccer League offer sheets with the club.

Korol, 25, was a three-time All-Big Ten selection while at Indiana University (1997-99). In 1999, the 5-10, 160-pound Korol was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and earned First Team All-American honors while finishing fourth in the voting for the Hermann Trophy, collegiate soccer's equivalent of the Heisman. Selected by the Dallas Burn with the fifth overall pick of the 2000 Major League Soccer draft, he spent three seasons in MLS before joining the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the A-League this past summer. The 27-year-old Tanzini began his indoor career with the Buffalo Blizzard in 2000-01, scoring 10 points and blocking seven shots in 11 games before a knee injury ended his season. He joined the Harrisburg Heat in 2001-02, and in two seasons scored 28 goals and assisted on 22 others while blocking 65 shots in 72 games. He has also played for the U.S. National Futsal Team, coached by Milwaukee Wave skipper Keith Tozer.

Korol and Tanzini join forward Jamar Beasley and goalkeeper DJ Horvath as recent additions to a Comets roster that could feature a handful of promising new faces when the club opens its season on October 11 at Kemper Arena against St. Louis. The 23-year-old Beasley, the youngest player in Major League Soccer history when he signed out of high school in 1998, scored three goals in the Comets' exhibition win over the Steamers last Tuesday. Horvath, 32, saved seven first-half shots in his Comets debut against St. Louis.

THIS WEEK FOR THE COMETS:

The Comets will practice at the K.C. Soccer Dome from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. Please call Sharon Capps at 816-474-2255 to confirm player and staff availability. Following Thursday's practice, the team will head north to participate in this weekend's MISL Easter Seals Preseason Classic at U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee. The two-day event, which will benefit Easter Seals Southeastern Wisconsin, will provide a preview of the upcoming 2003-04 season.

Kansas City will face the defending champion Baltimore Blast on Friday, September 26 at 2:00 p.m., and the Philadelphia KiXX at 8:00 p.m. On Saturday the 27th, the Comets will take on the San Diego Sockers at 4:00 p.m.

2003-04 MISL EASTER SEALS PRESEASON CLASSIC U.S. CELLULAR ARENA, MILWAUKEE, WI

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 (all times Central)
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. St. Louis Steamers vs. San Diego Sockers
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. BALTIMORE BLAST VS. KANSAS CITY COMETS
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Monterrey Fury vs. Cleveland Force
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Dallas Sidekicks vs. St. Louis Steamers
5:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. Games For Kids
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Milwaukee Wave vs. San Diego Sockers
8:00 - 9:00 p.m. PHILADELPHIA KIXX VS. KANSAS CITY COMETS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 (all times Central)
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Monterrey Fury vs. Baltimore Blast
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Cleveland Force vs. Milwaukee Wave
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Philadelphia KiXX vs. Dallas Sidekicks
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. SAN DIEGO SOCKERS VS. KANSAS CITY COMETS
5:15 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. Games For Kids
6:15 - 6:45 p.m. Celebrity Game
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Milwaukee Wave vs. Monterrey Fury
8:00 - 9:00 p.m. Baltimore Blast vs. St. Louis Steamers

The Comets will open their 2003-04 regular season when they host the Steamers at Kemper Arena on Saturday, October 11. Kickoff is 7:35 p.m. Central Time. The following Saturday, October 18, the expansion Monterrey Fury comes to town (7:35 p.m.), before the Comets embark on a four-game road swing that will take the team to St. Louis (October 25), San Diego (November 9), Milwaukee (November 14), and Philadelphia (November 15).



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from September 23, 2003


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