Force Defeats Philadelphia 14-10

Published on March 14, 2003 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Cleveland Force News Release


CLEVELAND, OHIO – The Cleveland Force played host to the defending Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Champion Philadelphia KiXX in a key MISL Eastern Conference game. The Force defeated the KiXX by a final score of 14-10 at the Convocation Center at Cleveland State University.

With the win, Cleveland improved to 17-16 overall, 12-5 at home and 7-8 versus Eastern Conference opponents. With the loss, Philadelphia fell to 22-11 overall, dropped its third straight game and fell to 2-3 in the season series.

The Force opened the scoring (2-0) when Giuliano Oliviero took the rebound shot of Steve Butcher and found the back of the net for the two-point goal at 4:27 of the first quarter. Cleveland added to its lead (4-0) when Nevio Pizzolitto scored a restart goal off the first assists as a member of the Force for Zoran Karic at 5:44. The KiXX got on the board and cut the lead (4-3) when Goran Vasic buried a three-point restart goal at 11:53. Philadelphia took its first lead of the game (4-5) when Don D'Ambra deflected a shot by Anthony McPeak to score the two-point goal at 13:17. Cleveland regained the lead (6-5) when Steve Butcher hit a low shot that went under the legs of KiXX goalkeeper Peter Pappas off the feed from Justin Evans at 14:27.

The Force opened the second quarter scoring and increased their lead (8-5) when Lee Edgerton was at the back post and tapped in a pass from Chris Stathopoulos for the two-point goal at 5:35. Cleveland kept up the scoring attack (10-5) when Stathopoulos scored a sliding two-point goal off the cross from defender Mark Schulte at 12:20. Philadelphia snapped a 6-0 run by the Force (10-7) when Gary DePalma put a shot between Cleveland goalkeeper Jim Larkin legs off the pass from Vasic at 14:35.

The KiXX tied the game for the second time (10-10) when DePalma scored a three-point goal off the assist from Egar Bartolomeu at 2:39 of the third quarter. The Force regained the lead (12-10) when Edgerton scored his second goal of the game off the pass from John Ball at 3:24.

Cleveland opened up the final quarter scoring (14-10) when Oliviero scored a two-point power play goal off the second assist of the second half for Ball at 5:12.

Cleveland will next play host to the Baltimore Blast in a game with home playoff implications on Sunday, March 16th at the Convocation Center at Cleveland State University at 3:05 p.m. Catch all the action on WHK 1220 AM in Cleveland and WHKW 1440 AM in Warren or Worldwide on the Internet Home of LIVE Cleveland Force Soccer at www.thesportsking.com.

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Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from March 14, 2003


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