Force Falls To KiXX In Double Overtime, 7-6

February 5, 2005 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Cleveland Force News Release


PHILADELPHIA, PA -- The Cleveland Force traveled to the City of Brotherly Love and was defeated by the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Philadelphia KiXX by in double overtime a final score of 7-6 at the Wachovia Spectrum.

With the loss, the Force fell to 8-11 overall, 3-6 on the road, 2-3 versus the KiXX this season and 23-42 all-time versus Philadelphia teams. With the victory, the KiXX improved to 14-8 overall and 8-4 at home.

Cleveland opened the scoring in the first minute of action (1-0) when forward Sipho Sibiya converted the restart off the cross from defender Rene Rivas who threaded a pass to Sibiya from the top of the arch just 39 seconds into the game.

The Force opened the second period scoring (2-0) when Sibiya scored his goal of the game as he deflected a pass from Philadelphia defender Pat Morris past goalkeeper Peter Pappas for the score at 4:20. The KiXX got on the board (2-1) when Kevin Sloan cut the lead to one goal when he scored the power play goal off the pass from Morris at 6:42. Philadelphia tied the game (2-2) when Damien Pottinger nailed a shot off the assist from Edgar Bartolomeu at 7:16. The KiXX took their first lead of the game (2-3) when Sloan tallied his second score of the quarter off the cross from Don D'Ambra at 10:21.

Cleveland opened the second half scoring and tied the game for the second time (3-3) when forward Antonio Sutton took the pass from midfielder Gary DePalma and buried it in the goal at 3:26 of the third quarter. Philadelphia regained the lead (3-4) when Sloan recorded the hat trick on his third goal of the game at 4:23. The KiXX took their largest lead of the game (3-5) when Sloan notched his fourth goal of the game as he sent a shot from 90-feet away off the assist from Chris Fehrle at 7:36. The Force cut back into the lead (4-5) when midfielder Kyt Selaidopoulos scored the unassisted goal at 10:50.

Cleveland tied the game for the third time (5-5) when DePalma came back on the field after serving the two-minute penalty and nobody picked him up and defender and team captain John Ball found him and Gary buried the shot in the far corner at 9:58 of the fourth quarter. The Force regained the lead (6-5) when Selaidopoulos made a pretty run and took the pass from defender Ryan Hall and nailed a shot from 35-feet away and hit off the far post and into the net for his second goal of the game at 11:49. Philadelphia tied the game for the fourth time (6-6) as Joel Shanker tapped in the goal with the sixth attacker on off the cross from Sloan at 12:13.

The KiXX won the game in overtime (6-7) when Bartolomeu ran right pass Rivas and dribbled around Larkin for the game-winner.

Cleveland will return home on Friday, February 11 in the first game of a home and home weekend series with the Kansas City Comets at the Wolstein Convocation Center. 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 7:35 p.m.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from February 5, 2005


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