Force Feels Heat in Crunch Time 18-8

March 22, 2003 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Cleveland Force News Release


HARRISBURG, PA. – The Cleveland Force traveled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to face the Harrisburg Heat in the final regular season meeting. The Force was defeated by the Heat 18-8 in a Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Eastern Conference game at the Farm Show Arena.

With the loss, Cleveland needs a win or a loss by Baltimore in the final regular season game for both teams to secure the home field advantage for the Eastern Conference Semifinal game. The Force fell snapped a three game winning streak and fell to 18-17 overall. With the win, the Heat improved to 14-21 overall and finished the season series tied at 3-3.

Cleveland opened the scoring (2-0) when Steve Butcher went top shelf for the two-point goal off the pass from Giuliano Oliviero at 1:43 of the first quarter. The Force added to its lead (4-0) when Justin Evans found the back post for a two-point goal off the first assist of the season for Braeden Cloutier at 11:46.

Harrisburg cut the lead in half (6-3) when Ze Roberto scored a three-point goal that was deflected off a Force player into the back of the goal at 8:15 of the second quarter. The Heat cut the lead to just one point (6-5) when Ato Leone scored a two-point goal that went between the legs of Cleveland goalkeeper Jim Larkin off the feed from Nikola Vignjevic at 10:31. Harrisburg took its first lead of the game (6-7) when Marco Coria found the back of the net off the pass from Matt Tanzini at 12:37. The Heat went up by three (6-9) when Mike Henning scored a two-point goal off the pass from Ze Roberto at 14:22.

Harrisburg opened the second half scoring (6-11) when Neil Gilbert scored a two-point restart goal at 1:34 of the third quarter. The Force snapped an 11-0 run by the Heat (8-11) when Zoran Karic scored a two-point power play goal off the second assist of the game for Oliviero at 7:12. The goal marked the first goal for Karic as a member of the Force.

Harrisburg opened the final period scoring (8-13) when Leone scored his second goal of the game off the pass from Matt Tanzini at 3:07 of the fourth quarter. The Heat added to its lead (8-16) when Vignjevic scored a three-point goal off the pass from Ze Roberto at 4:02. Harrisburg sealed the game (8-18) when Coria scored his second goal of the game off the pass from Chris Morman at 12:49.

Cleveland will conclude the regular season when it travels Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to take on the Philadelphia KiXX in the final regular season meeting between the two teams this season. The game is set to begin at 1:05 p.m. The game can be seen on WUAB TV-43 The Block or heard live 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.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from March 22, 2003


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