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Force kicks past Philadelphia, 10-6, to advance to MISL Championship series

May 1, 2005 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Cleveland Force News Release


CLEVELAND, OHIO – The Cleveland Force used two goal performances by four players to defeat the number three seed Philadelphia KIXX in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Semifinal Series by a final score of 10-6 at the Wolstein Convocation Center. The Force will advance to face the number one seed Milwaukee Wave in the MISL Championship series.

Cleveland opened the scoring (1-0) when forward and Mentor High graduate Allen Eller stole the ball at midfield and the chipped it over Philadelphia goalkeeper Peter Pappas, who came up to the yellow line to steal the ball back, at 14:18.

The KiXX tied the game (1-1) after a flurry of shots and saves by Force goalkeeper Jim Larkin but the last shot bounced back to forward Kevin Sloan who buried the tying goal at 2:44 of the second quarter. Cleveland regained the lead (2-1) when forward Chris Handsor scored the unassisted goal at 6:07. The Force wasted no time to add to their lead (3-1) when forward Adauto Neto came across the goal mouth and tapped in the pass from forward Antonio Sutton just a minute and two seconds after the Handsor goal at 7:05. Philadelphia cut into the lead (3-2) when forward and head coach Don D'Ambra took the outlet pass from Pappas and buried the shot at 12:26. The KiXX tied the game for the second time (3-3) when midfielder Damien Pottinger took the pass off the boards from defender Drew Kopp and knocked home the tying goal at 13:03. Cleveland regained the lead (4-3) when Rivas hit the diving header into the far post off the cross from midfielder Robbie Aristodemo at 14:44.

The Force jumped back out to a two goal advantage (5-3) when Neto stole the ball at midfield and went the length of the field and knocked home the goal at 7:34 of the third quarter. Philadelphia cut back into the lead (5-4) when Kopp scored the unassisted goal at 9:28. Cleveland went back up by two goals (6-4) when Handsor used a back heel to find the back of the net off the restart pass from defender Genoni Martinez at 14:45.

The KiXX used the power play to cut back into the lead (6-5) when forward John Barry Nusum redirected the pass from D'Ambra in for the man advantage tally at 1:34 of the fourth quarter. The Force responded (7-5) when Rivas made a perfect run to the back post and midfielder Gary DePalma played a perfect cross for Rivas second goal of the game at 2:40. Philadelphia got back to within one goal (7-6) when Sloan scored his second goal of the game off the assist from Nusum at 4:44. Cleveland went back up by two (8-6) when DePalma nailed a shot into the upper ninety off the cross from Eller at 7:22. The Force took their largest lead of the game when Sutton stole the ball at his own yellow line and stepped over and hit the shot into the empty net against the sixth attacker at 11:43. Cleveland sealed the game (10-6) when Sutton scored his second empty net goal at 13:42.

The Force will next take on the Wave in game one of the MISL Championship series on Saturday, May 14 at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The game can be seen live on ESPN 2 at 9:00 p.m. or heard live on WHK 1420 AM in Cleveland, 1440 AM in Warren/Youngstown and worldwide on the Internet at www.thesportsking.com.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from May 1, 2005


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