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Force Kicks Past Philadelphia For Key Eastern Division Victory, 6-5

December 11, 2004 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Cleveland Force News Release


PHILADELPHIA, PA. -- The Cleveland Force traveled to the City of Brotherly Love and defeated the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Eastern Division leading Philadelphia KiXX by a final score of 6-5 at the Wachovia Spectrum.

Cleveland won its seventh all-time game in Philadelphia. The last time the Force posted a victory at the Wachovia Spectrum was in the final game of the 2002-03 season as Cleveland won the game by a final score of 11-8.

With the win, the Force snapped a two game losing streak and now stands a half game out of the top spot in the Eastern Division and improved to 4-5 overall, 2-2 versus Eastern Division opponents, 2-1 in the season series and 2-2 on the road. Cleveland won its seventh all-time game in Philadelphia and marked the first victory at the Wachovia Spectrum since the final game of the 2002-03 season as the Force won the game by a final score of 11-8. With the loss, the Kixx dropped their fourth straight game and fell to 5-5 overall, 3-2 versus Eastern Division opponents and 3-3 at home.

The two teams battled to a scoreless first quarter. The scoreless period marked the fourth time this season that Cleveland as well as their opponent went without a goal in the first stanza while it also marked the second time that both squads did not find the back of the net in the opening period.

The Force struck first (1-0) when defender Fred DeGand took a ball down the boards and just missed the goal off the near post that rebounded right to forward and Lorain native Chris Dore who then tapped in the ball for the first score of the night at 2:32 of the second quarter. Philadelphia tied the game (1-1) midfielder Goran Vasic scored the game-tying goal off the cross from rookie forward John Barry Nusum at 5:15 p.m.

The KiXX took their first lead of the game and opened the second half scoring (1-2) when defender Pat Morris scored the go ahead goal off the cross from Damien Pottinger at 2:58 of the third quarter. Cleveland knotted the game back up (2-2) when defender Josh Timbers scored his first goal of the season off the assist from midfielder Gary DePalma at 8:45. The Force regained the lead (3-2) when forward Chris Handsor scored the power play goal off the assist from defender John Ball at 10:06 Cleveland missed the penalty kick on the power play but then Philadelphia recieved another two-minute penalty and the Force scored the go ahead goal on a five on three.

Cleveland opened the final quarter scoring (4-2) when Robbie Aristodemo nailed the shot from just inside the penalty area for his seventh goal of the season off the cross from Handsor at 1:53 of the fourth period. The KiXX snapped a 3-0 run by the Force (4-3) when Ptah Myers found the back of the net off the second assist of the game for Nusum at 3:00. Cleveland responded and added to their lead (5-3) when defender Rene Rivas scored the restart goal as he deflected it off a Philadelphia defender past goalkeeper Peter Papas for his third goal of the season. The KiXX cut the lead to one (5-4) when Ze Roberto scored the restart goal off the cross from Vasic at 10:16. The Force added to their lead (6-4) when Philadelphia defender Edgar Bartolomeu knocked the ball away from Cleveland midfielder Kyt Selaidopoulos right to a wide open Handsor who buried the empty net goal at 12:05. The KiXX cut the lead back to one (6-5) when Nusum scored the goal with the sixth attacker on off the cross from Vasic at 13:35.

Cleveland will next travel to the Show Me State when they take on the Central Division St. Louis Steamers in the second of four meetings on Friday, December 17 at the Savvis 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 8:35 p.m.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from December 11, 2004


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