Force Players Sweep MISL Monthly Honors

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


CLEVELAND, OHIO- Cleveland Force forward and team captain John Ball, goalkeeper Jim Larkin and defender Genoni Martinez all were selected as the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Players of the Month for their respective positions for the month of March. This marked the first time this season that Cleveland was awarded a Player of the Month and the first time since last March.

Ball takes home his first career MISL Offensive Player of the Month award after recording nine goals and four assists for a team-high 13 points in five games in the month. The 32-year old native of Hartford, Connecticut was selected as the Zarzour Nissan Force Co-Player of the Month for March as well as the MISL Offensive Player of the Week on two consecutive weeks during March (March 14 and 21). He recorded two hat tricks on March 11 and 13 and scored three or more points in four of five games during the month. The Southern Connecticut product notched his 450th career point on his first of three points on March 19. John tied a season-high in points in a game with four on March 20 in a 7-5 victory over the Kansas City Comets with two goals and two assists. Ball is currently third in Spalding Scoring Champion race with 50 points on 31 goals and a career-best 24 assists. John ranks first in the MISL in goals against the sixth attacker with five and is tied for first in short handed goals with two.

Larkin earns his first Goalkeeper of the Month award and his second career honor. Jim was ironically named the MISL Goalkeeper of the Month for March last season as well. The Toronto, Canada native posted a record of 4-1 during the month and tallied a month-high tying 19 saves on three occasions. He recorded 5.27 goals against average and an impressive .764 save percentage (which led the league). Larkin has been selected as the MISL Goalkeeper of the Week on four occasions this season (November 29, January 24, February 7 March 21). Jim ranks first in the MISL in saves with 424 and is second in save percentage with .743.

Martinez, the two-time defending MISL Defensive Player of the Year, earns his first Defensive Player of the Month honor and third in the last two seasons after recording five goals and added six assists for 11 points in five games in March. He tied a season-high for points in a game with four and recorded his first hat trick with the Force on March 11. In addition, he added a team-high 12 blocks during the month. He was selected the MISL Defensive Player of the Week on two consecutive weeks (March 14 and 21). The 30-year-old native of Mexico City has scored 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) and blocked 24 shots in only 13 games since joining the Force in mid-February. Cleveland is 9-4 since adding Martinez to the defense.

In addition, to the March Players of the Month, John, Jim and Genoni join defender Matt Johnson as the Force players who have been named MISL Player of the Week honors this season. Johnson garnered the Defensive Player of the Week on February 7.

The Force will next travel to the Show Me State to take on to the Kansas City Comets in the first of three games in four days on Thursday, April 7. The game can be heard live on WHK 1420 AM in Cleveland as well as 1440 AM WHKW in Warren/Youngstown or worldwide on the Internet at www.thesportsking.com starting at 8:05 p.m.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from April 5, 2005


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