Force Storms Past Chicago Into Final Playoff Spot, 10-6

Published on March 13, 2005 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Cleveland Force News Release


CLEVELAND, OHIO - The Cleveland Force played host and defeated the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Chicago Storm by a final score of 10-6 at the Wolstein Convocation Center.

With the victory, the Force won their third straight game and moved into the fourth and final playoff spot and one game out of second place. Cleveland improved to 14-13 overall, 9-7 at home, 3-2 in the season series and 32-18 all- time versus Chicago teams. With the loss, the Storm snapped their two-game winning streak and fell 15-15 overall and 4-9 on the road.

Cleveland jumped out to an early lead (1-0) when forward Aaron Susi tapped in the ball as he was on the back post from the rebound shot of Chris Handsor just 59 seconds into the first quarter. The Force added to their lead (2-0) when forward Sipho Sibiya flicked a ball past a Chicago defender and hit a streaking forward Chris Dore who then buried a shot at 7:37. Cleveland kept things rolling (3-0) when forward and team captain John Ball stole the ball and then nailed a shot right between the legs of Storm goalkeeper Danny Waltman at 7:55. The Force added to their lead (4-0) when defender Genoni Martinez nailed a shot from beyond the yellow line into the top near post at 11:56. Cleveland scored a season-best fifth goal in the first quarter (5-0) when Martinez scored his second goal of the game as he took a pass from forward Adauto Neto and sent a screamer into the far post at 14:17.

After a scoring flurry in the first quarter, both teams were held scoreless in the second quarter. The scoreless second quarter marked the first time in the series neither team found the back of the net during the period.

Chicago snapped a 5-0 by the Force (5-1) when forward Bryon Alvarez nailed into the back of the net at 4:59 of the third quarter. The Storm cut into the lead (6-2) when Alvarez scored his second goal of the game off the assist from forward Mark Ughy just after Cleveland killed the power play at 7:45. The Force quickly responded (6-2) when forward Aaron Susi took the entry pass from Martinez and turned and hit a low liner to the far post at 8:04. Cleveland added to its lead (7-2) when Ball sent a pass into the top of the box and Sibiya knocked it back to Ball who then buried the shot for his second goal of the game at 10:33. Chicago bounced right back (7-3) when defender Gaston Pernia hit a shot that bounced off Force midfielder Gary DePalma into the goal at 10:44.

Cleveland opened the final quarter scoring (8-3) when Handsor beat Waltman and scored the unassisted goal just 21 seconds into the fourth period. The Force connected on the restart (9-3) when Neto hit the entry pass to Handsor who then drilled a shot for his second goal at 2:42. The Storm cut back into the lead (9-4) when defender Ted Chronopoulos hit the low liner into the net at 3:32. Chicago trimmed the lead further (9-5) when Chronopoulos scored his second goal at 5:09. Cleveland responded (10-5) when Ball recorded the hat- trick as he hit a shot from midfield into the empty net versus the sixth attacker off the assist from DePalma at 11:35. The hat-trick was the third straight for Ball and fourth of the season. The Storm closed out the scoring (10-6) when Matthew Stewart scored on a header with the sixth attacker on at 14:51.

The Force will have next travel to the Windy City to take on to the expansion Chicago Storm on Saturday, March 19. 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 8:00 p.m.

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Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from March 13, 2005


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