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Heat Playoff Hopes Sustain Blow

February 21, 2003 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Harrisburg Heat News Release


Cleveland, OH - The Harrisburg Heat was outscored 8-2 in the second half and 6-0 in the fourth quarter in a 16-8 loss to the Cleveland Force at The Convo on Friday night. The loss drops Harrisburg to 12-18 on the season and inflicts significant damage to the team's playoff hopes, while second-place Cleveland improves to 14-14 with the win. The outcome of third-place Baltimore's game in Kansas City on Friday night was not available at the time of this release; the Heat trailed the Blast (12-15) by one game coming into the night. Six games remain on the Heat's 2002-03 schedule.

Harrisburg scored the first goal of the game, when Neil Gilbert gently chipped a 2pg over Force keeper Jim Larkin (19 saves) at 5:09 of the first for a 2-0 lead. The Force then proceeded to go on a 6-0 run, with 2pgs from Chris Stathopoulos (13:54 of the first), Lee Edgerton (6:39 of the second), and D.J. Newsom (7:50) to take a 6-2 lead.

The Heat rallied briefly, beginning at 8:10 when Ato Leone banged home a Marco Coria cross to make it 6-4. David Bascome tied the contest at 6-6 at 10:19, when he blew through the box and redirected a Leone restart feed for a 2pg. Cleveland's Giuliano Oliviero quelled the rally, however, with a 2pg at 13:53, and the Force led 8-6 at the half.

Marco Coria tied the game at 8-8 with a 2pg for the Heat 58 seconds into the third, but Harrisburg would not score again.

Steve Butcher's 2pg at 13:11 of the third gave Cleveland a 10-8 lead heading into the final quarter. Stathopoulos (3:09) and Oliviero (3:42) scored in short succession early in the fourth, making it 14-8, Cleveland. D.J. Newsom made it four unanswered scores for the Force with a two-point restart goal at 10:04. Newsome's tally, the last of the game, made it 16-8 and secured the win for Cleveland.

Chris Damico takes the loss in goal for the Heat with 12 saves.

NOTES: Ato Leone, who finished the game with four points, has now scored 38 points over the course of his current 12-game scoring streak...Neil Gilbert's goal was his first since January 26, 2001, when he was with the Detroit Rockers...Harrisburg is now 2-3 against the Force this season...The Heat will face the first-place Philadelphia KiXX this Sunday, February 23 at the First Union Spectrum. Game time is 1:05 p..m. The contest will be televised live on CN8.

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