KiXX splits back-to-back weekend; enjoys holiday break before resuming action on December 30
Published on December 12, 2005 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Philadelphia KiXX News Release
Philadelphia, PA, December 12, 2005 - The Philadelphia KiXX (3-3) split their first back-to-back series of the season, dropping a 5-3 decision to the defending Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Champion Milwaukee Wave on December 9 and then defeating the Chicago Storm, 3-2, at the Wachovia Spectrum on December 10. The club enjoys a three-week holiday hiatus before resuming to action with a trip south on Interstate-95 to battle the Baltimore Blast at 1st Mariner Arena. Game-time is scheduled for 7:35 pm ET with the action available live via webcast at www.PennLive.com. Veteran play-by-play announcer John Wilsbach will provide the call.
This Week's Itinerary:
Monday, December 12, Off Day
Tuesday, December 13, Practice, Tri-State Sports, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Wednesday, December 14, Practice, Tri-State Sports, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Thursday, December 15, Practice, Tri-State Sports, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Friday, December 16, Practice, Tri-State Sports, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Saturday, December 17, Off Day
Sunday, December 18, Off Day
*all times are Eastern and subject to change
Injury Report:
Player Injury Status
Don D'Ambra Hamstring Questionable
Tim O'Neill Foot Out
David Schofield Ankle Questionable
Dance Team Calendar Debuted: The 2006 Philadelphia KiXX Dance Team Calendar made it's official debut as the team defeated the Chicago Storm, 3-2, on December 10 at the Wachovia Spectrum ... the first 1,500 guests (14 and older) received a complimentary calendar, courtesy of Cherry Hill Nissan ... the 16-month edition, commencing January 2006, features each dance team member in their finest swimsuit attire ... the calendar is now available for purchase at all remaining KiXX home games in the 2005-06 campaign and through the KiXX Office at 1-888-888-KIXX (5499).
Dynamic Duo: Forwards Goran Vasic and John Barry Nusum have become a potent one-two punch for the KiXX offense this season ... both players have opened the season with at least one point in each of the club's six games and currently sit tied for seventh on the League's leaderboard with eight points apiece ... Nusum, the 2005 MISL Rookie of the Year, has registered six goals, including the game winner on December 10 and two assists, while Vasic is vice versa with a pair of goals and six assists ... Nusum, who also ranks fourth in the MISL in goals, finished his rookie campaign second on the club with 45 points ... Vasic, a native of Belgrade, Yugoslavia, concluded 2004-05 first on the team in assists (31) and fifth in points (42).
Power-Less: Philadelphia's power-play unit finally capitalized on a man-advantage opportunity, as player/coach Don D'Ambra blasted a right-footer into the back of the net versus California on December 3 ... the power-play tally marked the first of the season after failing to connect on their previous three opportunities ... thanks to Shawn Boney's penalty-kick goal (also scored as power-play tally) on December 10, the unit is now tied for third in the League with a 33.3 percent (2-of-6) success rate ... vice versa, the club's penalty-killing unit ranks fourth in the six-team League, blocking three-of-the-five (60.0) man-down situations they have faced ... last season, Philadelphia ranked third in power-play success rate (54.0) and first in kill rate (64.7).
Back-to-Back: The club dropped a 5-3 decision in Milwaukee in the first game of the club's first set of back-to-back contests on December 9, but rebounded to earn a 3-2 victory versus the Chicago Storm in the second outing of the series on December 10 ... last season (2004-05), the club posted a 7-4 record in the first game of back-to-back series and a 5-5 mark in the latter contest ... listed below are all of the back-to-back sets this season:
Date Opponent W/L* Date Opponent W/L*
12/9 at Milwaukee L, 3-5 12/10 vs. Chicago W, 3-2
1/20 at Milwaukee 8:05 pm 1/21 vs. Milwaukee 7:05 pm
1/28 vs. Chicago 7:05 pm 1/29 at Chicago 5:00 pm
3/3 at Baltimore 7:35 pm 3/4 vs. Baltimore 7:05 pm
3/18 vs. St. Louis 7:05 pm 3/19 at Milwaukee 2:05 pm
4/8 vs. Baltimore 7:05 pm 4/9 at Chicago 5:00 pm
*all times are Eastern and subject to change
Last Week's Outing(s):
KiXX 3, Storm 2 (12/10): Philadelphia concluded their back-to-back weekend with a 3-2 victory versus the Chicago Storm in front of 4,984 fans at the Wachovia Spectrum. Despite outshooting Chicago by a count of 7-2, the KiXX were held scoreless for the second consecutive night, third overall this season, after one full quarter of play. The club's defense also held Chicago without a goal, closing the period in a scoreless tie. After Chicago's Denny Clanton was called for a tripping penalty in the box, veteran forward Shawn Boney drilled the free kick into the top left corner of the net, giving the KiXX the first score of the night, 1-0, at the five-minute mark of the second stanza. The Storm's scoreless first half marked the second occasion this season that Philadelphia has held their opponent without a goal for the opening half; the team also held the California Cougars scoreless in the season opener on November 12. Chicago finally struck onto the board, as Bryon Alvarez found his way through a crowded KiXX defense and knocked in an unassisted tally at 1:45 of the third period. Novi Marojevic gave the Storm their first lead of the night, 2-1, netting a powerful shot on the right wing sent over from teammate Matt Stewart at 7:16. Philadelphia's Drew Kopp knotted the score, 2-2, connecting on a pass from Goran Vasic at 10:20 of the period; the assist extended Vasic's point and assist streak to six games. A mere twenty seconds later (10:40), goalkeeper Peter Pappas recorded his first assist of the season by delivering a long ball to KiXX points-leader John Barry Nusum, who then blasted his team-leading sixth goal to give the KiXX a 3-2 advantage. Nusum's goal also extended his point streak to six games. Both defenses tightened, as the KiXX held on to earn a 3-2 victory and improve to 3-3 on the season. Pappas (3-3) earned the victory for Philadelphia, turning away eight of the 10 shots he faced, while Danny Waltman (2-4) took the loss for the Storm with seven saves on 10 chances.
Wave 5, KiXX 3 (12/9): The Philadelphia KiXX dropped a 5-3 decision to the defending Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Milwaukee Wave at the U.S. Cellular Arena in the opening game of the team's first set of back-to-back games this season. Milwaukee's Todd Dusosky opened the game's scoring with a strike on an assist from Marcelo Fontana at 4:31 of the first quarter of action. With less than a minute remaining in the opening period (14:14), Todd Dusosky found teammate Matt Schmidt slicing through the KiXX defense to extend the Wave's advantage to two, 2-0. Forward Giuliano Oliviero registered Milwaukee's third unanswered tally, 3-0, on a dish from teammate Chad Dombrowksi at the one-minute mark of the second stanza. Philadelphia native Pat Morris finally halted Milwaukee's scoring streak, connecting on a feed from fellow defender Ptah Myers at 14:02 of the period. Schmidt quickly responded to regain the Wave's three-goal lead, 4-1, finishing a rebound from a Greg Howes' shot at 14:35. KiXX forward John Barry Nusum, the 2005 Rookie of the Year, cut the team's deficit to two, 4-2, with a tally from eight-year veteran Goran Vasic at 5:23 of the third quarter. With the connection, both Nusum and Vasic have now scored at least one point in each of the club's five games this season; Vasic has also recorded one assist in each of the five contests. Nusum notched his second score, unassisted, of the evening to pull Philadelphia within one, 4-3, at 1:23 of the fourth period, but the Wave answered right back as the brother connection of Troy and Todd Dusosky connected for a tally just over a minute later (2:35). Morris entered the game as a sixth attacker late in the period, but the defending champs held on to earn a 5-3 victory.
KiXX RECORD:
Overall: 3-3
Home: 3-1
Road: 0-2
PREVIOUS RESULTS:
12/9 at Milwaukee Wave - L, 3-5
12/10 vs. Chicago Storm - W, 3-2
THIS WEEK'S GAMES:
No Games Scheduled.
Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from December 12, 2005
- Bayard Elfvin Takes Home Top Goalkeeper Prize - St. Louis Steamers
- KiXX splits back-to-back weekend; enjoys holiday break before resuming action on December 30 - Philadelphia KiXX
- Wave's Dusosky and Schmidt named MISL Players of the Week - Milwaukee Wave
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