MISL players of the week

April 3, 2006 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2) News Release

GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK

Jeff Richey, Chicago Storm

Jeff Richey has emerged as one of the Major Indoor Soccer League's hottest goalkeepers in recent weeks. After winning his second and third consecutive starts to help the Chicago Storm clinch its first berth in the MISL Championship Series, which begins later this month, the second-year Chicago goalkeeper was awarded his first MISL Goalkeeper of the Week honor on Monday. Richey improved to 5-2 this season in helping the Storm defeat Milwaukee and Baltimore - the two teams currently tied for second-place in the MISL standings - both at Chicago's UIC Pavilion. In stopping 13 of 17 shots in a convincing 9-4 defeat of the Wave on Friday, and another eight of 11 shots on goal in Chicago's 4-3 overtime win over the Blast on Sunday, Richey, a Fort Wayne, Ind. Native, had a remarkable weekend goals against average of 3.47, and an also impressive 75 percent weekend save percentage. For the season, Richey has started and played in seven games for Chicago (12-16), and has defeated each of Chicago's MISL opponents one time. His g.a.a. for the 2005-06 regular season is 4.15, and his save percentage is 74.3 in just over 418 minutes of play. Incredibly, Richey's goals against average is actually slightly better in his two losses (both to first-place St. Louis) at 4.07, than it is in his five wins (4.19). The 28-year-old was an All-American in high school and at Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne before playing outdoor soccer with Sioux Falls (Premier Development League), the Milwaukee Rampage (A-League), and Milwaukee Wave United (A-League). The Storm acquired Richey's Major Indoor Soccer League rights prior to the 2004-05 MISL Regular Season in a trade with the Milwaukee Wave.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Lazo Alavanja, Chicago Storm

Lazo Alavanja becomes the first Major Indoor Soccer League player this season to win both the weekly offensive award (Jan. 16) and now the MISL Defensive Player of the Week honor after playing huge parts in Chicago's pair of weekend wins. Alavanja, who has settled in as a defender for the majority of the season, and was a 2006 MISL All-Star defender, contributed four blocks and was part of a Storm defense that held the MISL's most lethal scoring tandem - Milwaukee's Greg Howes and Todd Dusosky - scoreless, while adding a goal of his own in a 9-4 win for Chicago on Friday. Then on Sunday, after helping to hold Baltimore to just three goals in regulation, and contributing two more blocks, the three-time All-American at Indiana University scored his second game-winning overtime goal of the season, 59 seconds into the extra session for the win that clinched the first MISL Championship Series berth for Chicago. Like Richey, Alavanja has been with the Storm since 2004. In playing 27 of 28 games this season, the All-Star, who regularly plays on both the team's power play and penalty killing units, has 13 goals, eight assists, and 24 blocks for Chicago. Included in his goal total are two short-handed scores, three game-winners, and six restart goals. Prior to his joining the Storm, the 29-year-old, Crown Point, Ind. native and played four professional outdoor seasons with Dallas and D.C. United of Major League Soccer (MLS).

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Dino Delevski, Philadelphia KiXX

Dino Delevski proved the offensive difference-maker as the Philadelphia KiXX went on the road and defeated St. Louis on Thursday (4-3) and California on Saturday (7-5) to earn their first consecutive victories of the season. Delevski, the Major Indoor Soccer League Most Valuable Player and Spalding Scoring Champion following the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons with the Kansas City Comets, had his most productive week to date for Philadelphia since being signed in mid-February. The 29-year-old forward, native of Skopje, Macedonia, and All-American at Oklahoma City University, had one goal and one assist to lead the KiXX with two points on Thursday when Philadelphia handed the first-place St. Louis Steamers their first loss in 13 games at Savvis Center. It was also Philadelphia's first win over the Steamers this season. On Saturday night at Stockton Arena, Delevski's pair of second half scores, including the game-winner, which broke a 5-5 tie with 3:25 left in regulation in a 7-5 win, allowed the KiXX to take the season series from the Cougars, 4-2. Delevski has three multi-point games in a row, and has increased his season totals to seven goals and four assists in seven games. In his seven-year career, Delevski is a five-time All-League selection, and a four-time All-Star. The high-scoring forward has totaled 288 goals, 128 assists, in 195 regular season games.

• Discuss this story on the Major Indoor Soccer League 2 message board...

Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from April 3, 2006

• MISL players of the week - MISL 2
• Steamers Weekly - St. Louis Steamers
• KiXX concludes 2005-2006 campaign with back-to-back weekend - Philadelphia KiXX
• Steamers Opening Round Schedule is Set - St. Louis Steamers
• KiXX Forward Dino Delevski Named MISL Offensive Player of the Week - Philadelphia KiXX

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.