Philadelphia KiXX Select Four in 2007 MISL Expansion Draft
Published on July 9, 2007 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Philadelphia KiXX News Release
Philadelphia, PA, July 9, 2007 - The defending Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Champion Philadelphia KiXX announced the club has selected four players in the 2007 MISL Expansion Draft. With the first overall selection, Philadelphia selected forward Aaron Susi from the California Cougars. The club also selected defenders Matt Schmidt and Gaston Pernia, and midfielder Angel Rivillo. The KiXX acquired the first four selections of the MISL Monterrey team via a trade that was announced on June 29.
Susi will enter his ninth season when the KiXX begin the defense of their 2006-07 MISL Title this fall. In 27 games with California last season, Susi posted 16 goals and 13 assists for 46 points. A native of San Diego, Calif., he is a veteran of indoor soccer, having played for the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL), the St. Louis Ambush of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL), the Wichita Wings (NPSL) and the San Diego Sockers in both the World Indoor Soccer League (WISL) and the MISL. Susi also played for the St. Louis Steamers in 2003-04, the Cleveland Force in 2004-05. A graduate of San Diego State University, he led the team in goals, assists, and total points during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
With the club's second-round selection (4th overall), Philadelphia acquired the rights to defender Matt Schmidt from the Milwaukee Wave. Schmidt looks to return to the MISL after taking the 2006-07 season off. The Milwaukee native played five seasons for the Wave between 2001-2006 and posted a career-best 16 goals, eights assists, and 45 blocks in 30 games in the 2005-06 campaign. In 168 career games, Schmidt has recorded 44 goals while blocking 164 shots.
The KiXX continued their selections with defender Gaston Pernia (3rd round, 7th overall). The former Chicago Storm captain joins the KiXX fresh off a 58-block campaign, a Chicago franchise record, ranking him second in the MISL in that category. In 29 games this past season, the stay-at-home defenseman recorded one assist and just six penalty minutes. Pernia began playing indoor soccer in 1996-97 with the Seattle Sea Dogs of the CISL (Continental Indoor Soccer League). The following season he helped lead the Sea Dogs to their only CISL Championship. During the 1998-99 season, the 33-year old played in 31 games, starting the season with the Florida Thundercats before joining the KiXX, scoring a career-high 10 goals. After a two-year hiatus, the Argentina native led the San Diego Sockers and the entire World Indoor Soccer League in blocks with 53, followed by 80 the following season where he played in the MISL All-Star game. Pernia would go on to play for the Monterrey Fury before being picked up by Chicago in a dispersal draft.
Philadelphia concluded their selections with midfielder Angel Rivillo, 4th round and 10th overall. Similar to Schmidt, Rivillo will also look to get back on track after taking a brief hiatus during the 2006-07 season. The Caracas, Venezuela native began his professional indoor career with the Wave in 2003-04 and has recorded 45 points in 77 contests with Milwaukee. The 28-year-old product of Creighton University has also competed with the Milwaukee Rampage, the Milwaukee Wave United, and the Atlanta Silverbacks, all of the outdoor A-League.
A complete list of selections in the 2007 MISL Expansion Draft is available at the League's official website, www.MISL.net.
The 2007 Nemours Philadelphia KiXX Summer Kamp program, offered to boys and girls ages four to 14, opens in late June and runs through the end of August at approximately 40 locations throughout the Tri-State area. In addition to professional instruction from members of the Philadelphia KiXX, each participant in the summer camp program receives a certificate of participation, an official camp t-shirt and soccer ball, a voucher to the 2007-08 KiXX home opener, and a second free ticket to another 2007-08 KiXX home game. For more information or to obtain a 2007 Philadelphia KiXX Summer Kamp brochure, complete with the site schedule, contact the club's Executive Office at 1-888-888-KIXX (5499) or register online at www.kixxonline.com.
The Philadelphia KiXX are a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), a single-entity organization that features a coast-to-coast presence across the United States. The club recently concluded its ninth season of play at the Wachovia Spectrum located in Philadelphia, PA. The team also operates the Philadelphia KiXX Summer Kamp program, which is offered to boys and girls, ages four to 18, throughout the Tri-State area. For more information, please contact Tom Hushen, KiXX Grassroots Marketing Manager, at (215) 952-5494. The Communications Department can also be reached via email at thushen@kixxonline.com.
Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from July 9, 2007
- Chicago Storm Gets "Chile" - Chicago Storm
- Blast Loses Five Players In Expansion Draft - Baltimore Blast
- Philadelphia KiXX Select Four in 2007 MISL Expansion Draft - Philadelphia KiXX
- Dombrowski Taken In First Round Of Expansion Draft - Milwaukee Wave
- Veteran Torres Retires To Return To Alma Mater - Milwaukee Wave
- KiXX Prepare For MISL Expansion Draft - Philadelphia KiXX
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