Steamers Clinch Semi-Final Round with 9-2 Win
April 22, 2006 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
St. Louis Steamers News Release
ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Steamers advanced to the Major Indoor Soccer League Championship Series Finals with a 9-2 win over the Chicago Storm in Game 2 in front of 10,283 fans at Savvis Center. It was the second consecutive win over Chicago and the Steamers didn't drop a game in the series. Carlos "Chile" Farias was the scoring star for St. Louis with two goals and two assists while Brett Phillips earned the win in net St. Louis.
The Steamers started off strong when Randy Soderman scored off a feed from Farias 2:02 into the game. Farias scored his first goal next from Mariano Bollella putting St. Louis up 2-0. After Chicago's Matthew Stewart cut the lead in half, Jamar Beasley promptly scored seven seconds later to take back a two-goal lead for St. Louis at the end of the first quarter and that score remained the same at the half.
The third quarter saw St. Louis jump out and take over the game, as Elvir Kafedzic scored his first playoff goal two minutes into the half. Joe Reiniger gave the Steamers a 5-1 lead on a power play goal, set up by Mariano Bollella. St. Louis kept the pressure on when Sterling Wescott and Jeff DiMaria pushed the lead to six goals, 7-1. After the Storm's Gus Kartes beat Phillips, Reiniger added a second goal in the fourth quarter, followed by a second restart goal for Farias.
Seven different Steamers players scored goals while five players had multiple points. Besides Farias and Reiniger, Beasley (1 goal, 2 assists), Bollella (3 assists) and Sterling Wescott (1 goal, 1 assist) had big nights. Phillips only had to make six saves to earn his second win in the post-season. Back up keeper Bayard Elfvin played the final 1:27 and did not face a shot. St. Louis held Chicago to only 13 shots total for the second straight game. The Steamers countered with 34 shots of the own.
St. Louis now waits to see whom they will face in the Finals. They will meet the winner of the Baltimore Blast/Milwaukee Wave Semi-Final. Baltimore won Game 1 Saturday night, 10-4 in Baltimore's 1st Mariner Arena. Game 2 will be played Sunday at U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee. Game one of the MISL Championship Series Finals will take place at either Baltimore or Milwaukee, Friday night, April 28th. Game 2 and the "Golden Goal" session (if necessary) will take place at Savvis Center, Sunday, April 30th beginning at 12:00. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
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Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from April 22, 2006
- Steamers Clinch Semi-Final Round with 9-2 Win - St. Louis Steamers
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