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Storm can't contain La Raza, drop third straight

February 29, 2008 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Chicago Storm News Release


MONTERREY, Mexico - La Raza de Monterrey scored 13 points in the second quarter and went on to defeat the Chicago Storm, 24-12, on Thursday night in Major Indoor Soccer League action at Arena de Monterrey. The loss is the Storm's third straight - their longest losing streak of the season. Monterrey, one of three MISL expansion teams, won its fifth straight for the longest current winning streak in the MISL.

Storm rookie and 2008 MISL College Draft third-round pick Stephen Brust scored his first MISL goal in the first quarter. The Arlington Heights native's goal tied the score at 2-2 at the 11:57 mark of the first. Mariano Bollella, who formerly played for Monterrey when it was part of the World Indoor Soccer League, had two goals and an assist.

Both goalkeepers had their work cut out for them. Monterrey goalkeeper Jose Bontti made 26 saves, while Storm goalkeeper Jim Larkin was credited with 18. La Raza's offense leads all MISL teams with 324 points. Monterrey (11-11) holds the season-series lead, 2-1, against Chicago (13-10).

The Storm face La Raza again at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at the Sears Centre Arena. Following the match is a concert by Duelo as part of the Univision Concert Series, brought to you by Comcast. March 8 also is the Storm's annual Green Jersey Auction, with game-worn jerseys opening with $75 bids apiece. And the second annual Girl Scouts Kick-It with the Storm event also takes place that day.

On Thursday, Genoni Martinez gave Monterrey a 2-0 lead at the 7:53 mark of the first quarter. The Storm offense continued firing away with eight shots on goal in the first 11 minutes. Finally, with 3:03 remaining in the first, Brust tied the score at 2-2.

The scoring picked up steam at the beginning of the second quarter. La Raza's Ivan Medina and Dino Delevski netted goals within 59 seconds of each other for a 6-2 lead at the 2:14 mark. Chicago's Fabinho cut Monterrey's lead to 6-4 with a goal off of a Bollella assist at the 2:55 mark. But La Raza capitalized on an Ian Bennett charging penalty 39 seconds later with Martinez notching his second goal, this time on the power play, for an 8-4 advantage.

Monterrey's offense just got started. La Raza bumped their lead to 10-4 at the 8:54 mark on a Pedro Jimenez goal. Victor Santibanez tallied a three-point goal at the 10:43 mark. And Jimenez scored his second goal of the quarter at 11:37 for a 15-4 cushion.

In the third quarter, Chicago battled back with a power play goal from Bollella and a Matthew Stewart goal to cut the Storm's deficit to 15-8 at the 5:02 mark. But that is as close as the Storm would get. La Raza's Marco Vega had a third-quarter goal, Delevski opened the fourth with a two-pointer and Martinez had a short-handed three-pointer later in the fourth for a 22-8 lead.

Chicago's Stephen Armstrong added a two-pointer with 4:10 remaining in regulation. But Monterrey immediately made up for it with a Victor Negrete two-pointer 9 seconds later for a 24-10 lead. Bollella then countered with a two-point goal on the power play at the 12:21 mark for the final 24-12 score.

The Chicago Storm are members of the Major Indoor Soccer League. Chicago's professional indoor soccer team plays its home games at the Sears Centre, 5333 Prairie Stone Pkwy., in Hoffman Estates. Storm offices also are located in the Sears Centre. For additional information on all aspects of Storm soccer, including season tickets, group outings, birthday parties and Chicago Storm Summer Soccer Camps, call (866) STORM-81 or go to ChicagoStorm.net.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from February 29, 2008


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