Storm Eliminated From the Postseason

Published on April 14, 2007 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Chicago Storm News Release


Entering the night with a one game lead in the home-at-home MISL Championship Series Semifinals, the Chicago Storm lost to the Philadelphia KiXX 10-6. In the Golden Goal Game Philadelphia's Dino Dilevski scored first to eliminate the Chicago Storm from the playoffs. Philadelphia waits to take on the winner of the Milwaukee Wave vs. Detroit Ignition series in which Milwaukee leads 1- 0. The MISL Finals will be held Saturday April 21st in Detroit and will be televised on the Versus network.

The Philadelphia KiXX started the game like a team that needed to get a win. Three minutes into the game KiXX forward Tony Donatelli shot on goal but Storm goalkeeper Jeff Richey made the save. The rebound went out to Steve Wacker who took a shot and Richey parried that one away unfortunately for Chicago it went right to the foot of forward John Barry Nusum who buried a shot from the left of the goal just inside the far post to put Philadelphia up 2-0.

The KiXX would add two more in the quarter, which were the result of Storm miscues. Midfielder Dino Dilevski scored on a restart after Chicago was called for a pass back to the ‘keeper. Then at the nine minute marker Don D'Ambra stole an errant pass in the center of the Storm Goalkeeper area and he barely got off a shot as he was falling, that dribbled inside the far post to give Philadelphia the 6-0 lead.

After Chicago head Coach Steve Morris took a timeout and composed his players, Chicago began to control play. With only four minutes to go in the opening period Midfielder Mariano Bollella worked the ball to the left of the KiXX goal and banked a pass off the wall to target man Mark Ughy. Ughy calmly tapped the ball by Philadelphia ‘keeper Peter Pappas to make the score 6-2 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter Philadelphia struck first again. Nusum ran the ball down the right boards and knocked the ball off the crossbar. The ball went to midfielder Sandre Naumoski who headed the ball down off the ground and in to put the KiXX up 8-2.

Chicago countered when midfielder Matthew Stewart (pictured above) took the ball to the right of the KiXX goal and sent a pass off the wall. Defender Randy Soderman rushed in to the goalkeeper area and tapped the ball in for his second goal in as many days, cutting the Philadelphia lead to 8-4 at the half.

In a chippy third quarter both teams traded goals. With bodies flying everywhere and the officials' cards apparently glued in their pockets both teams increased the physicality. After ten minutes of back and forth action Ptah Myers beat Jeff Richey for his first goal of the night. Chicago battled back just two minutes later as Stewart worked his way through traffic and popped the ball up in the center of the goalkeeper area. Defender Fabinho waited for the ball to drop and the Brazilian took the shot in midair and scored his first goal of the playoffs. Philadelphia retained a 10-6 lead going into the final quarter.

In the final quarter neither team could score, even after the Storm pulled Richey in favor of the sixth attacker. With the final 10-6 in favor of the KiXX and the Storm winning the first game, the game went into Golden Goal. The first team that scored would advance to the finals.

In the Golden Goal game both teams had chances but it was Philadelphia's Dino Dilevski that beat Chicago goalkeeper Jim Larkin at the ten minute mark of the first Golden Goal period to earn the victory for the KiXX.

After a stellar year for the Storm that saw Chicago earn their best record in team history (17-13) and numerous records broken the Storm is eliminated from the postseason. The KiXX now wait to face the winner of the Milwaukee vs. Detroit Series. Milwaukee leads that series 1-0 with a game to be played tomorrow.

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Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from April 14, 2007


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