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Storm rise above trying moments, put together another memorable campaign

April 16, 2008 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Chicago Storm News Release


HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. - To steal from a Charles Dickens line, there were moments during the Chicago Storm's 2007-08 season when it was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. But within the Storm's trying moments toward the latter third of their regular season, to the off-and-on injuries to key players throughout the season, the team continued to add plenty of memorable accomplishments to its four-year history.

The Storm started off the 2007-08 season with a stellar 7-1 record. They won their first five road matches, also a Storm first. And for a third straight season, the Storm advanced to the Major Indoor Soccer League playoffs, improving their Sears Centre Arena playoff record to 2-0 with one of their best team efforts of the season against La Raza de Monterrey.

Here is a look back at the Storm's 2007-08 campaign. The team thanks all Storm fans on another fantastic season, and we will see you back at the Sears Centre for 2008-09 as the organization makes a run for an MISL title!

HEADING INTO THE SEASON ...

The 2007-08 campaign opened with an aura of promise throughout the league. Coming off a season in which six teams competed, the MISL expanded to nine with the addition of La Raza de Monterrey, New Jersey and Orlando. Two of the three teams wound up in the 2008 playoffs, and the league brought in former U.S. National Team goalkeeper Tony Meola to the New Jersey Ironmen.

The Storm came off a successful 2006-07 season during their debut at the state-of-the-art Sears Centre. Chicago won seven of its final eight regular-season matches and earned the organization's first playoff win. The Storm offense returned the likes of 2007 MISL Rookie of the Year Stephen Armstrong, Mark Ughy, Mariano Bollella and Matthew Stewart. During the off-season, the Storm brought in veteran forward Carlos "Chile" Farias, a two-time MISL All-Star and a member of the 2003-04 championship squad at Baltimore.

STORM START STRONG

The Storm put together the best early-season run in the organization's four-year history. Chicago won its first three matches, won seven of its first eight and also held a 5-0 road record through early January.

Among the early matches, Chicago was the first team to greet expansion Monterrey to the MISL. The Storm traveled to Mexico and pulled off a 16-12, come-from-behind victory Nov. 1, 2007. Mark Ughy scored seven points and earned MISL Offensive Player of the Week honors for his effort. The Storm scored four of the game's five final goals. Chile Farias had back-to-back two-pointers and Stephen Armstrong had a three-pointer and a two-point power play goal.

In other first-half accomplishments, goalkeeper Jeff Richey maintained his hot streak dating back to the previous season. Richey won 16 straight regular-season matches from March 19, 2006, to Dec. 14, 2007. His streak came to a close when Milwaukee topped Chicago, 9-6, on Dec. 15, 2007, at the Sears Centre. The game was the back end to a home-and-home series against the Wave. The day before, the Storm defense stepped up on the offensive end, with Branko Savic scoring a game-winning goal and Randy Soderman tallying two two-point goals to lift Chicago past the host Wave, 8-6.

Like many teams throughout the league, the Storm played through some key injuries. Stephen Armstrong missed a couple matches in the first half of the season because of a left ankle injury. Later in the season, Armstrong dealt with a right ankle sprain. Target forward Mark Ughy missed nearly half of the season with a left foot injury. Then, during the team's 15th match of the season Jan. 18, the Storm defense was dealt a blow when second-year defenseman Will Kletzien injured his left knee against the Philadelphia KiXX. Kletzien tore his ACL and was forced to miss the remainder of the season.

Also noteworthy in the first half of the season, Jim Larkin made his 200th career regular-season start in goal Jan. 5 against California. He posted 18 saves that night en route to a 17-8 victory in Stockton, Calif. ... Then there was the expansion of the Storm's rookie class. Before the season started, Benjamin Chavolla was the first player from the Storm's developmental team, Tormenta de Chicago, to graduate to the varsity squad. The Storm also brought in Edgar Rivera on the defensive end. Rivera signed two 15-day contracts before signing to play out the remainder of the season. Then, in the middle of December, the Storm signed midfielder and forward Ian Bennett, who had played for Chicago during a four-team preseason exhibition. ... For five matches, the Storm returned forward Awadalla Morad to the fray. Morad, who played for the Storm full-time during the organization's first three seasons, recorded a goal and two assists during his five-game stint.

BATTLING THE AISL'S BEST

In early February, the Storm "took a break" from their regular-season slate of MISL matches to play two exhibition matches against the American Indoor Soccer League's Rockford Rampage. The first match Feb. 5 marked the Storm's annual School Day Game. Matthew Stewart scored four goals and an assist as the Storm squeaked by Rockford, 16-14.

The exhibition week just got started. On Feb. 9, Chicago traveled to the Victory Sports Complex in Loves Park, Ill., and the AISL's one- and two-point scoring system was used. Storm fans who made the trek to the Rockford area got an offensive glimpse of 2008 MISL College Draft third-round pick Stephen Brust. The Arlington Heights, Ill., native scored two goals, as did Chile Farias, as the Storm defeated Rockford, 7-3. Another local, St. Charles, Ill., native Trae Manny, played in the net and held the Rampage scoreless in the second quarter.

TOUGH SECOND HALF

With Will Kletzien injured for the final 15 regular-season matches, the Storm immediately brought in some defensive reinforcement. In late December, the team kept a watchful eye on an Argentinean National Team futsal player, Gabriel Cigliano. The team signed Cigliano and he made his debut Jan. 25 against Detroit.

That particular match against the Ignition proved to be the Storm's best defensive effort of the season. Goalkeeper Jeff Richey made 13 saves and held the league's top offensive team to merely a third-quarter goal. Matthew Stewart scored two goals as the Storm earned a share of the MISL lead with Detroit with an 11-5 record.

That mark proved to be the team's highest winning percentage of the second half of the season. The Storm had yet to play the Baltimore Blast, which had a perfect season against Chicago. Though wins were harder to come by in the second half, the ones where the Storm prevailed left a lasting image.

The Storm ruined Philadelphia's School Day Game with a dominating 18-9 victory Feb. 13. Eight different Storm players, including rookie Gabriel Cigliano, found the back of the net. For Cigliano, it was his first career MISL goal. Matthew Stewart's two-point goal gave him 200 career regular-season points.

On March 28, Chicago set a new points record by scoring 25 during the Storm's 25-17 victory against California. Chile Farias scored two goals and assisted four others. His nine-point performance ranks second behind Mark Ughy's 11-point mark the previous season against Detroit.

Arguably the most gripping match of the regular season took place March 8 against Monterrey at the Sears Centre. The day was an eventful one to begin, between the Girl Scouts Kick-It with the Storm and the annual Green Jersey Auction. A record 5,823 attended the match, and the ending was drawn to perfection. The Storm trailed La Raza, 9-6, with less than 2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Fabinho struck a huge three-pointer at the 13:29 mark to tie the score at 9-9. Then, with only 18 seconds remaining, Storm rookie Edgar Rivera picked the appropriate time to notch his first MISL goal to give Chicago an 11-9 lead. The victory ended Monterrey's seven-game winning streak and snapped Chicago's three-game losing streak.

Also noteworthy in the second half of the season, goalkeeper Jim Larkin earned his 3,000th career regular-season save Jan. 27 against Milwaukee. Though the Storm lost, 19-9, Larkin posted 19 saves, the last being No. 3,000. ... The Storm signed college draft pick Stephen Brust in late February. He made his Storm debut Feb. 23 and was credited with his first MISL goal Feb. 28 against Monterrey. ... Though Chicago struggled against Baltimore, Stephen Armstrong put together a big day Feb. 1 in Baltimore. Armstrong notched a career-high eight points and three goals during the Storm's 18-8 loss to the Blast.

MISL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

The Storm started with a clean slate after stumbling to back-to-back losses to end the regular season. But the team had another road block to overcome. Before the Storm's quarterfinal opener against La Raza, the organization suspended Chile Farias, Mariano Bollella and Edgar Rivera indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team and the MISL. Farias and Bollella ranked first and third, respectively, on the Storm in regular-season points.

The remaining 15 available Storm players silenced any critics by putting together one of their finest team-oriented matches of the season April 10 at the Sears Centre. Led by Fabinho's two goals, the fifth-seeded Storm defeated fourth-seeded La Raza, 10-8 in overtime, to take a 1-0 quarterfinal series lead. Fabinho tallied the game-winner 21 seconds into OT. Jeff Richey made 12 saves for his first playoff victory. Andy Rosenband and rookie Ian Bennett each tallied their first career playoff goals. The win was the Storm's second in two Sears Centre playoff matches. The previous season, Chicago topped eventual 2007 champion Philadelphia, 11-8, on April 13, 2007, in its semifinal series.

The Storm were in a familiar situation, having gone up, 1-0, and heading on the road to attempt to wrap up the series in their favor. The previous season, Chicago dropped Game 2 and the "Golden Goal" game against Philadelphia.

This season, La Raza had the Arena de Monterrey crowd to will the team in Game 2. Monterrey did not disappoint its fans, posting 10 first-quarter points and defeating the Storm, 17-5, on April 13. Chicago had the Golden Goal game to fall back on, but it was Monterrey that carried over its earlier momentum. La Raza's Jose Birche blasted a three-pointer to lift Monterrey past the Storm and into the semifinal round against top-seeded Detroit.

NEWS AND NOTES

The Storm posted a 15-15 regular-season record and a 1-2 record in the MISL Championship Series. ... Chile Farias led the Storm with 62 points and 26 assists during the regular season. ... Matthew Stewart was second on the Storm with 58 points, and he led the squad with 23 goals (all two-pointers). Stewart set career highs in both categories. ... Ian Bennett led all Storm rookies with 31 points, scoring 12 goals and assisting five others. ... Fabinho led the Storm with 45 blocks, and he led all Storm defenders with 36 points, scoring 11 goals and assisting nine others. Fabinho set career bests in all four categories. ... Storm goalkeeper Jeff Richey established personal-best marks in just about every category, posting a 10-9 record and 197 saves in 19 starts.

The Chicago Storm are members of the Major Indoor Soccer League. Storm offices are located at 5333 Prairie Stone Pkwy., in Hoffman Estates. For more information on all aspects of Storm soccer, including season tickets, group outings, birthday parties and more, call (866) STORM-81, or visit ChicagoStorm.net.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from April 16, 2008


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.

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