Third time the charm? Storm host first-place Detroit
January 24, 2008 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Chicago Storm News Release
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. - The Major Indoor Soccer League's merry-go-round continues spinning. With a new team alone at the top of the MISL standings, the Chicago Storm (10-5) look to unseat the first-place Detroit Ignition (11-4) at 7 p.m. Friday at the Sears Centre Arena. Doors open at 6 p.m.
The Storm still are searching for their first win against Detroit this season, dropping their first two meetings. Detroit routed Chicago, 25-7, on Dec. 22, at the Sears Centre. Most recently, the Ignition ended the Storm's perfect road mark with a 12-4 win Jan. 11.
"We realize that we did a lot of good things against them in both games that we've played so far this season," Storm head coach Steve Morris said. "They finished 95 percent of their chances against us. In conversations with (coach) Bob Lilley in Detroit, he'd be the first to admit that they've taken their chances against us very well, and obviously they have two victories."
The weekend doesn't get any easier for the Storm following Friday's Detroit match. Chicago heads up to Milwaukee for a 2 p.m. match Sunday at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Wave currently are in second place with an 11-5 record.
STORM UPDATE - Points leaders: Two Storm players rank in the MISL's top 15 in points. Thanks to a five-point effort against the Philadelphia KiXX, Matthew Stewart shares the team lead in points with Carlos "Chile" Farias. Both players have 31 points and are tied for 14th among MISL players. Stewart leads the Storm with 13 goals (all two-pointers) and has posted six goals in a current four-game stretch. Farias has 11 goals (two three-pointers) and seven assists as he faces his former Ignition team.
- Hot start: Rookie Ian Bennett's first goal for the Storm was against Detroit on Dec. 22. Bennett has 13 points, with a three-point goal, four two-pointers and two assists. He also has a game-winning goal and is coming off a two-goal, one-assist effort (five points) against Philadelphia in just his seventh game.
- Bad news, good news: The Storm learned Wednesday that second-year defenseman Will Kletzien will miss the remainder of the 2007-08 season with a torn ACL. Kletzien shares the team lead with 15 games played and is tied for second with 16 blocks. The defense has some reinforcement with the expected return of Randy Soderman, who missed several matches because of the birth of a baby girl. Also, this week the Storm signed Argentinean defender Gabriel Cigliano. Cigliano spent two years with Argentina's national futsal team.
- Last time against Detroit: On Jan. 11, the Storm suffered their first road loss of the season, a 12-4 defeat to the Ignition at Compuware Arena. Kyt Selaidopoulos and Jamar Beasley scored two goals apiece for Detroit as Chicago fell to 5-1 on the road. The Storm's Mariano Bollella scored a goal, and he assisted Matthew Stewart's fourth-quarter goal. Detroit goalkeeper Danny Waltman, who started his professional indoor career with the Storm, saved 15 shots. Storm goalkeeper Jim Larkin, starting in his second straight match, made 13 saves.
IGNITION UPDATE - Waltman's world: Former Storm goalkeeper and current Detroit goalie Danny Waltman earned MISL Goalkeeper of the Week accolades for the week ending Jan. 13. He saved 15 of 17 shots against the Storm en route to a 12-4 victory Jan. 11. Waltman leads all MISL goalkeepers with allowing only 8.26 points per game. He also is tied for first with Milwaukee's Nick Vorberg with nine victories. Waltman started his professional indoor career with the Storm.
- Offense, defense: Friday's match sports the MISL's top offense and one of the league's best defenses. Detroit's offense leads all teams with 219 points. Five Ignition players have 30 or more points: Ricardinho (37), Hewerton Moreira (35), Jamar Beasley (32), Ryan Mack (31) and Droo Callahan (30). On the flip side, the Storm rank second in the MISL with allowing only 149 points. Chicago has held opposing teams to single digits nine times this season, posting an 8-1 record.
- First impression: The Ignition handed Chicago its worst defeat in team history with a 25-7 rout Dec. 22. Despite a 5-4 Storm lead through the first quarter, the Ignition ran away with 10 of the game's next 11 goals.
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 January 24, 2008
- Third time the charm? Storm host first-place Detroit - Chicago Storm
- Coach's Corner, with Storm head coach Steve Morris - Chicago Storm
- Storm sign defenseman Cigliano - Chicago Storm
- KiXX Battle Expansion Orlando Sharks Live on FSC on January 25 - Philadelphia KiXX
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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