XSL weekly update

February 18, 2009 - Xtreme Soccer League (XSL) News Release


A battle of attrition

The boards, the turf and the glass only add to the typical soccer pounding absorbed by players in the Xtreme Soccer League, and at just about the midway point of the season, injuries are mounting.

Worteh Sampson of Detroit and Stephen Armstrong of Chicago are two stars who might be lost for the season due to Achilles and ankle injuries, respectively. Detroit is 5-0 with Sampson and 2-3 without him, while a Chicago team that needs to find offense will miss Armstrong's shooting.

New stars are emerging, including Milwaukee's Chad Burt and Marco Terminesi and Detroit's Leo Gibson.

That'll leave a mark

Shot blocking, an important skill in indoor soccer, is a true test of a player's courage and selflessness. It's not easy to put yourself in front of a ball being struck upward of 80 mph, but it can pay big dividends for a team.

It's probably not coincidence that the two top teams in the XSL, Detroit (103 blocks) and Milwaukee (91) are far and away the league leaders in that category. New Jersey (67) and Chicago (54) lag behind.

Wave vet Troy Dusosky tops the individual count with 21, giving him 463 in his career. The Ignition have five players with at least 10 each.

Back in the saddle

Milwaukee's Marcel Feenstra was the XSL's Goalkeeper of the Month for December, but it's Nick Vorberg who is playing superbly for the Wave at this point. He's 3-1 since his return from a calf injury and is allowing just 7.0 PPG with a .790 save percentage.

The 33-year-old Oregon native is also one of the Wave's top community representatives, speaking at schools throughout the area.



Xtreme Soccer League Stories from February 18, 2009


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