Soccer Spotlight: KiXX Claim 6-5 Overtime Decision in Cleveland Club Improves to 11-6 Overall and 1-1 in the Extra Session this Season Sunday, January 9, 2005 By David Deal Philadelphia KiXX Director of Communitions The Philadelphia KiXX (11-6) defeated the Cleveland Force (5-7) by a score of 6-5 in overtime at the Convocation Center at CSU this afternoon. KiXX defender Pat Morris registered the game-winning goal a mere 26 seconds into the game’s extra session. Peter Pappas improved to 9-5 between the posts for Philadelphia, turning away 17 of the 22 shots he faced, while Jim Larkin (X-X) took the loss for the Force with 21 saves on 27 chances. Cleveland’s Wendell Regis registered the only score of the opening quarter on an assist from Aduato Neto at 14:32. The KiXX scoreless first period marked the third time this season the Force has held the club without a goal in the opening stanza. The Force extended their advantage to 3-0 with a pair of unanswered tallies to open the second quarter. Neto struck first off a dish from defender John Ball at 1:05, followed by a header from Ball at 5:39 of the period. KiXX defender Pat Morris finally broke the team’s scoring drought with the final goal of the half, a blast from outside the yellow line off a pass from rookie forward John Barry Nusum at 10:02. The club exchanged scores in the third period, giving the Force a 4-2 lead entering the final period of play. Sibiya connected for Cleveland at 9:38 of the quarter, before defender Chris Fehrle buried a long shot into the back of the net at 14:53. Forward Goran Vasic registered the assist on the play. Nusum pulled the KiXX within one, 4-3, on a feed from Gloucester Township, NJ native Jeff Moore at 6:21 of the fourth stanza. Cleveland answered right back when Neto broke the Philadelphia defense and beat Pappas for the unassisted goal at 7:15. Defender Drew Kopp again cut the team’s deficit to one, 5-4, with an unassisted score at 10:02. Less than a minute later (10:58), KiXX rookie Damien Pottinger then slipped the ball through Larkin’s leg to knot the score, 5-5. Both defenses held to force the game into overtime, only the second time this season the KiXX have needed an extra session to determine a winner. Philadelphia capped their comeback, 6-5, as Morris registered his second goal of the day on a feed from Vasic just 26 seconds into the extra session of play. Notes: All-Star defender Pat Morris extended his scoring streak to eight games with a second-quarter goal. With today’s overtime victory, Philadelphia improves to 1-1 when forced to an extra session this season; the club previously dropped a 6-5 overtime decision to the St. Louis Steamers on December 5. Boxscore: Attendance: 2,345 Philadelphia: 0-1-1-3-1=6 Shots: 41 Goalkeepers: Pappas (W, 17 saves). Scorers: Morris (two goals), Nusum (goal, assist), Vasic (two assists), Fehrle (goal), Kopp (goal), Moore (assist), Pottinger (goal). Cleveland: 1-2-1-1-0=5 Shots: 36 Goalkeepers: Larkin (L, 21 saves) Scorers: Neto (two goals, assist), Ball (goal, assist), Sibiya (goal, assist), Regis (goal). The KiXX remain on the road for a pair of contests, at Milwaukee on January 14 and in Baltimore on January 21, before returning to Philadelphia on Saturday, January 22 to entertain the St. Louis Steamers. The first 2,500 fans, 14 and under, will receive a complimentary Don D’Ambra Bobblehead Doll, courtesy of EwingCole. For additional information or to purchase tickets, please contact the club’s Executive Office at 1-888-888-KiXX (5499) or visit www.kixxonline.com.