Soccer Spotlight: KiXX Complete Two-Game Sweep in Home and Home Series with Baltimore Club Defeats Defending Champs, 6-5, Tonight in Team's Opener at Wachovia Spectrum Saturday, November 6, 2004 By David Deal Philadelphia KiXX Director of Communitions The Philadelphia KiXX (3-0) defeated the Baltimore Blast (2-3), 6-5, in front of 7,248 fans at the team’s 2004-05 home opener at the Wachovia Spectrum tonight. KiXX newcomer John Barry Nusum notched a career-high three goals, including the game winner at 7:37 of the fourth quarter. Peter Pappas, in his first start of the current season, earned the victory between the posts for Philadelphia with 10 saves on 15 shots. Brian Rowland took the loss for the Blast, turning away nine of the 14 shots he faced. Baltimore started quickly, connecting on a pair of unanswered goals to assume a 2-0 lead early in the opening quarter. Carlos Garcia (1:27) struck first, followed by an unassisted tally from Carlos Farias (3:56). The KiXX responded with a pair of scores of their own; midfielder Joel Shanker found John Barry Nusum in front of the net and the native of Devonshire, Bermuda knocked it past Rowland (4:45), followed by a restart goal from newcomer Chris Fehrle to tie the score at 2-2 at 9:20. Blast forward Denison Cabral put Baltimore back on top, 3-2, at 11:24, but Nusum connected with teammate Devlin Barnes for his second goal of the evening and again pull the clubs even, 3-3. The 3-3 tie held after one full period of play. Both defenses tightened in the second quarter, keeping the game tied, 3-3, entering the half. Blast defender Billy Nelson ended the clubs’ scoreless drought, connecting on a rebound from forward David Bascome at 10:13 of the third stanza. With less than a minute remaining in the quarter (14:17), Philadelphia’s Edgar Bartolomeu knotted the score back even, 4-4, after lofting a Baltimore turnover from midfield over Rowland and into the back of the net. The score remained knotted, 4-4, entering the final quarter of play. Cabral wasted little time in the fourth, to again put Philadelphia down one, 5-4, with a strike from Garcia just 39 seconds into the fourth period. At 4:07, Nusum, in the box, found defender Pat Morris streaking down the right sideline to again tie the score, 5-5. Nusum gave Philadelphia their first lead of the night and sealed the club’s 6-5 victory with his third tally of the contest at 7:37. Bartolomeu recorded the assist on the play. Notes: KiXX rookie John Barry Nusum has now recorded a goal in each of his first three professional indoor games; he finished tonight with a hat trick (three goals) and one assist for four points, marking a career-high in points scored and the first multi-goal game of his young career. Fellow newcomer Chris Fehrle and Devlin Barnes each registered their first professional indoor point tonight; Fehrle with a first-quarter goal and Barnes with an assist to Nusum. Boxscore: Attendance: 7,248 Philadelphia: 3-0-1-2=6 Shots: 0 Goalkeepers: Pappas (--, 0 saves). Scorers: Nusum (three goals, assist), Bartolomeu (goal, assist), Barnes (assist), Fehrle (goal), Morris (goal), Shanker (assist), Vasic (assist). Baltimore: 3-0-1-1=5 Shots: 0 Goalkeepers: Rowland (--, 0 saves) Scorers: Cabral (two goals), Garcia (goal, assist), Bascome (assist), Farias (goal), Nelson (goal). Philadelphia next prepares for a back-to-back home series versus the San Diego Sockers and the Chicago Storm. The KiXX entertain San Diego on Saturday, November 13, then welcome MISL newcomer, the Chicago Storm, on Sunday, November 14. The first 3,000 fans to enter the gates for Saturday’s contest will receive a 2004-05 Philadelphia KiXX Team Photo, courtesy of Baum Printing. The KiXX-Storm match-up features a Mascot Game, in which SocceRoo welcomes all area mascots to participate in a friendly contest at halftime. Game-time for Saturday is scheduled for 7:05 pm ET, while Sunday’s contest is slated for a 1:05 pm ET start time. For ticket information, fans can call the club’s Executive Office at 1-888-888-KiXX (5499) or log onto the team’s official website, www.kixxonline.com.