Soccer Spotlight: KiXX Snap Two-Game Skid with 19-12 Win Versus California Club improves to 11-7 overall with victory in 12th Annual School Day Game Wednesday, February 7, 2007 By Tom Hushen Philadelphia KiXX Marketing Manager Philadelphia, PA - The Philadelphia KiXX (11-7) regained form and snapped a two-game losing streak with a 19-12 victory versus the California Cougars (6-15) in front of 6,538 fans at the club's 12th Annual School Day Game. The contest, in partnership with the Philadelphia Newspapers-in-Education Department, was offered to the area's schools as an educational field trip. John Barry Nusum registered the game-winning goal, his second of three scores in the contest, at 6:48 of the third quarter. Peter Pappas (10-7) earned the victory in net for Philadelphia with eight saves on 14 chances, while Dominik Jakubek (2-11) took the loss for the Cougars stopping 19 of 27. “It feels very good to win front of a school-day crowd, especially after losing our last two games,” stated Nusum. “It is a great way to go into the break (next game in 10 days).” Temple University product Steve Wacker opened the scoring with his second two-point goal of the season on a feed from three-time MISL Defender of the Year Genoni Martinez at 2:04 of the first quarter. The KiXX lengthened their advantage to four, 4-0, as forward John Barry Nusum found the back of the net for a power-play score at 4:56 courtesy of a two-minute penalty accessed to California’s Semir Mesanovic; Edgar Bartolomeu recorded the assist on the play. After Philadelphia defender Casey Barton was sent to the penalty box for a two-minute tripping infraction, Mesanovic cut the Cougars’ deficit to two, 4-2, with a two-point power-play goal at 11:06 of the frame. A mere 17 seconds into the second period, California’s Aaron Susi knotted the score at 4-4 on a dish from teammate Nelson Santana at 4:07, but Philadelphia native and team captain Pat Morris quickly regained the club’s two-point advantage, 6-4, connecting on a pass from Martinez at 4:07. Martinez continued his scoring spree with a two-point notch from teammate Sandre Naumoski to double Philadelphia’s lead, 8-4, at 5:35 of the stanza. Bernie Lilavois cut the KiXX advantage back down to two, 8-6, finding the back of the net on an assist from Brian Farber at 9:52. Morris blasted home a three-point power-play goal, 11-6, on Martinez’s third dime of the day at 10:07. The KiXX received the one-man advantage courtesy of a two-minute charging penalty called on Jakubek. Nusum registered his second two-point tally of the matinee on an assist from teammate Drew Kopp to extend the KiXX advantage to seven, 13-6, at 6:48 of the third quarter. Forward Marcos Chantel connected on a pass from Lilavois to pull California with five, 13-8, at 7:58. David Castellanos quickly responded for Philadelphia, finishing a feed from defender Casey Barton at 8:26 of the period. The Cougars once again cut their deficit to five, 15-10, as Farber notched his second two-point score of the day, unassisted just 23 seconds into the final period of play. Nusum and Bartolomeu connected for the second time of the contest, 17-10, at 7:06. Defender Casey Barton connected on his first score of the season, a two-point goal from teammate Dino Delevski at 8:35 of the fourth quarter (19-10). At the 13-minute mark, defender Antonio Sutton recorded a two-point notch from Barber to pull California with seven, 19-12. Notes: Three-time MISL Defender of the Year Genoni Martinez led all scorers with five points on a two-point goal and three assists; with the performance, he has now recorded 200 assists in his illustrious career. John Barry Nusum posted three goals for his first hat trick of the season. Defender Casey Barton connected on his first score of the season in today’s fourth quarter of play. *Scoring Summary:* 1 2 3 4 Total California 2 4 2 4 12 Philadelphia 4 7 4 4 19 First Quarter - Scoring: 2, PHI, Wacker (Martinez), 2:04. 4, PHI, Nusum (Bartolomeu), 4:56. 2, CAL, Mesanovic (Susi), 11:06. Penalties: Mesanovic, CAL (Boarding), 4:37. Barton, PHI (Pushing), 10:29. Second Quarter - Scoring: 4, CAL, Susi (Santana), :17. 6, PHI, Morris (Martinez), 4:07. 8, PHI, Martinez (Naumoski), 10:35. 6, CAL, Lilavois (Farber), 9:52. 11, PHI, Morris (Martinez), 10:07. Penalties: Nusum, PHI, (Tripping), 6:25. Morris, PHI, (Handball), 6:28. Nelson, BAL, (Tripping), 11:45. Jakubek, CAL, (Charging), 9:07. Third Quarter - Scoring: 13, PHI, Nusum (Kopp), 6:48. 8, CAL, Chantel (Lilavois), 7:58. 15, PHI, Castellanos (Barton), 8:26. Penalties: Santana, CAL, (Kicking), 5:05. Bartolomeu, PHI, (Boarding), 6:01. Fourth Quarter – 10, CAL, Farber (UA), :23. 17, PHI, Nusum (Bartolomeu), 7:06. 19, PHI, Barton (Delevski), 8:35. 12, CAL, Sutton (Farber), 13:00. Penalties: Lilavois, CHI, (Misconduct), 14:11. Myers, PHI, (Misconduct), 14:11.