Soccer Spotlight: KiXX' Playoff Hopes Alive with 4-3 Win in St. Louis Club Concludes Two-Game Road Trip in California on April 1 Thursday, March 30, 2006 By David Deal Philadelphia KiXX Vice President Internal Operations St. Louis, MO - The Philadelphia KiXX (8-19) defeated former player/coach Omid Namazi and the St. Louis Steamers (21-6), 4-3, in the club’s annual school-day matinee at the Savvis Center. The victory, the first of the season versus St. Louis, pulled the KiXX within two and one-half games of the fourth-placed Chicago Storm in the race for the final position in the 2006 Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Championship Series. Rookie defender Josh Rife recorded the game-winning goal on a pass from teammate and Philadelphia newcomer Dino Delevski at 13:36 of the fourth quarter. Peter Pappas (8-17) earned the victory in net for Philadelphia with 12 saves on 15 chances, while Bayard Elfvin (3-2) took the loss for the Steamers with eight saves. After a scoreless first quarter, Drew Kopp opened the game’s scoring on a pass from all-star defender Vlatko Andonovski at 1:15 of the second period to give the visiting KiXX an early 1-0 advantage. Ptah Myers followed to increase Philadelphia’s lead to two, 2-0, on a dish from player/assistant coach Kevin Sloan at 5:30. Steamers’ Jamar Beasley responded with a pair of unanswered goals to close out the half with the two clubs knotted at 2-2. Beasley struck first on a feed from Jeff DiMaria at 8:27, before notching his second score with less than 30 seconds remaining in the frame (14:31) from Genoni Martinez. Delevsi, a two-time MISL MVP, regained Philadelphia’s advantage, 3-2, connecting on a power-play goal off an assist from player/coach Don D’Ambra at 8:44 of the third stanza; the club received the one-man advantage courtesy of a two-minute boarding penalty assessed on Elvir Kafedzic. DiMaria once again knotted the score, 3-3, with a tally at 10:46. Rife sealed the KiXX victory, 4-3, burying a pas from Delevski past Elfvin and into the back of the net at 13:36 of the final quarter of action. Notes: With his team-high two-point performance today, forward Dino Delevski has now registered nine points (five goals, four assists) in only six games with Philadelphia this season. The win marked the first of the season for the KiXX versus Omid Namazi and St. Louis; the club is now 7-9 overall versus their former player/coach. Philadelphia: 0-2-1-1=4 Shots: 24 Goalkeeper: Pappas (W, 12 saves). Scorers: Delevski (goal, assist), Andonovski (assist), D’Ambra (assist), Kopp (goal), Myers (goal), Rife (goal), Sloan (assist). St. Louis: 0-2-1-0=3 Shots: 21 Goalkeeper: Elfvin (L, eight saves) Scorers: Beasley (two goals), DiMaria (goal, assist), Martinez (assist), McMillian (assist).