Des Moines Menace News Release -- www.menacesoccer.com
Thursday, July 5, 2012
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – Hosting two matches against Premier Development League frontrunner Thunder Bay, the Des Moines Menace will try to find a way to claim the last of the Heartland Division’s two postseason spots. The arch-rivals battle in a Friday-Saturday doubleheader at Valley Stadium, with both matches starting at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Trailing Real Colorado (7-3-4) by five points, the Menace (6-5-2, 20 points) need two wins against the Chill (11-1-0) to keep pace in the race for second.
The ball is in Real Colorado’s court as the Foxes finish their season Friday and Saturday at the Kansas City Brass. With a head-to-head tiebreak in favor of the Foxes, the Menace needs a Brass win to stay in the playoff picture. One loss for the Foxes could open a door for the Menace, whose focus is on earning wins.
“We’ve got to hope Kansas City will turn the tables on Colorado,” said Menace head coach Laurie Calloway. “Thunder Bay’s going to be extremely tough, but we’ve got to beat them.”
Only able to control the outcome of its own matches, the Menace is prepared to avenge its 3-1 and 3-0 losses at Thunder Bay on June 22 and 23.
In the first game, a driven ball from Menace goalkeeper Jhojan Obando found the feet of Jordan Schmoker, whose 66th-minute goal sparked a Menace attempt at erasing a two-goal deficit. The Menace’s run was silenced in the 87th minute, when Jordan Farahani tallied the match’s final goal.
“In the second game we played with ten players,” Calloway said referring to the ejection of Jack Pearson in the 57th minute, after the team’s captain received his second yellow card of the contest. “After the penalty I thought we looked to have a chance to win the game.”
Three goals for the Chill following Pearson’s ejection sent the Menace home empty-handed from the two day trip to Canada. Fueled by revenge and motivated by playoff contention, Calloway thinks his team will be able to knock off the Premier Development League’s points leader (one point ahead of Michigan and Ventura County).
“Obviously they’re a tough team. We expect them to be tough,” said Calloway. “The fact that we’ve got the home advantage we’ll be able to turn the tables.”
Schmoker’s June 22 goal is the only score the Chill has conceded at home, where the defending Central Conference champions have posted an 18-1 goal differential. With the Chill having allowed four goals to road opponents, Calloway sees an opportunity.
“On the road you could arguably say they’re vulnerable,” said Calloway. “It will be decided this weekend. Based on the outcomes of our games and Colorado’s games, we’ll know if we need a win in that last game.”
Des Moines’ last regular-season action comes July 15 at St. Louis, where the Chill won 1-0 and 3-2 last weekend.
SCOUTING THUNDER BAY: With four matches left, the Chill have already secured their fifth Heartland Division crown in six seasons. Thunder Bay won the PDL title in 2008 and finished second in 2010.
Sullivan Silva has a team-best 20 points – good for sixth place in the league – with eight goals (two against Des Moines on June 22) and four assists. Juan Velez is keeping pace, registering seven goals and four assists for 18 points. Stephen Paterson’s 0.500 goals against average is tied for first place among all PDL goalkeepers. The Chill has scored 31 goals in 12 matches while conceding just five.
In its last 10 meetings with the Menace, Thunder Bay has lost just once – a 2-0 loss on July 9, 2011 that allowed the Menace to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot that Des Moines eventually clinched with a win at St. Louis on the final day of the regular season. Des Moines is 21-17-3 all-time against Thunder Bay, with a 12-6-0 advantage at home.
THIS WEEKEND’S PROMOTIONS: Friday’s match is presented by Kum & Go. Saturday’s match, presented by Mars, is the final Cleat Crew match of the season. Children ages 4-12 can join the club for only $10, receiving admission to Saturday’s match and getting a vuvuzela. On Saturday, $2 of every ticket sold at the stadium will support Blank Children’s Hospital.