Norfolk SharX News Release -- www.norfolksharx.com
Friday, November 11, 2011
NORFOLK, Va. – In front of a 2,347 cheering fans at Norfolk Scope Arena, the Norfolk SharX kicked off the first game of their inaugural season in the Major Indoor Soccer League but fell to the Syracuse Silver Knights 23-7. The Silver Knights scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to pull away from the SharX after holding just a two-point lead as the fourth quarter began.
The SharX started slowly, allowing Syracuse to dictate the pace of the game -- perhaps the result of a few jitters and not having played very long together as a team. The Silver Knights took advantage, scoring the only points of the first quarter to take a 5-0 lead through a pair of goals by Andre Berenzon, one a 3-pointer.
In the second quarter, however, the SharX gained composure and worked their way back into the game, outshooting the Silver Knights, but couldn’t find the back of the net, but making Syracuse GK Eric Reed protect his goal time after time. Berenzon, though, was able to complete his hat trick and give the Silver Knights a 7-0 lead with a goal midway through the period.
The SharX came out hot in the second half and in the first minute, SharX forward Brady Bryant scored the first goal in the team’s history, a 3-pointer making the score 7-3. Just seconds later SharX midfielder Jamie Gunderson rang a blast off the right side of the crossbar. The SharX then really came alive with Matthew Delicate’s goal off the rebound of Miguel Ferrer’s shot making the score 7-5.
Syracuse took the bite out of the SharX run with a goal of their own, a strike by Slavisa Ubiparapovic that made it 9-5. But a power play goal with 29 seconds to play in the third period for the SharX by Ferrer put the home team back to within two at the end of the third quarter.
But Norfolk ran out of steam with the score 9-7, allowing Syracuse to score 14 unanswered points and put the game away. Ubiparapovic struck three times in the fourth quarter, including one from 3-point range, and additional goals by Andriy Budnyy, Daniel Hall and Daniel Stevens made the final score 23-7.
“I don’t think the final score was indicative of our performance tonight,” said SharX head coach Jon Hall. “Even missing two of our best players, we had them on the ropes for a while. I’m a bit disappointed with the result but the boys are more disappointed. I hope our fans can be patient with us.”
The SharX’s next three matches are on the road. The team will travel to Milwaukee next Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff at U.S. Cellular Arena and follow that match with trips to Wichita on November 25 and Missouri on November 26. The team returns home on December 1st to host the Rochester Lancers at Norfolk Scope Arena at 7 p.m.
For more information on the 2011-12 Norfolk SharX including sponsorships, internships, tickets or to volunteer, please visit www.NorfolkSharX.com or call 757-419-3317.