Ironmen Get No Kixx at Home
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by: Mark Krulish | Staff Writer - NY Sports Day | Friday, March 21, 2008
NEWARK, NJ - With the Philadelphia Kixx in town, the New Jersey Ironmen had a big opportunity to put the fate of their playoff run in their own hands. Unfortunately, the Kixx prevailed in an entertaining match at the Prudential Center. The final score was 17-10.
“We had one foot in the playoffs with a win,” said Stefan Stokic. “But some guys came out lackadaisical and we didn’t get the win as a result.”
The first quarter saw tight defense prevail with both teams scoreless after one quarter of play.
The pace stayed in high-gear for the second period and both teams would finally break through on the scoreboard as well.
Ptah Myers struck first for the Kixx in the second quarter on a pretty play down low. Myers was left alone and one-timed a pass into the back of the net to give his team a 2-0 lead.
A couple minutes later Anthony Donatelli took a feed that bounced off the glass and right onto his foot and he shot it past Meola making it 4-0 in favor of Philadelphia.
“When you get the early goals everything is a little easier,” said Frederico Moojen. “But we didn’t get them and you have to learn to come from behind too.”
The Ironmen made it 4-2 when Stokic banked a Gordon Kljestan pass off a Kixx defender and into the net.
Stokic’s goal was quickly followed by a Moojen strike. Moojen got the rebound on a free kick and drove it past keeper Peter Pappas.
Philadelphia went back ahead on a goal by Don D’Ambra midway through the second. D’Ambra would strike again midway through the third quarter to make it 8-4 in favor the Kixx.
Daniel “Dizzy” Antoniuk, the Ironmen’s leading scorer, brought them to within one goal with 11 minutes to go in their fourth quarter taking a feed down the middle and then turning and firing past the keeper Pappas.
“I try to get into the middle of the net and get in front of a guy,” said Antoniuk. “I’ll try to spin and kick it in most of the time and I got a perfect pass. I was able to shield the guy off and put it in the net.”
However, the close game was short-lived. Four minutes later, the Kixx picked up a three-point goal from Pat Morris scoring converting a great cross-field pass.
Myers and Donatelli added late empty-netters for Philadelphia before Antoniuk scored his second of the game. However, Antoniuk’s goal came with 37 seconds left and it was a little too late for the Ironmen.
“A lack of discipline really hurt us,” said Stokic. “They got three easy goals on us and we didn’t play defense well and we got punished for it.
Notes: Antoniuk was fourth in the MISL in scoring coming into tonight’s game and picked up four more points. He now has 83 for the season.
