Des Moines Press Release - www.menacesoccer.com

Saturday, July 5, 2008

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – The Des Moines Menace bounced back in a big way tonight at Valley Stadium, using a flurry of goals to snap the Thunder Bay Chill’s nine-game winning streak.

The Menace’s 5-1 victory comes just one night after a 3-0 loss to Thunder Bay. Before tonight, the Chill had won every match since starting the season by going 0-1-1 against the Menace in early June.

“It feels good. This was an important game,” Menace head coach Casey Mann said. “We needed to rebound, and we rebounded in convincing fashion.

“Our guys showed a lot of character, a lot of pride. I just think we got knocked down and we had to get back up. There was a whole lot of pride on the line, and the whole group responded.”

With the win, the Menace takes the season series from the defending Heartland Division champions and improves to 6-4-3 – good for 21 points, just one point behind second-place Colorado and seven points behind the Chill.

In front of a home crowd of 3,217, the Menace broke a 1-1 tie to win this physical, emotional battle.

Newcomer Byron Dacy scored what would stand as the game-winner. The Creighton Bluejay scored unassisted in the 40th minute.

Des Moines piled on three more goals in the second half. Joe Salem (unassisted, 48th minute) and Stephen Sawyer (set up by Lamar Neagle in the 66th minute) each got his first goal of the season. Nicki Paterson rounded out the scoring in the 79th minute. Tomas Boltnar assisted Paterson’s team-leading sixth goal.

Boltnar got the scoring started when he delivered on a penalty kick in the game’s 14th minute. Brandon Swartzendruber tied it up on a PK in the 23rd minute.

The match featured 39 fouls (24 for Thunder Bay, 15 for Des Moines) and the ejection of Anthony Putrus. The Chill forward was sent out with a red card in the 17th minute, when he used excessive force to tackle Salem.

The win snaps the Menace’s two-game skid. Tonight’s goal total was the highest for Des Moines since a seven-goal outburst against Springfield on May 17.

The Menace plays this same Springfield (Mo.) Demize on its home turf this Thursday at 7:30 p.m., then will be back home for an exhibition match next weekend.

“We still have some work in front of us,” Mann said. “Now we just got to take this momentum and see what happens.”

Up Next
The Menace is down to its final two home games of the season.

On Saturday, July 12, the team hosts Kick for the Cure Night, presented by Iowa Radiology and benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The Menace will be sporting pink jerseys that will be auctioned off after the 6:30 exhibition against the Real Colorado Foxes.

The last home match of the season is Saturday, July 19 against Colorado Rapids U-23. This is also the Menace’s last regular-season action of the 2008 season.

Learn more about the Menace and upcoming promotions by visiting www.MenaceSoccer.com.