ROAD RAGE CONTINUES

ST. LOUIS- The Chicago Storm could do without the road games in the MISL. In another road loss, Chicago fell to the St. Louis Steamers 8-4. In a game that saw scoring streaks continue and a flair up before half time it took a close and tough second half to decide the outcome.

The first period opened fast and furiously, Chicago’s Novica “Novi” Marojevich scored off a set play after a foul. The Chicago captain bent a shot perfectly past two St. Louis defenders to put the Storm up 1-0. The Storm took a 2-0 lead when Matthew Stewart passed to Lazo Alavanja (above) who blasted a rising shot past Steamers’ keeper Brett Phillips. The Steamers came back when Shaun David shot a ball in to the Storm box and Mike Apple settled it down and put one past Chicago’s Danny Waltman. St. Louis tied the game at the end of the first period on a Alavanja foul which resulted in a penalty shot by Mariano Bollello who missed but the Jamar Beasley was there to put in the rebound.

In the second period, former Storm midfielder Sandre Naumoski took the ball facing the wrong direction and spun around to put the Steamers up 3-2. Chicago countered quickly when Byron Alvarez scored a goal in his fourth consecutive game to tie the game. Novi shot against the wall and Alvarez tapped in the goal. Following the Alvarez tally, St. Louis put in two goals when Randy Soderman scored, followed by a Shaun David goal that was assisted by Naumoski, giving the Steamers a 5-3 lead. Things went from bad to worse when Awadalla Morad was called for a tripping penalty at the end of the half and then Head Coach Frank Klopas was given a yellow card for misconduct following a discussion with the referee.

Whatever Klopas said to the Storm players at half time worked. A more composed Chicago team came out of the locker room and it showed throughout the third quarter. Byron Alvarez was tripped outside the box giving the Storm another set play and Novi made the Steamers pay. Novi gave a quick no look pass to Lazo Alavanja who buried in his second goal of the night. The rest of the period belonged to the Storm defense and Danny Waltman. Waltman made numerous saves and the defense held the Steamers goalless in the third period.

The fourth quarter started with more great saves by Danny Waltman before letting in a rebound shot by the Steamers’ Sterling Wescott. Being down 6-4, the Storm pulled Waltman for a sixth attacker. Unfortunately the Storm let in two empty net goals to end the game 8-4. This victory marks the sixth straight win for the Steamers.

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