WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – Saturday, June 16, 2018 – Bust out the brooms. For the first time since 2006, the Des Moines Menace boasts a season sweep against its arch-rivals.

The Menace ran its Premier Development League record to 7-0-0 by defeating the Thunder Bay Chill, 1-0, tonight at Valley Stadium. The win comes eight days after a 3-0, round-one triumph on Canadian soil.

Tonight’s goal – a header by Anthony Manning in traffic – came in the first minute after halftime. Audi Jepson’s free kick found Brandon Fricke, whose header found Manning.

“It felt great, getting my first goal of the season, especially with this club – it’s an honor,” Manning said. “We wanted to end it early, and that goal was just what we needed.”

It was enough to preserve the Menace’s status as the Premier Development League’s only team with a perfect record. Halfway through its schedule, the Menace is off to the best start in franchise history.

The defending league finalist Chill, meanwhile, is on a four-match tailspin. The 2-4-0 Chill is in fifth place in the six-team Heartland Division.

This is the fifth straight year the Menace has claimed the season series against the Chill. In the PDL’s oldest rivalry, Des Moines has a 32-26-5 advantage against its northern nemesis.

For the Menace, it’s on to a couple key road matches against Chicago FC United, a 5-1-0 team that took its first loss today, 2-1 at St. Louis.

“We’re hoping to keep moving forward,” Manning said. “We’ve just got to keep our focus on winning, instead of looking back. We have a lot of guys working for each other; we’ve got each other’s back.”

UP NEXT:  The Menace concludes its road schedule with a Tuesday-Wednesday doubleheader in Chicago. Next Saturday kicks off a seven-game home stand: the Menace hosts Kaw Valley FC at 7:30 p.m., following the girls’ Iowa High School All-Star Game, which starts at 5 p.m.

MAN of the MATCH: Anthony Manning, for his game-winning goal and his persistent defensive presence, including multiple tackles a crucial, sliding clearance late in the game. Manning is a 2015 Major League Soccer SuperDraft pick (Portland) who has appeared in the pros with Portland Timbers 2 (2015-16) and the Indy Eleven (2017).

FOOTNOTES                                                                                                                                   

• The Menace has outscored foes 18-2 – 6-0 in the first half and 12-2 in the second half.
• Dating to the 2014 season, Des Moines is undefeated (5-0-1) in six straight home matches against Thunder Bay.
• The 2006 Menace, the PDL’s defending champ, swept four matches against the Chill.
• With this win, this year’s team eclipsed the 2003 Menace squad that started the season 6-0-0 before losing its seventh game.
• Menace goalkeeper Keegan Meyer is 5-0-0 with four shutouts.

 
Match: Thunder Bay Chill at Des Moines Menace

Date: Saturday, June 16, 2018
Competition: Premier Development League regular season
Venue: Valley Stadium (artificial turf) in West Des Moines, Iowa
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m CDT
Weather: 90s, sunny

Scoreline                    1    2     F
MENACE                      0   1   1
TB                                0   0     0

Stats Summary

MENACE-TB
Shots:  14-7
Saves: 3-4
Corner Kicks: 9-2
Fouls: 4-7
Offside: 2-5