WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – June 26, 2010 – Kenan Malicevic scored two second-half goals in his home debut, lifting the Des Moines Menace past the Springfield Demize, 3-0, tonight at Valley Stadium.

The win is the Menace’s first since May 29, and it ends the month on a positive note, after the team tied six of its seven Premier Development League matches in June.

Clark Bradford closed the scoring with his team-leading fifth goal in the 80th minute, coming 10 minutes after play resumed following an odd delay. Like much of West Des Moines, the stadium lost power at kick-off. The game played on, until officials suspended the match in the 71st minute due to darkness. Play continued 10 minutes later when power was restored.

In just his second outing with the team, Malicevic collected the first multi-goal match for a Menace player this season. Stephen Okai assisted Malicevic in the 46th and 61st minutes.

“Those were easy chances. It would have been a shame if I missed those,” said Malicevic, who helped Drake to an Elite Eight season in 2009. “I just started for this team and I told them I’d give them everything I had and do everything I can to score. I don’t take any of the credit; it all goes to my teammates.”

Despite his team’s first win in nearly a month, head coach Laurie Calloway was not satisfied with the Menace’s performance. Des Moines outshot the visitiors 22-6 in the first half and 36-13 on the night.

“I wanted a healthier win,” Calloway said. “I was disappointed in wasting chances in the first half…A win’s a win, I suppose. I’d like to see the team perform for 90 minutes.”

Goalkeeper Jake Wright made 10 saves in his first start at home, collecting his first win after three 1-1 draws. This was the Menace’s first shutout win of the season, on a night when the team tied its best offensive output.

Des Moines improves to 5-2-6 (21 points) and shares first place with Rochester (6-2-3), which defeated Springfield (1-10-2) 3-0 last night in a weather-shortened affair.

The Menace has three remaining opportunities to pick up points to secure one of the Heartland Division’s two berths in the PDL playoffs. Des Moines hosts Thunder Bay (5-1-1) next Saturday in a critical matchup between arch-rivals. The team’s final two regular-season matches come July 17 and July 24, against Kansas City and St. Louis.

“Everyone’s ready,” Malicevic said. “Everyone believes we can make the playoffs. We believe we’re going to win.”

WEST SWEEPS HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR GAMES:  The West teams swept the 2010 Iowa High School All-Star Games, hosted by the Menace at Valley Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Norwalk’s Garrett Crall and Dallas Center Grimes’ Andy Kleen scored second-half goals to lead the West boys team to a 2-0 win over the East. Crall, a Drake recruit, shared co-MVP honors with the East’s Omeed Kashef, from Cedar Falls.

Ankeny’s McKenzie Misel scored a pair of breakaway goals in the first half, en route to earning MVP honors in the West’s 4-2 triumph. The Minnesota signee also assisted Newton’s Keria Huyser in the final minute. The East got on the board, thanks to goals from Center Point Urbana’s Brittany Brandt and Iowa City West’s Allex Strang, sandwiched around a score from Sioux City Heelan’s Carli Tritz.

UPCOMING HOME ACTION:  Des Moines continues this home stretch with matches at Valley Stadium each of the next four Saturdays to finish the regular-season. The Menace hosts Thunder Bay on July 3, when all fans are invited to come at 4:30 for a pre-game picnic to celebrate Independence Day. Fireworks follow the 7:30 match.

Match: Springfield Demize at Des Moines Menace
Date: June 26, 2010
Competition: Premier Development League Heartland Division regular-season match
Venue: Valley Stadium in West Des Moines, Iowa
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. CDT
Attendance: 3514
Weather: 80s, hot


Scoring Summary:     1   2   F
MENACE                       0   3   3
SPR                             0   0    0

MENACE – Kenan Malicevic (Stephen Okai) 46:00; Malicevic (Okai) 61:00; Clark Bradford (Sam Morris) 80:00
SPR – none

Stats Summary: MENACE / SPR
Shots: 36 / 13
Saves: 10 / 20
Corner Kicks: 5 / 3
Fouls: 9 / 9
Offside: 6 / 0

Misconduct Summary: MENACE Yellow Card: Jack Pearson 54:00; SPR Yellow Card: Peter Higgins 85:00