The Force Is With the Force as Cleveland Routs Lazers

RICHFIELD, Ohio — Peter Ward and Gino DiFlorio each scored two goals, and goalie Chris Vaccaro made 17 saves as the Cleveland Force downed the Los Angeles Lazers, 6-3, Tuesday night in the Major Indoor Soccer League.

Vaccaro had a shutout until early in the fourth quarter.

The Force (20-8) has the best record in the MISL. The Lazers are 6-20.

Ward opened the scoring with the first of his two unassisted goals 6:27 into the first period. DiFlorio scored a power-play goal at the 13:18 mark to put Cleveland ahead, 2-0.

DiFlorio’s second power-play goal came at 14:47 of the second quarter, when he beat Lazer goalkeeper David Brcic to the right post, putting Cleveland ahead, 3-0, at halftime.

Ward scored again after a steal and a breakaway at 12:39 of the third period, and the quarter ended with Cleveland ahead, 4-0.

In the final period, Cleveland’s Dennis Mepham scored at the 2:38 mark. Stuart Lee of the Lazers took a crossing pass from Lee Cornwell and beat Vaccaro. Erhardt Kapp scored for the Lazers about two minutes later.

Ali Kazemaini scored at 6:12 to put the Force ahead, 6-2. Lee scored on a penalty kick with 16 seconds to play to close out the scoring.

A crowd of 9,655 watched the game at the Richfield Coliseum.