DEFENDING CHAMPIONS CLEVELAND CRUNCH DEFEAT THE MUSKEGON RISERS 8-5 TO START THE 2022 SEASON

(Muskegon, MI) January 7, 2022 - The defending Major Arena Soccer League 2 champions Cleveland Crunch soared to victory on Friday, Jan. 7, with an 8-5 win over the Muskegon Risers. 

The Crunch was off to a slow start but went on a 4-0 run with nearly five minutes left in the first quarter. Forward Ryan Minick opened up the scoring for the Crunch when he found the back of the net off a pass from defender and team captain Dave Jordan. Midfielder Sami Mutemwa followed up with a second goal for the Crunch with 4:35 left in the first quarter, tying the game 2-2. 

Shortly after the Crunch took the lead when midfielder Tom Beck scored off a pass from midfielder Admir Suljevic. With 31.7 seconds left in the first half, Jordan found the left corner of the goal, putting the Crunch up by two at the end of the first half. 

Jordan kicked off the scoring for the Crunch in the second quarter when he scored his second goal of the night off a pass from Minick at the 13:25 mark. Following that, Jordan completed a hat trick off a pass from Suljevic with nearly one minute left in the second quarter, putting the Crunch up 6-3 at the half. 

The second half saw goals from Beck and Jordan, who scored his fourth and the final Crunch goal of the night, leaving the score 8-5. Jordan earned the MetroHealth ‘Man of the Match’ honor with four goals and one assist. 

The Crunch will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 15, when they head home to take on the Risers again for opening night at the Soccer Sportsplex in North Olmsted, Ohio. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at theclevelandcrunch.com/tickets.