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San Diego Sockers

San Diego Sockers Game Notes at Turlock

January 23, 2015 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
San Diego Sockers News Release


San Diego Sockers (9-3) at Turlock Express (8-7)

DATE: Friday, January 23rd, 2015

PLACE: Turlock Indoor, Turlock, CA

TIME: 7:35pm PST

ESPN Radio 1700-AM (radio)

GoLiveSportsCast (video)

PLEASE VISIT MASLSOCCER.COM FOR UP-TO-DATE STANDINGS

SOCKERS OPEN CENTRAL VALLEY RUN IN TURLOCK

The San Diego Sockers (9-3) begin their most grueling road test of the 2014-15 MASL season, facing three games in three days starting with the host Turlock Express (8-7). The Sockers will then travel to Sacramento on Saturday to begin a doubleheader against the Surge, playing Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. The toughest test comes first, as the Express are a perfect 7-0 at home coming into play on Friday. This is the second of two meetings this year between the two sides; the Sockers escaped with a 5-4 win on December 6th at the Valley View Casino Center. San Diego is 6-0 all-time against Turlock and 8-0 counting playoff games.

LAST GAME: SOCKERS 8, STARS 3

The first of four road games for the Sockers over a two-week stretch saw San Diego welcome a Pacific Northwest team into the MASL for the second time this season. The Tacoma Stars took over for Seattle Impact FC in the standings and in the MASL, and proceeded to give the Sockers quite a fight before succumbing to an 8-3 final score. Kraig Chiles led the Sockers with four goals and an assist while Jeff Hughes added a power play goal and an assist. Derek Johnson scored twice for Tacoma.

57 STRAIGHT WITH A POINT FOR CHILES

Baseball star Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak is one of the most revered streaks in pro sports history. According to MASL/PASL Stats, Sockers captain Kraig Chiles has recorded at least one point in 57 consecutive matches dating back to November 19 th, 2011 when he was held pointless in a 7-6 OT win against the Anaheim Bolts. The streak is the longest in PASL/MASL history. Chiles has also managed an twelve-game goals streak, having scored at least one goal in every Sockers game this season. In his past six games Chiles has 22 goals, pushing his season total to 31, second-most in the MASL (Gordy Gurson (SEA/STL)-37, Lucas Totti (TEX)-30).

SALVAGIO ONE WIN AWAY FROM 100

Sockers head coach Phil Salvagio enters tonight's contest with an all-time record of 99-14 on the San Diego bench. His mark includes the U.S. professional record for a team sports winning streak (48 consecutive wins, 2010-13), and is an "all contests" record including U.S. Open Cup, FIFRA Championship and PASL playoff victories. Salvagio was a two-time Coach of the Year in the PASL (2011-13) and is the head coach of the U.S. National Arena Soccer Team for the 2015 World Cup. Phil has a ways to catch the Sockers' all-time coaching leader, Ron Newman, who accrued 373 career regular season wins.

SOCKERS TRADE FOR LUIS PIFFER

The Sockers made a trade with the Ontario Fury over the past weekend, acquiring Brazilian defender Luis Piffer in exchange for midfielders Guto and Johnny Topete. Piffer will make his Sockers debut on Friday night against the Express. A two-way defender with a big left shot, Piffer is in his second season of PASL/MASL action and was second on the Fury this year with nine goals and fourteen assists (23 points) in fourteen games. In his career Piffer has 21 goals and 19 assists (40 points) in 26 games with Ontario and Las Vegas.

PERERA BACK TO BEEF UP ATTACK

Sockers forward Nick Perera missed last week's contest in Tacoma while representing the U.S. Beach Soccer National Team at the NSCAA Convention in Philadelphia, but is back to his regular position of target forward on Friday night. Returning to San Diego after three seasons with Milwaukee Wave in the MISL, Perera is second on the club in points (35) and leads the Sockers in assists (19). His 35 points rank eighth in the MASL in scoring, and his 19 assists are third best in the league. He has already set a career points high. Nick had a goal with three assists in his last game, an 11-4 win over the Harrisburg Heat on January 10 th.

FARBER EXPECTED TO MAKE RETURN TONIGHT

All-league midfielder Brian Farber was placed on the Sockers' injury list retroactive to December 6th with a knee injury. Brian aggravated his knee against the Las Vegas Legends on November 23rd and has been unable to play since. However, Farber is on this weekend's trip, and should be selected for at least two games including against Turlock on Friday. An ill-timed bout of the flu limited Farber in practice this week but should not delay his return.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: MATI KRUGER

Sockers rookie midfielder Matias Kruger has had an emergent campaign in his first-ever exposure to the game of professional indoor soccer, ranking sixth on the club with fifteen points (six goals, nine assists). Unfortunately, a family emergency involving his grandmother has forced the 22-year-old Argentine to return to his home country for the time being. Kruger will be gone indefinitely but hopes to return later this season if the situation permits.

HUGHES BACK IN FINE FORM

After an injury plagued initial campaign with the Sockers in 2013-14, midfielder Jeff Hughes is back to playing at a high level in San Diego this season. Recording a goal and assist against the Stars, Hughes improved his season totals to ten goals and eleven assists (21 points) in twelve games. Hughes' totals include three power play goals, second-best on the club. Jeff has a seven-game point scoring streak and has picked up ten points in his past three games (four goals, six assists).

McNELEY PLOTS RETURN

A foot injury sidelined veteran defender Evan McNeley for last week's game at Tacoma, denying the Everett, Washington native an opportunity to shine in front of his home fans. Luckily for the Sockers, McNeley should be available barring a game-day setback for the action tonight and later on this weekend in Sacramento. On the season McNeley has five goals and five assists in ten games.

SOCKERS ON THE RADIO AND WEB

Friday's game and all 20 regular season MASL Sockers games will be carried live on ESPN Radio 1700-AM in San Diego. Audio streaming is available at www.espnradio1700.com. In addition, every MASL game has video streaming live on GoLiveSportsCast.com, including all Sockers games. Aaron Susi joins Craig Elsten for all home broadcasts and select road games.

ISMAEL HERNANDEZ MAKES DEBUT

The Sockers welcomed another foreign import to the club last week, as Spanish defender Ismael Hernandez made his San Diego debut against the Tacoma Stars. Hernandez arrived from Spain last week and is in his third week of training with the club. Ismael played three games during the 2012-13 season with the MISL Milwaukee Wave, as a teammate of Nick Perera. Hernandez was part of the Atletico Madrid training program since he was eleven years old and was living in Spain prior to signing with the Sockers.

MASL NOTES

- With back-to-back wins last weekend over the Express and Las Vegas Legends, the Ontario Fury (10-5) established themselves as the primary rival in the Pacific Division, remaining one-half game behind the Sockers. Traded during the week from San Diego, Johnny Topete scored four goals on the weekend with an assist to help the Fury to wins of 10-6 and 6-5 over Turlock and Las Vegas.

- The Harrisburg Heat lost to Syracuse on Sunday, their 16th straight loss dating to last season. That ties the league record previously endured by the Arizona Storm and Texas Strikers. The Heat are the last remaining winless team in the MASL.

- With 232 goals in his Sockers PASL/MASL career, Kraig Chiles is approaching Juli Veee's club record for goals scored (254).

OPPONENT PROFILE: TURLOCK EXPRESS (8-7)

The Turlock Express (8-7) are hoping to continue a remarkable run of home success as they welcome in the Sockers on Friday night. The Express are a perfect 7-0 at home this season, 1-7 on the road. Turlock has scored 73 home goals (10.43 per game) while netting just 45 away goals in eight games (5.62 per game). In their last home game, the Express rallied from a 7-2 deficit late in the fourth quarter, scoring five straight in the final five minutes using a sixth attacker to force overtime and an eventual 8-7 victory. Player/coach Enrique "Qeeks" Tovar leads the team in scoring (11 goals, 26 assists, 37 points) and is second in the MASL in assists. Forwards Arturo Pulido Jr. and Uriel Robledo are tied for the team goals lead with 16. Midfielder/defender Martyn Arista has returned from injury with a bang, netting six goals and eight points in three games. Turlock is tenth in the MASL in power play efficiency (18-for-39, 46%) and seventh-best in the league in power play defense (8-for-25, 68% kill, 3 SH goals). Eleven of the team's eighteen power play goals have come at home (11-for-18).

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