San Diego Sockers Game Notes at Turlock
November 22, 2013 - Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
San Diego Sockers News Release
GAME THREE
SOCKERS OPEN ROAD TRIP AT TURLOCK
San Diego Sockers (0-2) at Turlock Express (2-0)
DATE: Friday, November 22nd, 2013
PLACE: Turlock Soccer Center
TIME: 7:05pm (PDT)
BROADCAST: AmericaOneSports.com (video)
Livestream.com (audio)
PLEASE CHECK PASLSOCCER.COM FOR UP-TO-DATE STANDINGS
SOCKERS EMBARK ON KEY ROAD TRIP
The San Diego Sockers take on the Turlock Express tonight in the opener of a four game Pacific Division road trip that continues Saturday night in Sacramento. This is the first of two scheduled meetings against the Express, who will visit San Diego on December 21st. The Sockers are 3-0 in the regular season and 5-0 all-time against Turlock, including an 8-4 victory in their only visit to Turlock Soccer Center on 2/24/12.
STREAKING...IN THE WRONG DIRECTION
The Sockers are used to talking about winning streaks, but for only the second time in PASL franchise history, they are faced with breaking a losing streak tonight. Last Saturday's 6-5 overtime shootout loss to Monterrey marked the first time since the 2010-11 season that the Sockers had dropped back-to-back games. San Diego followed their last two-game losing streak with a U.S. professional team sports record 48-game winning streak.
GOAL #1: AVOID A SHOOTOUT
In a bizarre twist, the Sockers are the only team in PASL history to play an overtime game all the way to penalty kick shootouts, and they've done it twice, losing on both occasions. The first-ever shootout in league history went in favor of the California Cougars, who beat the Sockers 2-1 in the shootout round during the 2009-10 season. Monterrey managed an identical 2-1 shootout round victory over San Diego, dropping the Sockers to 0-2 in shootouts all-time.
AN UNFAMILIAR PLACE
This is the first time the Sockers have been two games below .500 in PASL franchise history, and the first time the team has found itself as low as fifth place in their division. San Diego opens the night three games behind first place Las Vegas in the Pacific Division.
OFFENSE LOOKING TO BREAK OUT TONIGHT
Scoring goals has rarely been an issue for the four-time defending PASL champions, but facing the top two defensive squads in the league has depressed San Diego's goal totals. The 2012-13 Sockers tallied 188 goals in 16 regular season games (11.75 per game), while the 2013-14 version is stuck on eight goals through two games (4.00 per game). Anthony Medina and Kraig Chiles lead the team with two goals apiece. Last season Chiles led the PASL with a record 56 goals in 16 games.
SOMEONE'S GOING TO PAY FOR THIS
It is rare to shut out midfielder Brian Farber in a game, but back-to-back games are almost unthinkable. Still, despite being in the starting lineup for both of San Diego's opening contests, the all-PASL midfielder has yet to register a point. Farber was limited to first quarter shifts against Monterrey (hamstring) but is on the trip this weekend. Farber, who won MVP honors with Stockton in 2008-09 and has been part of the past three Sockers championship teams, has 122 career goals and 200 career points, both second on the PASL's all-time list.
SOCKERS SIGN SUTTON
The Sockers today announced the signing of veteran defender Antonio Sutton to a contract for the rest of the regular season. Sutton will be in uniform this Saturday when the Sockers take on the Sacramento Surge. This is the third season for the 39-year-old Sutton with San Diego, appearing on the 2011-12 and 2012-13 title teams. Last year Antonio had six regular season starts, scoring his first two goals in a Sockers uniform. He added an assist in two playoff starts, earning a selection for the starting lineup when the Sockers beat Detroit in the Ron Newman Cup championship game. Sutton, who will turn 40 on December 12 th, owns three PASL championship rings, having won with Stockton in 2008-09. Antonio is expected to be called upon as needed for spot starts the rest of the season.
TOTH EARNS THIRD STRAIGHT START IN GOAL
After serving one season as an understudy to Riley Swift and spending the last two years splitting time in goal, 24-year-old Chris Toth took the reins as starting goalkeeper for the Sockers this season. Toth has registered 29 saves during the first two games and holds a 4.53 goals against average (6th-PASL) and 74% save percentage (5th). Despite suffering the loss in both games, Chris now holds an all-time record in goal of 26-2 with San Diego.
MEDINA ON THE MARK
Anthony Medina broke out against the Monterrey Flash, scoring his first two goals of the season. Medina finished a Kraig Chiles assist in the crease at the end of the first quarter, and then converted an Aaron Susi wall pass for his second goal with 1:09 remaining in the second quarter. Last season Medina set a personal best with 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 16 games.
"NO GOAL PATROL" KEEPING THE BEAT
Last season, the Sockers had the most effective penalty killing unit in the PASL, delivering a 73.7% kill percentage (10 goals in 38 power plays) while adding a league-record eight short-handed goals for a grand total of -2 on all penalties against. This year's squad is off to a good start, killing off six of eight power plays against (75%, 5th-PASL). The Sockers are looking for their first short-handed goal of 2013-14.
LUNA TO SIT OUT SATURDAY
Sockers midfielder Miguel "Chiky" Luna will sit out Saturday night's game against the Sacramento Surge as the result of a long-appealed one-game suspension from the Ron Newman Cup championship game in March. After a lengthy appeal, the PASL decided to suspend Luna for one game, the result of an elbowing foul against Detroit's Miki Djerisilo during the Sockers' 8-6 victory. Luna is in the starting lineup for tonight's game against Turlock.
ASSISTANT COACH SUSPENDED TOO
Sockers assistant coach Ray Taila has been suspended by the PASL for three games and will serve the second and third games of the suspension during this weekend's trip to Turlock and Sacramento. The suspension was the result of a red card taken by Taila for an on-field altercation during the Dallas Sidekicks' 5-3 win over San Diego on November 9 th.
AND THEN THERE WERE SEVEN: NEW PAC DIVISION
The PASL continues to grow and evolve as it enters its sixth season, and this year's 20-team iteration of the league sees the Pacific Division grow from five to seven teams. The most notable addition is the Las Vegas Legends, moved from the Southwest Division along with Toros de Mexico when the league combined from four divisions to three. The expansion Ontario Fury take the place of the folded Anaheim Bolts, while Bay Area Rosal moves up from the PASL-Premier to the top tier. Only San Diego, Turlock and Sacramento remain from last year's Pacific Division.
SOCKERS GAMES BROADCAST FREE ON AMERICAONESPORTS.COM ALL YEAR
The San Diego Sockers will have all of their games broadcast live for the fourth consecutive season, and the franchise has taken the additional step of making all of its online video broadcasts, home and road, available for free on the PASL's online partner AmericaOneSports.com. Other PASL games are also available at AmericaOne for an $8 per game or $90 season pass fee, but all Sockers games will be shown free of charge. In addition, every Sockers game will have an audio simulcast streamed live and archived on the Sockers' Livestream channel. Craig Elsten returns for his fifth season as the voice of the Sockers, joined by a rotating group of Sockers veterans for color commentary on home games, including legendary midfielder Paul Wright. Tim Strombel returns for his second season as sideline reporter for Sockers home broadcasts, with contributions from John Weisbarth.
OPPONENT'S PROFILE: TURLOCK EXPRESS (2-0)
In their third season as members of the PASL, the Turlock Express look to take the next step forward and advance to the semifinals of the Ron Newman Cup playoffs in 2013-14. After an impressive 10-6 season in their first year of PASL action, Turlock finished 9-7 in 2012-13 but faced the Sockers in the newly crafted opening round of the playoffs, forcing overtime in the opening leg (a 12-11 Sockers victory) before succumbing in the closing leg 13-4. Turlock is 0-3 all-time against the Sockers in the regular season, 0-5 counting playoff matchups. Head coach Art Pulido's team is led in scoring by forward Adrian Gutierrez (two goals, four assists, six points) and defender Arturo Pulido (one goal, five assists, six points). The Express are seeking to replace the offense of Ivan Campos and Bronil Koochoie, who departed Turlock for free agent deals in Las Vegas and Dallas respectively. Goalkeeper Javier Rosales (2-0, 5.50 GAA, 77% save pct.) has faced 47 shots in two starts and turned aside 36. The Express are tied for fourth in the PASL with a 57% conversion rate on power plays (4-for-7). They are 2-for-4 killing off penalties.
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