San Diego Sockers Game Notes vs. Las Vegas
January 11, 2014 - Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
San Diego Sockers News Release
Las Vegas Legends (8-1) at San Diego Sockers (7-2)
DATE: Saturday, January 11th, 2014
PLACE: Valley View Casino Center
TIME: 7:05pm
BROADCAST: AmericaOneSports.com
PLEASE VISIT PASLSOCCER.COM FOR UP-TO-DATE STANDINGS
FIRST PLACE ON THE LINE IN THE WEST
The San Diego Sockers (7-2) take on the Las Vegas Legends (8-1) for the second and last time in the 2013-14 PASL regular season when the two sides clash at Valley View Casino Center on Saturday night. The Sockers are 2-0 all-time against Las Vegas in the regular season and 3-0 counting playoffs, but the three games have been decided by a combined four goals. In their last meeting, December 15th 2013 in Las Vegas, the Sockers emerged with a 7-5 victory behind two goals and an assist from team captain Aaron Susi.
OPEN CUP "DOUBLE"
Tonight's game also counts as a U.S. Open Cup for Arena Soccer round-of-16 elimination match. The winner between Las Vegas and San Diego will face Bay Area Rosal in the round of eight.
LAST GAME: SOCKERS 12, TOROS 7
San Diego's seventh straight win came courtesy of a flurry of goals in the second and third quarters, when the Sockers posted five scores per frame. Brian Farber exploded for five goals and an assist, while Kraig Chiles and Anthony Medina each scored twice. Eduardo Velez had a Sockers-best five assists in the game, including two on short handed goals. Chris Toth made eighteen saves to improve to 6-2 in goal.
BRIAN FARBER NAMED PASL PLAYER OF WEEK
Don't make him angry; you won't like him when he's angry. Brian Farber responded to a hard early foul in the Mexico game and came alive, scoring five goals while adding an assist in San Diego's 12-7 win. The scoring outburst was enough for Farber to emerge as the PASL Player of the Week for the first time this season. Farber's scoring heroics included goals even strength at 4v4 and 5v5, short handed and on the power play. For the season Farber is now second on the Sockers with 12 goals and 15 points.
CHILES BACK IN MVP FORM
After three games of the PASL season, three-time defending MVP Kraig Chiles had just three goals and four points. Recovering from a knee injury that robbed Chiles of most of his preseason, it was a matter of time before Kraig returned to his high scoring form. In his past six games, Chiles has netted 17 goals and 8 assists (25 points), moving up to totals of 20 goals and 9 assists (29 points). Chiles' 20 goals are one behind the PASL co-leaders Allen Eller (CLE) and Efrain Martinez (CHI).
WHAT IS THE U.S. OPEN CUP FOR ARENA SOCCER?
The U.S. Open Cup for Arena Soccer is a single-elimination tournament run concurrent to the PASL regular season. PASL teams have selected games during the regular season count as "doubles" toward both the league and the Open Cup. The Sockers won the first three Open Cup competitions they entered, beating Louisville and Cincinnati (twice) in the final, before losing to Detroit last season in the championship round.
PACIFIC DIVISION DOMINANCE
San Diego carries a win streak of 35 consecutive games within the division into Saturday's contest. The Sockers have been listed in both the Western and Pacific Divisions during their time in the PASL, but have not lost a divisional game since December 27th, 2010, dropping a road overtime decision to the now-defunct California Cougars 9-8.
SOCKERS DEFENSE CONTINUES TO SHINE
San Diego has allowed 47 goals in nine games this season (5.22 per game), fifth trailing Monterrey (4.36 GAA), Chicago (4.5 GAA), Hidalgo (4.55 GAA) and Dallas (4.9 GAA) for the top scoring defense in the PASL. The Sockers have not allowed more than seven goals in a game this season.
A HELPING HAND FROM EDDIE
Always a factor on both sides of the field, Sockers defender Eduardo Velez returned to his hometown of Tijuana, Mexico last Sunday and put up a Sockers career-best five assists in San Diego's 12-7 win over the Toros de Mexico. Four of Eddie's assists came in the fourth quarter, including helpers on both of the Sockers' short-handed goals, which came on the same Toros power play. Velez is now tied for the team lead with Kraig Chiles with nine assists.
"BASH BROS" BASHED UP FOR VEGAS REMATCH
The Sockers' corps of defenders is being tested in the middle of the PASL campaign. Top defender Scott Martin is out indefinitely after suffering an off-field head injury during a vacation snowboarding accident. Defender Evan McNeley, tied for second on the team with 14 points (seven goals, seven assists), is out for this week's game with a toe injury suffered in Tijuana on Sunday. Better news comes with the return of captains Ze Roberto (personal absence) and Aaron Susi (illness) to the lineup.
OFFENSE REVVING UP
Much like their MVP, the Sockers got off to a slow start lighting the red lamp but they have been producing of late in volume. In the last six games San Diego has scored sixty goals (10.0 per game), including double digits in each of the last two contests (13 vs. Ontario, 12 at Mexico).
"NO GOAL PATROL" ON POINT
The San Diego Sockers are one of the toughest teams to score on in the PASL, even when they're a man (or two) short on the field. San Diego has killed off 25 of the 32 power plays they've faced this season, allowing only 7 goals, a 78% kill rate that ranks fourth best in the PASL. The Sockers killed two two-man disadvantages totaling 3:15 of time against Turlock and Ontario.
POWER PLAY FINALLY FINDING A SPARK?
As good as San Diego's penalty killing has been, their power play has been a source of frustration instead of offense in 2013-14. The Sockers managed their first "plus" power play effort of the season against Ontario, fashioning three goals in five attempts. On the season, however, San Diego has converted on just 27% of their power plays (8-for-30), good for 16 th best in the 20-team league.
PASL NOTES: SCORING STORM IN CLEVELAND
The expansion Cleveland Freeze came within one goal of the PASL single-game record last week, defeating Illinois 27-6 on January 4th. Alex Bernot scored eight goals in the game for the Freeze (8-3)...the PASL's lone undefeated team remains the Chicago Mustangs, leading the Eastern Division by 1.5 games with an 8-0 record...the league is expected to announce its host city for the 2014 Ron Newman Cup championships within the next two weeks...league insiders give the lean to Dallas with San Diego also viable if the Sockers pursue the hosting duties...two PASL teams have fired their head coaches this week. The Illinois Piasa have let head coach Doug Montroy go after the team's 27-6 loss and a 1-9 record. The Cincinnati Saints (3-6) also announced they would no longer retain the services of Matt Breines as head coach.
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.
OPPONENT'S PROFILE: LAS VEGAS LEGENDS (8-1)
High scoring and dynamic, the Las Vegas Legends have emerged as one of the primary rivals of the Sockers in their 1 1/2 years of existence in the PASL. Vegas has yet to beat the Sockers but each of the three games played between the two sides has been competitive. This season's 7-5 San Diego victory was the only two-goal game in the series history, with each of the prior games coming down to the final kick or overtime. Three key contributors who were out due to injury when the Sockers and Legends first met have returned to the lineup: power play specialist Felipe Gonzalez (15 goals, 7 PP), slick midfielder Ricardinho (50 points in 2012-13) and goalkeeper Zeke Sanchez (4.00 GAA, 87% save pct.). Las Vegas also signed speedy midfielder Israel Sesay away from the Ontario Toros. Enrique Tovar (12-23-35) and Ivan Campos (19-13-32) lead the Legends offensively.
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Professional Arena Soccer League Stories from January 11, 2014
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- Texas Strikes Out, Dallas Sidekicks Win 15-1 on the Road - Dallas Sidekicks
- Harrisburg Heat Lose At Cincinnati - Harrisburg Heat
- San Diego Sockers Game Notes vs. Las Vegas - San Diego Sockers
- Illinois Piasa Part Ways with Head Coach Doug Montroy - Illinois Piasa
- Ontario Fury Game Notes - January 11, 2014 - Ontario Fury
- Turlock Drops Fury In Overtime, 6-5 - Ontario Fury
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