San Diego Sockers Game Notes vs. Tacoma Stars
January 15, 2015 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
San Diego Sockers News Release
San Diego Sockers (8-3) at Tacoma Stars (3-10)
DATE: Friday, January 16th, 2015
PLACE: ShoWare Arena, Kent, WA
TIME: 7:35pm PST
0 ESPN Radio 1700-AM (radio)
PLEASE VISIT MASLSOCCER.COM FOR UP-TO-DATE STANDINGS
FOUR GAME ROAD TRIP OPENS IN SEATTLE
The San Diego Sockers (8-3) begin a key four-game Pacific Division road trip with a single game in Seattle. This game was originally scheduled against Seattle Impact FC, but the expansion team ceased operations this week and sold their Pacific Northwest MASL interest to the Tacoma Stars. The Stars are rising out of the Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) to play out Seattle's MASL schedule and will take over as the MASL team in the Sea/Tac region going forward. Thus a long-standing and historic rivalry is once again reborn with the Stars and Sockers meeting on the indoor pitch.
LAST GAME: SOCKERS 11, HEAT 4
For the second straight game, the Sockers rode a dominant first quarter to victory, this time scoring a franchise-record seven goals in the first quarter en route to an 11-4 win over the Harrisburg Heat on Saturday, January 10th. A season-best crowd of 4,177 at the Valley View Casino Center saw the Sockers pour in seven goals in the first 12:30, with Nick Perera netting twice. Kraig Chiles later finished a hat trick with two assists for a five-point game, while Jeff Hughes had a goal and three assists. Kenneth Fultz scored twice for the Heat (0-10).
56 STRAIGHT WITH A POINT FOR KRAIG 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 56 consecutive matches dating back to November 19th, 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 eleven-game goals streak, having scored at least one goal in every Sockers game this season. In his past five games Chiles has eighteen goals, pushing his season total to 27, third most in the MASL (Gordy Gurson-36, Lucas Totti-30).
PERERA AWAY ON OFFICIAL U.S. BUSINESS
Sockers forward Nick Perera will not be on the trip to Seattle this weekend, as his role as captain of the U.S. Beach Soccer National Team takes him away from club duties temporarily. Perera has been given the honor of participating in the U.S. Soccer Athlete Council at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) annual convention in Philadelphia, PA. While Nick will only miss one game, his absence presses "pause" on a breakout campaign in his first year back wearing the Sockers shield. Returning to San Diego after three seasons with Milwaukee Wave in the MISL, Perera is tied for the club lead in points (35) and leads the Sockers in assists (19). His 35 points rank tied for fifth in the MASL in scoring, and his 19 assists are third best in the league. He has already set a career points high.
SALVAGIO TWO WINS AWAY FROM 100
Sockers head coach Phil Salvagio enters tonight's contest with an all-time record of 98-14 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.
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.
NEXT MAN UP: ISMAEL HERNANDEZ
As Kruger departs for Argentina, the Sockers welcome another foreign import to the club this week, as Spanish defender Ismael Hernandez is set to make his San Diego debut. Hernandez arrived from Spain last week and has had a full week of training with the club. This, however, will not be Hernandez's debut in the game of pro indoor soccer, as he 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.
NEY BACK WITH A GOAL
Brazilian rookie midfielder Mardney Almeida "Ney" Felix has taken the MASL by storm, scoring eight points in his first seven quarters of action with the Sockers. After an ankle injury sidelined Ney for two games, he returned to action against the Harrisburg Heat and quickly scored his sixth goal of the season, patiently finishing a centering pass from Nick Perera for a 2-0 San Diego lead in the first quarter. Ney now has six goals and three assists (nine points) in three games this season.
LUNA MATCHES CAREER HIGH FOR ASSISTS
With fourteen assists on the season (and two goals for sixteen points), veteran Sockers midfielder Chiky Luna ranks tied for seventh in the MASL in helpers and is on pace to destroy his career-best numbers in the category. Luna's career high for assists was also 14, set in the 2012-13 season, when Chiky finished with a career-best 26 points.
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. With a goal and three assists against the Heat, Hughes blew past his points total from last season (16), improving to nine goals and ten assists (19 points) in eleven games. Hughes' totals include a pair of power play goals.
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.
FARBER RETURNS TO TRAINING
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 targeting a return to action on January 23rd in Turlock as part of a three-game road trip. Brian returned to training this week with the team. He, like Nick Perera, is attending the NSCAA Convention in Philadelphia this weekend as part of his job with SKLZ Soccer.
MASL NOTES
- The eighth straight loss for Seattle Impact FC was too much for legally embattled owner/player/coach Dion Earl, who first traded off his top assets (below) then sold the rights to his MASL franchise to the Tacoma Stars.
- Prior to ending operations, the Impact traded the MASL's top scorer, forward Gordy Gurson, to the St. Louis Ambush for cash. The Impact later dealt Jamar Beasley, Corey Maret and Oliver Dyson to the Ontario Fury for cash.
- The Ambush dealt their target forward, Stephan St. Louis, to the Milwaukee Wave prior to acquiring Gurson.
- The Turlock Express scored five times in the final seven minutes of regulation and then once more in overtime for a dramatic 8-7 win over the Las Vegas Legends, moving into third place in the Pacific Division.
OPPONENT PROFILE: TACOMA STARS (3-10)
The Tacoma Stars are owned by Lane Smith, who had the Tacoma franchise positioned for the MASL's Pacific Northwest representation only to be spurned by the league in favor of Dion Earl's ownership bid prior to the 2014-15 season. Instead, the Stars operated in the Western Indoor Soccer League, where it built up a 5-0 record (8-0 in all matches). When Earl's squad collapsed and looked to cease operations, the Stars stepped right in to complete their schedule in the MASL. As such, Tacoma inherits the Impact's record of 3-10, including eight straight losses. However, the team makeup, unknown at time of print, is likely to be more reflective of the undefeated WISL team's roster. Tacoma native Joey Gjertsen leads the WISL Stars in goals while Nate Ford had a hat trick in the Stars' recent 15-2 victory over Oly Town Artesians. As 22 players resigned from the Impact roster earlier this year under protest of Dion Earl's continued involvement with the team, the possibility remains that some of those players will rise up to join the reformed MASL Tacoma Stars.
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