Sockers Acquire Defender Luis Piffer from Ontario
January 19, 2015 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
San Diego Sockers News Release
The San Diego Sockers completed a trade today with the Ontario Fury of the Major Arena Soccer League, acquiring defender Luis Piffer as the player to be named later in exchange for midfielders Johnny Topete and Gustavo Machado "Guto" Quieroga. Piffer will be available for the Sockers as they travel to Turlock and Sacramento for three games this weekend.
"We felt we needed to bring in another experienced, hard-nosed defender with a strong left leg and Luis Piffer is that player," said general manager John Kentera, "Our organization rates Piffer highly and we think he will be a big help."
A 26-year-old defender who was born and raised in Brazil before moving to the United States for college, Luis Piffer is in his second season of professional indoor soccer. This season he is second on the Fury with 23 points (nine goals, fourteen assists) in fourteen games. He split his rookie campaign in 2013-14 between the Ontario Fury and Las Vegas Legends, accumulating twelve goals and five assists (seventeen points) in twelve games. Piffer was acquired by the Legends for their playoff push last season and helped the Legends reach the PASL semi-finals.
A former two-time Midwest Collegiate Conference Player of the Year while playing at Grand View University, Piffer began his U.S. pro soccer career outdoors with Minnesota United FC of the North American Soccer League. He was born in Amparo, Brazil.
Topete, 25, played in three games this season for the Sockers. He was selected for four games in his rookie season, registering one assist. Guto, 30, scored two goals with two assists in four games this year for San Diego. This is Guto's rookie season out of Brazil.
"This wasn't an easy move for us to make. Johnny Topete has been with us for a while in our developmental program and we think the world of him," said Kentera, "Guto had only been with us for a short while but he had done well to blend in with our team. Any time you make a trade you hope it works out for both teams and all the players involved."
The Sockers continue their MASL season on Friday, January 23rd when they kick off a three-game, three-day road trip with a key divisional showdown against the Turlock Express. The Sockers return home on Saturday, January 31st when they host the Tacoma Stars. Tickets are available at the Valley View Casino Center box office, by phone at (866) 799-GOAL or online at sockers.com.
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from January 19, 2015
- Fury Complete Trade with San Diego - Ontario Fury
- Sockers Acquire Defender Luis Piffer from Ontario - San Diego Sockers
- Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report - OSC Original by Dan Krieger
- Mustangs Handle Tulsa 9-1 - Chicago Mustangs
- Surge Short out against Legends, 18-4 - Sacramento Surge
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