Sockers Hit Road For First Playoff Game
April 1, 2003 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
San Diego Sockers News Release
The San Diego Sockers will travel to Kansas City to face the Comets in the Western Conference Semi-Finals, Wednesday, April 2 at 5 p.m. (PST). The game will feature the two top scorers in the Major Indoor Soccer League this season, Comets forward Dino Delevski and Sockers forward Carlos "Chile" Farias. The game can be heard live at AM 1360 KPOP or on the internet at webcast.sockers.com.
The Sockers and Comets have a rivalry that dates back to the days of the original MISL, and has now been seen in six heated Western Conference battles this year.
No longer are the names of Jan Goosens and Branko Segota around, now the fans will look on as Kansas City defender Alex Zotinca and Sockers midfielder Marianno Bollella will go toe to toe. San Diego won four of the six regular season games, including two out of three at Kemper Arena.
Both teams feature a high-powered offense and great goalkeeping. Two-time Spalding scoring champion Delevski is joined in the attack by forward Nino DaSilva, the son of former Los Angeles Lazer great Batata. DaSilva finished the season with 37 goals, 16 assists in 33 games.
The Sockers defense will have to keep a close eye on Comets midfielder and Poway, California native Nate Houser. Houser is in the Top 15 in the league in scoring with 72 points during the 2002-03 campaign.
Meanwhile, San Diego has it's own blend of attack. Farias has made a huge scoring impact during the season. Bollella has come on very strong in the second half of the season, finishing with 21 goals, 19 assists for a total of 62 points in only 30 games. The return of a healthy Matthew Stewart and Aaron Susi should help the Sockers offensive output too.
On the defensive side of the ball, San Diego will look to their MISL All-Stars to shine. Goalkeeper Nick Vorberg and defenders Alejandro Cardenas and Gaston Pernia will have their hands full with the explosive Comets offense. Cardenas has been slowed by injuries, but has been rested the past few weeks in anticipation of the playoff game. Pernia had a strong season, finishing with 80 blocks in 35 games, third in the MISL.
The winner will move on to take on the Western Conference Champion, Milwaukee Wave on Sunday April the 6th. That game will be a 11 a.m. (PST) start time at the Bradley Center in downtown Milwaukee, Wis.
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Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from April 1, 2003
- Sockers Hit Road For First Playoff Game - San Diego Sockers
- Listen To Your Sockers Live - San Diego Sockers
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