PASL San Diego Sockers

Sockers win fifth straight

Published on February 2, 2014 under Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
San Diego Sockers News Release


SAN DIEGO-- Kraig Chiles netted a hat trick for his 200th career Professional Arena Soccer League goal and Brian Farber's short-handed goal broke a 4-4 fourth quarter tie as the San Diego Sockers held off a spirited Toros de Mexico side by a final score of 6-5.

A crowd of 4,943 on T-Shirt Night saw the Sockers (12-3) win their fifth straight game, moving a half-game ahead of idle Las Vegas in the Pacific Division standings.

"We did enough to win," said head coach Phil Salvagio, "We never found it tonight, but a win is a win, even if it's ugly."

Coming off a stretch of four games in eight days, San Diego rested their legs during a light week of training and then saw the Toros get the jump on them in a sluggish first quarter. Mounting a desperate push to clinch a Pacific Division playoff berth, head coach Joe Pollard's team came out focused and earned the respect of the Sockers during a hard fought game.

"You could see from the start they were ready to play," said defender Jeff Hughes.

A diagonal cross to Tijuana's Jesus Rivas from Jose Rodriguez put the Toros ahead 1-0 just over three minutes into the game. Working hard and winning possession, the Toros kept up the pressure and doubled their lead at the 7:08 mark on Shino Cavarubius' tenth goal of the season.

By the end of the first fifteen minutes, the visitors had a 2-0 lead, the crowd was listless and the Sockers knew this would not be an easy path to a twelfth straight victory over the PASL Tijuana franchise.

"(Toros) did well tonight, they had a gameplan that gave us trouble and stuck to it," said Salvagio.

The comeback began first with a defensive commitment to shut down Tijuana's counter attacks. From there, Evan McNeley's hard run down the right side and goal wall deflection turned into Chiles' 35th goal of the season, as the three-time MVP followed McNeley down the middle and finished past Toros keeper Ramon Torres (20 saves).

The Sockers converted a six teams foul power play opportunity just under three minutes later, with Chiles rifling a long shot home to level the score at 2-2, which was the halftime result. Anthony Medina's fourteenth goal of the season, a beautiful header on Aaron Susi's assist, gave San Diego a 3-2 lead in the third quarter. The assist was Susi's 200th career point in the PASL.

The Toros (7-6) equalized on an Oscar Rivas power play goal and took the lead on Gerardo Villa's 30th goal of the season. The 4-3 advantage was short lived, however, thanks to the craftiness of San Diego's captain on a set piece. Awarded a short corner kick, Chiky Luna pushed a pass to Susi in traffic, who lofted a slowly paced ball into the upper side netting past a helpless Torres to even the score at 4-4.

"That's many years of experience, that one," said Susi, a 2013 Hall of Champions Star of the Year, "The ball came over a little late to me, and I played what I guess would be considered a changeup in baseball. The keeper knew I was going to hit it, and I was able to hit it in the same spot but took a little off the (pace) and threw him off enough to get it in the corner of the net."

San Diego went on the penalty kill with 11:29 in the fourth quarter when McNeley was blue carded for an errant elbow, but turned the disadvantage to their favor when Jeff Hughes won a ball on the near wall and set up Farber, who rifled a sharp angled shot inside the near post for his 18th goal of the year. It was Farber's third short-hander of the season and the Sockers' PASL-leading fifth.

"Great finish by Farber, and we needed that goal," said Hughes.

Chiles finished his hat trick on a beautiful run and layoff by Eduardo Velez with 6:46 remaining in the game. It was the league-leading 37th goal of the year for Chiles, who increased his overall points lead to five over Las Vegas forward Enrique Tovar. Tijuana's Juan Meza netted a set piece goal with one second left in the game to close out the scoring.

With 200 goals in 76 career PASL regular season games, Chiles has completed a transition from SDSU outdoor star and MLS player to an indoor superstar who has won three straight league MVPs and is in line for a fourth.

"I've figured this game out with a lot of help from Aaron Susi," said Chiles, "He has helped me out from day one, taken a fellow Aztec under his wing and kind of shown me the ropes. I wouldn't be the player I am today without his mentorship."

"Coming into the league, I was an out-and-out outdoor player, but now I rate myself as an indoor player."

The Sockers now lead the Legends (11-3) by a half-game in the Pacific Division, although Las Vegas holds the tiebreaker thanks to head-to-head aggregate. The Legends play the Ontario Fury twice next week, while Ontario faces San Diego next Sunday night on Fan Appreciation Night at the Valley View Casino Center. San Diego needs one Las Vegas loss and their own win to secure their fifth straight division title.

Tickets are available for the Sockers-Fury February 9th match at (866) 799-GOAL, or online at www.sockers.com.

NOTES: Chiles suffered a mild elbow hyperextension during the second quarter but was able to return to the field after missing a couple of shifts...Chris Toth made 18 saves in goal for his 11th win of the season for San Diego...the win was the Sockers' twelfth straight against Tijuana, which has yet to beat San Diego in a PASL game on U.S. soil...LA Dodgers All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez delivered the ceremonial first kick prior to the game...After a league record five short-handed goals last season Brian Farber scored his third short-hander of the year, all against Toros.

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