Wichita Rallies for First Win Over Sockers, 11-9

The Wichita Wings have finally defeated the Sockers. The Wings rallied from a four-goal deficit before 9,051 in the Kansas Coliseum Saturday night to win, 11-9.

It was the Wings’ (3-2) first-ever triumph over the Sockers. San Diego had won the previous eight regular-season meetings and also boasted a three-game sweep of the Wings in the 1982-83 Major Indoor Soccer League playoffs.

Wichita’s Erik Rasmussen scored five times Saturday to tie a team record. He added two assists, giving him the Wings’ mark for most points in a game with seven. The previous mark of six was shared by three players.

“I think this was the best game the Wichita Wings ever played,” said Rasmussen, from Denmark in his second season with the Wings.

Branko Segota had three goals for the Sockers, and Hugo Perez added two. Jacques Ladouceur, Kevin Crow, Ade Coker and Steve Zungul also scored goals.

San Diego (4-2) went ahead, 4-0, in the first 16 minutes on two goals by Perez and one each by Ladoucdeur and Segota.

“That was the worst thing that could happen,” San Diego Coach Ron Newman said. “You get up 4-0 and you should control the game. But we let them come back, and then their crowd got into it, and then the fact that they had never beaten us before. . . . well, after all that, the Wichita players were running around like a bunch of crazy guys. Everything they touched was going into the net.”

Rasmussen’s third goal at 2:41 of the third period gave the Wings a 5-5 tie. He had two defenders draped over him in the right corner, but he spun and lifted a rising shot over San Diego goalkeeper Jim Gorsek.