Gorsek Sets Record; Sockers Win : Goalkeeper Gets 16th Straight Victory, 11-4, Over St. Louis
The last time Sockers goalkeeper Jim Gorsek lost a match, the San Diego Chargers still had two games remaining in the 1985 regular season.
There were 11 days to go Christmas shopping when the Cleveland Force defeated Gorsek and the Sockers, 3-2, on Dec. 13, 1985.
Saturday night in front of 10,417 fans at the San Diego Sports Arena, Gorsek continued to receive presents from the leading offense in the Major Indoor Soccer League. Gorsek played three quarters, allowed two goals and made seven saves on 15 shots in the Sockers’ 11-4 win against the St. Louis Steamers.
Zoltan Toth replaced Gorsek after three quarters because he took three hits to his ribs in the first half and aggravated the fractured ribs he suffered earlier this season.
He is not sure if he will be in goal for his last scheduled regular season start Friday night in Los Angeles.
Enough about the injury, how about the record?
Gorsek won his 16th straight match Saturday night, breaking the Major Indoor Soccer League season record previously held by Shep Messing of the New York Arrows in 1980-81.
That record says as much about Gorsek’s diving saves as it does about San Diego’s prolific offense.
During Gorsek’s 16-game winning streak, the Sockers have scored 113 goals and Gorsek has allowed 49.
“My record is a team record,” Gorsek said. “If we (Socker goalkeepers) can come up with a couple of good saves, we know the guys will score some goals.”
How about bunches of goals?
Fernando Clavijo, Ade Coker and Branko Segota each scored a hat trick, and Wadd Hirmez and Kaz Deyna added one goal apiece to lead the Sockers to their 20th home victory of the season.
That ties the MISL season mark of 20 home wins held by both Baltimore (1983-84) and Chicago (1984-85). San Diego is 20-3 and will play host to Dallas April 5 in the season finale.
The Sockers seem to be breaking or on the verge of breaking at least one league record every game.
Gorsek is 18-2 and his win-loss percentage (90%) is the best in the league. The MISL record is 87.5% (21-3) set by Messing in 1980-81.
By allowing only two goals Saturday night, Gorsek took over the league lead in goals-against average with a 3.70 mark.
Baltimore’s Keith Van Eron entered Saturday night with a one-hundredth of a point lead over Gorsek for the lowest goals-against average, 3.73 to 3.74. But Van Eron allowed three goals in Baltimore’s 3-1 loss to Minnesota to lower his average to 3.71.
Gorsek is within reach of the mark for the lowest goals-against average in a MISL season, held by Slobo Ilijevski of St. Louis. Ilijevski had a 3.67 goals-against average in 1983-84.
During his winning streak, Gorsek missed two starts with fractured ribs in mid-February and has been involved in two somewhat tainted decisions.
In a game against Tacoma Feb. 9, Gorsek replaced Toth at the start of the fourth quarter. The game was tied, 6-6. Gorsek allowed one goal in the final quarter, but the Sockers won, 8-7, and Gorsek picked up the win.
On March 9 in Wichita, Gorsek allowed four goals in 57:30 minutes. The Sockers trailed, 4-3, when they put in a sixth attacker. Clavijo, acting as goalkeeper, gave up a goal making it 5-3. San Diego scored to make it 5-4, but Clavijo was credited with the loss because he gave up the winning goal.
Figure out that scoring decision.
However, there was no controversy surrounding Gorsek’s 16th straight win Saturday night.
After finally receiving their 1984-85 MISL championship rings in a pregame ceremony, the Sockers quickly showed why they once again have the best record in the league this season.
San Diego is 34-11 and can tie their MISL record for wins in a season if they win their remaining three games. The Sockers were 37-11 last season.
