Ex-Socker Zungul Off to Slow Start : His Scoring Drought Is Factor in Stars’ 2 Playoff Losses

Former San Diego Socker Steve Zungul is frustrated. Very frustrated.

The Sockers have beaten the daylights out of his current team, the Tacoma Stars, in two playoff games and Zungul, indoor soccer’s most prolific scorer, can’t do anything about it.

“We have to change our offensive style and we have to play much faster,” Zungul said. “I know my teammates are trying to get me the ball. I can’t blame them. But when I have the ball and control it (and pass it off to them), they never give it back. They play a wild game with no tactics.”

Zungul has scored just two goals and taken only 11 shots (three in the second game) in the two games.

“The Sockers have been confusing us,” Zungul said. “The next game will have to be different. Otherwise we are dead.”

That’s a fact.

The Sockers beat the Stars 10-4 on April 23 and 7-2 Tuesday to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Major Indoor Soccer League Western Division final series.

Game 3 will be played in the Tacoma Dome at 7:35 tonight.

Not scoring and losing have provided Zungul with a double dose of frustration.

“I’m not used to losing,” he said. “I’m backed in a corner here, but this is the last season this will happen. Next year, the guys who want to play will be the ones who are here.”

Only four members of the Stars--Zungul, Ralph Black, Keith Furphy and Peter Mowlik, have ever participated in the MISL playoffs before this season.

How much control does Zungul have when it comes to evaluating the Tacoma roster?

“I’m in any postion I want to be,” he said.

Zungul, 31, was sold last February for $200,000 to Tacoma, a team in need of a leader.

That was fine when Zungul, a member of the Golden Bay Earthquakes, was younger.

When he came to the Sockers, however, he was relieved of the burden of carrying a team. Zungul enjoyed being the biggest star among many stars in San Diego.

“Steve needs a supporting cast,” said Kevin Crow, Socker defender. “He can lead the band, but he doesn’t want to chase balls in the corner. He is trying as hard as he can, but I can tell he is frustrated.”

Zungul, the MISL’s all-time leading scorer in the playoffs (81 goals and 49 assists in 40 games), has not been a factor in the West final.

Zungul has consistently been denied the ball by a rotation of rested Socker defenders. They have been helped by midfielders who are not letting the Stars complete long passes to Zungul in the penalty area.

“The Sockers are playing the same kind of defense on me that they usually do,” Zungul said. “Whoever is in there stays close to me.”

When Zungul does get the ball, it usually is near midfield, where he is not a scoring threat.

“I could sense last night (Game 2) that Stevie felt like he was beating his head against the wall,” Socker Coach Ron Newman said. “He doesn’t have the quality around him.”

Last season, Zungul scored 13 goals and had 24 assists to lead the MISL in playoff scoring, win the Most Valuable Player award and lead the Sockers to a championship.

As well as being a dominant player, Zungul also is a fierce competitor with high standards.

At the start of the series, Zungul said the Sockers were obviously the team to beat, but that he hoped it would go five games.

“Nobody can expect Tacoma to win the championship,” Crow said. “Next year, I’m sure he’ll try to bring in some defenders to help him.”

If Tacoma’s season ends tonight, many still will marvel at what Zungul has accomplished since being sold to the Stars:

- With Zungul in the lineup, Tacoma was 11-8 in the regular season and qualified for the playoffs by finishing third in the Western Division.

- Zungul scored 26 goals and had 26 assists for Tacoma and won his sixth MISL scoring title with 115 points.

- Tacoma upset second-place Wichita, 3-1, in the opening round of the playoffs. Zungul had two goals and five assists in the series.

- Since Zungul arrived, the Stars have become a big draw. Tacoma drew 14,162 fans and a franchise record 17,094 fans to their home playoff games against Wichita.

“He’s given the league a heck of a push by what he’s done for the Tacoma franchise,” Newman said. “Of course, he’s getting paid well.”

Money aside, going eyeball to eyeball with his former teammates has made the past two games quite painful for Zungul.

Steve, how about coming back to the Sockers?

“That would be lovely,” Zungul said. “Any time.”