Sockers Hope They Can Stay Hot in Finals
Savor the moment before the Strikers hit town.
That was the feeling among jubilant Sockers as they flew home from Seattle Thursday morning.
It wasn’t just that the Sockers defeated the Tacoma Stars, 8-5, Wednesday night to win the Western Division title and advance to the championship series against Minnesota.
After all, the four-time indoor champions were expected to beat Tacoma.
It was the way the Sockers won the fourth game that had the players pumped up.
The Sockers scored four times within the first five minutes of the final quarter to overcome a 5-2 deficit.
“What a great feeling that was,” said Socker midfielder Brian Quinn, who scored twice during the Sockers’ memorable barrage.
“There was a lot of frustration at the start of the fourth quarter,” Quinn said. “The first three quarters were as bad as we’ve played all year. Everyone was on different wavelengths.
“Actually, at the start of the fourth quarter, we were getting ready for the fifth game. We were going to use the fourth quarter as a stepping stone to show the Stars what to expect when they came back to San Diego.
“Now we hope to use that quarter as a way to get off on the right foot against Minnesota,” Quinn said.
Game 1 of the championship series will be played at 7:35 tonight at the Sports Arena.
The Strikers finished second in the Eastern Division and defeated both Dallas and first-place Cleveland three games to one to reach the best-of-seven championship series.
Injuries and the home-field advantage could play major roles in the series.
Injuries: Socker midfielder Branko Segota, the league’s leading scorer during the playoffs with 10 goals and 15 assists, pulled his left calf muscle Wednesday night.
Socker trainer Ted Wallace said Segota has a 50% chance of playing tonight.
Segota rejoined the Sockers Tuesday after a tough weekend of training with the Canadian National team in Colorado Springs. He hurt himself during the third quarter Wednesday night and barely played in the final quarter.
Hugo Perez is expected to play tonight despite suffering a bruised hip and Cha Cha Namdar is probable with a right calf contusion.
San Diego is 25-0 during the playoffs at home and has the home-field advantage because it had the best record in the league during the regular season.
However, the Strikers handed the Sockers two of their three losses at home this season. Minnesota was 3-0 against the Sockers and was the only team to win a season series from San Diego.
Socker fans might want to note that the Sockers were 0-3 against Baltimore last season and then defeated the Blast four games to one in the championship series.
Minnesota is 10-0* at home during the playoffs.
Why the asterisk?
In the fourth game of the semi-final playoff series against the Sockers last season, the Sockers left the field at the Met Center with a 4-3 shootout victory.
Or at least they thought so.
The day after the game, while celebrating on their flight home to San Diego, the Sockers were notified that former Major Indoor Soccer League Commissioner Francis Dale ruled that San Diego had used an ineligible player in the shootout. Just like that, Dale gave Minnesota a 4-3 victory.
The Sockers crushed the Strikers 7-0 in the decisive fifth game at the Sports Arena.
“It’s the only time a best-of-five series has been won 4-1,” said Socker Coach Ron Newman.
Striker Coach Alan Merrick believes this year’s team is superior to the one that lost to the Sockers last season.
“We were a complete underdog to San Diego last year,” Merrick said. “This year, we are better in all areas and we believe we can compete and do great things against the Sockers.”
Said Quinn: “They are a big, strong team that plays a physical game. They have six or seven players who are always a threat to score. They have a good combination. Sometimes it’s like playing a mirror image of our team.”
That has to be the ultimate compliment.
