Sockers’ Jinx Continues as Lazers Win, 4-3

The jinx continues.

The five-time indoor champion San Diego Sockers have yet to open a season with three straight victories.

In four of their seven indoor seasons, the Sockers lost their opener. One year, they lost their second game. And this is the second time they dropped their third game.

On Thursday night at the Forum, the Lazers defeated the Sockers, 4-3, in sudden-death overtime on a goal by forward Willie Molano at 2:21.

Molano’s left-footer from 20 feet hit the base of the board and then spun into the net off goalkeeper Jim Gorsek’s hand.

“The ball was a yard wide, but it hit the back of Jimmy’s hand,” Socker Coach Ron Newman said. “He didn’t need to go for that one. It was a mistake he made. If he let it go, it had no chance of going in the goal.”

Said Gorsek: “I committed myself. It hit the board and hit me.”

Even Molano, who scored a hat trick and has five goals in two games, did not expect the shot to go in.

“I had a two-on-one and just took a shot,” Molano said. “You never know what will happen.”

The Sockers blew a 2-0 halftime lead and 3-1 lead in the fourth quarter.

“We obviously couldn’t get up for the game,” Newman said. “We were dead. It was like a practice game with that atmosphere. There was no crowd.”

The San Diego contingent of fans was easily heard on a night when there was an announced crowd of 3,906 fans at the Forum. Actually, the crowd seemed even smaller on a night when the Raiders played the Chargers on national television.

Despite the loss of Brian Quinn, who suffered a twisted right ankle in the first quarter, and goalkeeper Zoltan Toth, who played a scoreless first half and was replaced by Gorsek because of a bunion on his left foot, it appeared the Sockers were in control.

After playing a scoreless first quarter, the Sockers broke through for two goals in the second quarter. At 1:39, Raffaele Ruotolo, quickly establishing himself as a consistent goal scorer, used his left foot to knock in a 10-footer off a rebound of a Waad Hirmez direct kick. That’s three goals in three games for the 21-year-old midfielder.

Hugo Perez and Juli Veee teamed up on a magical goal to make it 2-0. Perez, known to go into his one-man acts, dribbled through and around a crowd of Lazers as he approached the goal from the right wing.

A quick pass to Veee at the top of the circle and a return one-touch pass by Veee resulted in Perez’ tapping the ball by goalkeeper David Brcic. For Perez, who played with the flu, it was his third goal in three games.

Lazer forward Stuart Lee scored on a left-footer to make it 2-1 at 4:51 of the third quarter, and the Sockers broke the Lazers’ momentum when Jean Willrich tapped in a right-footer at 8:24.

Defender Brian Schmetzer booted a long ball from near midfield to Veee, who deftly headed a pass from the left wing to a cutting Willrich.

The Lazers got right back in the game on a power play goal by Molano just 12 seconds into the final quarter. Molano blasted a 20-footer into the far corner of the net.

At 4:30 of the final quarter, Molano tied the game on a liner from the top of the penalty box.

Brcic, purchased by the Lazers after Pittsburgh folded, made 11 saves on 19 shots to give the Lazers their second straight win this season.

And to hand the Sockers their first defeat.

“We were tired,” Veee said. “There was fatigue. And we have to play a little more together. It’s one of the worst games we’ve played.”

Socker Notes

On Monday, Socker managing general partner Bob Bell said 24-year old defender George Katakalidis is not on the trading block. Katakalidis, who played regularly as a defender last season, has not dressed for a game yet this season. When asked the status of Katakalidis Thursday, Coach Ron Newman said he is the last of his seven defenders. “That can change overnight, but at the moment that’s the way I have to look at it,” Newman said. “I was a little disappointed in George’s preseason. It wasn’t bad. I’m sure if I had to play him, he’d come through. I’m not going to cut him. But if somebody came along and said they needed a defender, I might be able to let him go. It might be better for him.”