Sockers Come Up Short, 3-2

San Diego Coach Ron Newman sat slumped over like a dejected fisherman in the Socker locker room Friday night trying to figure out how the latest one got away.

The Sockers found themselves on the short end of a 3-2 Minnesota Striker victory in the Met Center.

“Tino Lettieri definitely was the difference in tonight’s game,” Newman said. “He dug deep into his bag of tricks and did a number on us.”

Lettieri not only had a stellar performance in goal but also provided the late offensive spark the Strikers needed.

Lettieri hit defender Dwight Lodeweges in stride at the Striker red line and Lodeweges weaved through the Socker defense untouched and let go with his second goal of the season.

“This one was for my new family,” Lettieri said after learning before gametime that his wife, Michelle, was pregnant.

Lettieri, who recorded his ninth victory against 10 losses, faced 29 Socker shots and made 19 saves. Probably the most important of those saves came in the final three minutes as he faced 10 Socker shots.

“Fate definitely was on his side tonight,” Newman said. “Granted, the guy shows why he is good, but we could just as well be talking about a 10-0 Socker victory. You have to admit he was lucky, with all those shots hitting pipes and all.”

Lettieri shut down the potent San Diego offense in the first half. Thompson Usiyan’s 11th goal of the season gave the Strikers an early 1-0 lead.

San Diego came right back when Branko Segota’s blast hit traffic in front of the Striker goal and dribbled past a fallen Lettieri. However, Minnesota’s John O’Hara knocked the shot away at the goal line to save a goal.

Segota, unhappy with the call, began gesturing goal judge Wally Lyso. Segota’s behavior cost him a penalty, which resulted in Striker Hector Marinaro’s third goal of the season.

“Of course it was a goal,” Segota said. “I had every right to bark about that one. But hey, we lost two goals on one stinking call. I guess those are the breaks.”

Lettieri lost his bid for a shutout 2 1/2 minutes into the third quarter. Socker forward Juli Veee scored his 15th goal of the season on a shot that left Lettieri stunned. Veee, with his back to the Minnesota goal, took a corner pass from Segota and gave the ball a little tap and had 12 feet of open net.

“It was sort of a wimpy goal,” Lettieri said. “They must have been desperate to have tried a play like that.”