New Acquisition Ebert Scores Four Goals as the Lazers Beat Tacoma, 7-5

For a game, at least, the Lazers abandoned their woeful ways and rose up to beat the Tacoma Stars, 7-5, Sunday before 4,318 in the Forum.

The win was as surprising as the unlikely heroes the game produced. Forward Don Ebert and defender Steve Pecher, playing in their first game since being traded from St. Louis Friday for Poli Garcia, injected new life into the Lazers. Ebert scored four goals to tie a team record and assisted on another as the Lazers broke their 11-game losing streak.

Pecher had two assists and helped to stifle Tacoma, the Major Indoor Soccer League’s Western Division leader.

For Tacoma, which lost to Minnesota on Saturday, it was the fourth straight defeat. Tacoma is 18-10. The Lazers are 7-21 and in last place in the Western Division.

It also was the first win for new Lazer Coach Keith Tozer, whose team suffered a 12-3 loss to Baltimore last Wednesday. Tozer, feeling the team needed something--anything--started Ebert and Pecher on Sunday.

“I knew Don was going to do well right away,” Tozer said. “(But) four goals ties a club-record. I didn’t expect that. But that’s why I went out and got those guys as soon as I could.”

Said Ebert: “I was really nervous before the game. It was the first time I had been traded. It’s not easy to join a new club in the middle of the season. I was born and raised in St. Louis.”

What put Ebert at ease was his first goal as a Lazer, tying the game at 1-1 1:32 into the second quarter. The goal came after Preki had given the Stars a quick lead off an assist from Steve Zungul, who was held scoreless by Erhardt Kapp.

“You know, it’s really hard when you’ve lost a few games,” Tozer said. “There’s no one to pick the guys up, but Ebert and Pecher really helped the other guys.”

The Lazers took their first lead, 2-1, when Ebert pried the ball lose to the left of Tacoma goalie Peter Mowlik. Ebert tapped the ball to Paul Kitson, who scored easily.

Ebert broke the, 2-2, halftime deadlock with a strong shot past Mowlik to put the Lazers ahead, 3-2, in the third quarter. The period ended with the game tied at 3-3 after Godfrey Ingram, who later scored his 100th MISL goal, knocked a rebound past David Brcic, the Lazer goalie.

But Ebert put the Lazers up for good with his third goal, which was the prettiest of the night. Pecher sent a long ball toward Ebert, who was streaking up the left sideline. Ebert, who had beaten the Tacoma defense, merely let it bounce once and headed it into the goal, giving the Lazers a 4-3 lead with 8:37 left.

Only 1:25 later, Pecher found Stuart Lee on the right wing and Lee beat Mowlik to give the Lazers a 5-3 lead.

“We really needed a defender to knock the ball forward,” Tozer said of Pecher. “And we needed a target man, and Ebert was there.”

There may be more deals in the works, possibly in the next three or four days, if Tozer has his way.

“We’re looking for one or two more forwards,” he said. “We need depth all around. It’s back to work Monday.”