Sockers Freeze Sting in Overtime, 5-4

An announced crowd of 3,092 die-hards braved subzero temperatures to see the Chicago Sting and San Diego Sockers Tuesday night at the Rosemont Horizon.

While the faithful tried to combat frostbite, Chicago continued to be snakebitten because of what is becoming a bad habit: squandering a two-goal lead and losing in overtime.

Jacques Ladouceur’s goal 6 minutes into sudden death gave the Sockers a 5-4 victory. It was the seventh time this season the Sting (8-9) has lost at least a one-goal lead, and it has blown margins of two or more goals on six occasions.

After winning three consecutive overtime matches, the Sting, third in the Major Indoor Soccer League’s Eastern Division, has lost now its past four.

Zoran Karic scored twice for the Western Division-leading Sockers (13-6), and Waad Hirmez and Brian Schmetzer added one goal each. The Sockers have won six of their past seven matches.

Charlie Fajkus, Pato Margetic and Matthew Wiltshire scored for Chicago, which has lost four consecutive games and 6 of 8.

Before the game, Sting owner Lee Stern spoke via the Rosemont Horizon public-address system to the second-smallest crowd in the Sting’s eight-season indoor history.

“I don’t know how many people are here, between 1,500 and 2,000,” he said. “But these are the real Sting fans. All we can ask is that you make enough noise for 14,000.”

The advance ticket sale was said to be 4,570, although Stern’s call of around 1,500 seemed more accurate.

“Chicago’s getting a trend of not believing in themselves in the second half,” Socker Coach Ron Newman said. “They’re getting paranoid about losing leads. I felt we had a good chance going into the second half down, 2-1. Sting players seem to start to shake when a goal goes in.

“I knew we had a chance of coming back and making them nervous. You start believing something is taking charge of you.”

As it has during much of its skid, the Sting seemed ready to take charge Tuesday. Despite being outshot by 36-18--18-2 in the first half--the Sting played well. Goalkeeper Chris Vaccaro kept Chicago in the game with 15 saves, but he couldn’t do it alone.

“Again,” Sting Coach Erich Geyer said with a sigh. “We just couldn’t put our chances away. Let’s be honest. I don’t even care about the shot statistics, just the ones that go in.”

Does Geyer, who played four years in San Diego, agree with Newman that the Sting is becoming gun-shy?

“I don’t think they’re to the point that they’re looking over their shoulders,” he said. “You can’t ask for more than they gave. It was a good team effort, but, in the end, not good enough.”

Words came hard for Sting forward Batata, who scored his team-leading 11th goal.

“All the games look alike,” he said. “Something’s wrong, and we have to find out what. You don’t have to give to another team. You should make them earn it. Believe me, if we play this way all year, we’ll start to win. We’re not going to lose all the games in overtime.”

Newman said the absence of Frank Klopas (knee surgery), Ben Collins (left hamstring), Ernie Buriano (left groin) and Teddy Krafft (fractured foot) contributed to Chicago’s problems.

“They could have beaten us with those players,” Newman said. “It might have been different. All things considered, we were a shade better tonight.”

One thing Newman also thought was better was the new Horizon surface, widened 10 feet to 95, largest in the league.

“The ball did do some funny things because of the field,” he said. “But I like it. I think a wider field leads to a wide-open game.”