5-2 Dougherty Gets 4 Goals as Sockers Rout Stars, 10-3

SAN DIEGO-What is going on in the world of sports?

The Clippers beat the Lakers Wednesday. San Diego State defeated nationally ranked New Mexico Thursday.

And the Sockers’ 5-foot 2-inch midfielder, Paul Dougherty, scored four goals in San Diego’s 10-3 victory over the Tacoma Stars in front of 9,773 fans Friday night at the San Diego Sports Arena.

“Nothing against Dougherty,” Star forward Steve Zungul said, “but when he scores four goals, it means we’re in trouble.”

Dougherty’s four goals were twice the number he scored in 19 games last season. And it’s the first time he has scored four goals in a game since he was a 15-year-old schoolboy.

This season, Dougherty has 18 goals.

“It’s not often that you get that many chances,” said Dougherty, who tied Branko Segota with a team-high five shots Friday. Of the four goals, he said, “I never thought it was impossible.”

Dougherty scored on two left-footers, a right-footer and a header in the crease off a low ball perhaps only a 5-2 player could have headed.

Dougherty wasn’t the only former Socker reserve team player to score Friday. Ralf Wilhelms had a goal. And Juli Veee scored his first goal since Nov. 18.

Branko Segota had two goals and two assists, and Waad Hirmez and Zoran Karic also scored. Zungul had two goals and Preki one for the Stars.

While some Socker scorers were surprising, the final result was anything but.

The Sockers (18-6) have won six consecutive games, 11 of 12, and lead the Western Division by 6 games over Los Angeles and 7 over Tacoma. San Diego is 9-1 at home.

“We’re working very hard, and our finishing has been clinical,” Segtoa said.

The Stars, last year’s Western Division champions and the team that beat the Sockers in the semifinals of the playoffs, have lost four in a row and are 11-13. Tacoma has lost 10 consecutive games on the road, where it is 1-10.

San Diego outshot the Stars, 31-11, including 13-0 in the third quarter. And Tacoma’s seven-goal defeat was their worst ever to San Diego.

Socker Notes

Midfielder Hugo Perez said he expects to be out of action from a month to six weeks with a stress fracture he suffered Tuesday against Baltimore. The injury was first diagnosed as a bruised left shin Thursday. Perez still doesn’t know how he hurt himself. . . . Captain Fernando Clavijo and the Sockers came to a verbal agreement Friday on a three-year contract that will pay him less than his current $65,000 salary. “I’m willing to give up money instead of security,” Clavijo said. “I’m looking for security more than anything else. Not everything can be perfect in life.” Clavijo, whose contract expires in September, said he expects to sign his new contract early next week. . . . Socker president Ron Cady said he will possibly issue fines and suspensions next week to Sockers involved in the late night disturbance at the Wichita Marriott Hotel following the Socker-Wing game Dec. 29. “The only disturbance came from a player’s room, but it woke up some people at 2:30 in the morning,” Cady said. “We didn’t have a curfew, but we feel anything after 12:30 is unreasonable. I will sit down with the players next week.” . . . Former Socker Steve Zungul went sailing with Dennis Conner and his crew in San Diego Thursday. Before Friday’s game, the Sockers presented Zungul with a plaque commemorating his 1,000th MISL point, which he scored Dec. 8. . . . The Sockers dedicated Friday’s game to 12-year-old Jonathan Sawyers of San Diego, a devoted Socker fan who died of congenital heart disease at the Mayo Clinic Tuesday.