As Easy as 1-2-3, Sockers Lead Series

For the Sockers, it was a clinic. For the Stars, said Coach Jimmy McAlister, it was a circus.

The Sockers scored on their first three shots and led, 4-0, after one quarter of their 6-2 victory over Tacoma Thursday night. The opener of the best-of-five Western Division semifinal series was played before an all-time low Socker playoff crowd of only 6,441 fans.

Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday night at the Sports Arena.

The Sockers scored five goals in the first 15 minutes, 11 seconds. They added a final goal by Hugo Perez with only 18 seconds left in the game.

Juli Veee, Waad Hirmez and Perez scored two goals apiece. Branko Segota had two assists but sat out the second half after he pulled a quadricep muscle and is expected to be out 7 to 10 days, according to Socker trainer Bill Taylor.

After the Sockers took the early 5-0 lead, the game was dominated by Tacoma penalties and missed Socker scoring opportunities.

The Stars set a playoff record with 12 penalties for 27 minutes, breaking the mark of 10 penalties set by both Tacoma and Wichita on May 10, 1987. The Stars also set a playoff record by killing eight penalties. The Sockers were penalized five times Thursday.

Segota and Preki received yellow cards for ungentlemanly conduct, and Perez received one for charging. Star midfielder Ralph Black received a red card for receiving three penalties, and McAlister and Steve Zungul got yellow cards for dissent.

But the difference in the game was the first quarter.

The primary topic of conversation after the game was the physical play of the Stars and the officiating by referees Gino Dippolito and Esse Baharmast.

“They (the Stars) weren’t playing soccer,” Socker defender Kevin Crow said.

What were they playing?

“Ask them,” Crow said.

Said Zungul, who re-injured a pulled calf muscle and sat out the final quarter-and-a-half: “About the refs, I could write a book. People in the black took the game over. The fans were being cheated. The referees should give their salaries back to the people.”

Said McAlister: “It was a circus. We needed a carrousel down the middle of the field. It would have been great . . .

“When you have that many minutes against you and you keep a team under 24 goals, you’ve done well.”

Said Socker Coach Ron Newman: “I think the referee didn’t have a lot of choice in jumping all over them.”

The Sockers jumped all over Tacoma from the start Thursday.

On a re-start, Perez took a pass from Segota and lined a left-footer from the left wing past Star goalkeeper Mike Dowler at 4:08 of the first quarter.

Just 1 minute 12 seconds later, Hirmez received a back-heel pass from Segota and lined a left-footer from the left wing into the far corner of the net.

Hirmez made it 3-0 at the 7 minute mark on a rising right-footer from just inside the red line. Not only was it hard to believe that Hirmez connected on the shot, it was hard to believe he took it.

Veee scored on a running right-footer from the right of the arc at 13:06.

The Sockers dominated the first quarter, scoring four times and limiting the Stars to just three shots.

San Diego made it 5-0 on a power play goal by Veee after just 11 seconds of the second quarter. Star defender Neil Megson was serving a two-minute penalty for tripping Perez when Veee tapped in a rebound.

Trailing, 5-0, Tacoma did not collapse. Gary Heale and Black scored power-play goals within a 1:50 to pull the Stars to 5-2 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Sockers failed to score on numerous opportunities on the power play and during a stretch of 3 minutes 22 seconds on the super power play.

“We started out on fire,” Crow said, “but naturally you can’t keep that up for the whole game.”

Socker Notes

Socker goalkeeper Zoltan Toth needed to make only six saves on 12 shots. Tacoma goalkeeper Mike Dowler made 14 saves on 30 shots. . . . Socker Coach Ron Newman received a standing ovation before the game when he was awarded a plaque for being named the MISL coach of the year. . . . The Sockers have won the first game in all seven seasons that they have been in the playoffs. They are 31-4 in playoff games at the Sports Arena. . . . Star forward Steve Zungul said if his leg is not better after a day of rest today, he will sit out Saturday’s game.