Sockers Hold Off the Comets, 5-4, to Even Playoffs
Individual offensive brilliance by Hugo Perez and Branko Segota. Solid play by the defense. Consistent goalkeeping from Jim Gorsek and Zoltan Toth.
The Sockers needed it all in a key 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Comets in Game 2 of the Western Division finals Wednesday night in front of only 6,469 at the San Diego Sports Arena. The series is now tied at one game each.
You would never have known it by the size of the crowd, but if the Sockers had lost Wednesday, it very well could have been their last home game of the season. Games 3, 4 and 5 of the best-of-seven series will be played at Kemper Arena in Kansas City.
After dropping the opening game of the series, 5-4, Saturday night, the Sockers never trailed Wednesday, but they were also never comfortably ahead. San Diego led, 2-1, after one quarter and at halftime and 4-3 after three quarters.
“We were more intense tonight,” said midfielder Brian Quinn. “Anything less wouldn’t have been enough tonight. Kansas City is scary. They look dangerous on every play.”
The Sockers were led offensively by Perez, with two goals and two assists.
“Hugo was brilliant,” said Socker Coach Ron Newman. “He was too hot to handle.”
Segota, playing regular shifts for the first time since he pulled his left quadricep in Game 1 against Tacoma, scored two goals.
“Tonight everyone worked extra hard and was running for each other,” Segota said. “I felt good. I’m getting into shape.”
Juli Veee added a goal and defender Kevin Crow had three assists.
Forward Jan Goossens scored a hat trick and Damir Haramina had one goal for the explosive Comets.
“I think we dominated the game, but we couldn’t put them away,” Newman said.
The Sockers took a 2-0 lead on a left-footer from the left wing by Perez at 4:23 of the first quarter and a right-footer from the top of the arc by Segota at 6:03.
Kansas City made it 2-1 when Goossens, while falling down, knocked a right-footer from the penalty area into the goal at 13:58.
The Sockers wasted an excellent scoring opportunity at the 6:19 mark of the second quarter. After Comet midfielder Charlie Greene pushed Perez from behind while Perez was in the air inside the penalty area, the Sockers were awarded a penalty kick.
The honor went to Segota, who scored on a penalty kick against Comet goalkeeper Alan Mayer in Game 1.
On Segota’s first attempt from the penalty spot Wednesday, Mayer deflected the ball into the stands, but Mayer was called for leaving the goal line too early.
On Segota’s second attempt, his right-footer hit the left post. It appeared that Mayer left the goal line early on Segota’s second attempt, but there was no call.
“I don’t know if they’re looking at the goalie or the shot,” Segota said. “But I should have scored. I have no excuses.”
In the third quarter, each team scored twice.
Perez and Veee combined on a highlight-film type goal to make it 3-1 at 5:56. Veee, cutting across the penalty area, received a pass from Perez--who was in the left corner--and headed the ball into the goal, to Mayer’s right.
At 6:53, Goossens put in the rebound of a ball that took a high bounce off the glass. Sockers led, 3-2.
At 9:11, Perez lined in a left-footer from the top of the arc. Sockers led, 4-2.
Just 28 seconds later, Goossens scored on a header for his third goal of the night to make the score, 4-3.
The Sockers’ lead was preserved when Quinn, coming to Toth’s rescue, saved Dave Boncek’s shot that was headed for the goal.
A give-and-go from Segota to Perez to Segota resulted in a tap-in by Segota after at 1:23 of the final quarter. Sockers led, 5-3.
The Comets pulled Mayer and inserted a sixth attacker with 5:55 left. With only 1:18 to play, Haramina scored to cut the Socker lead to 5-4.
Comet forward Kia had a shot on goal from point-blank range with just 17 seconds left, but it went in the crowd.
Socker Notes
At the start of the second half, Zoltan Toth replaced Jim Gorsek (who allowed one goal and made four saves on nine shots) in goal. Gorsek left the game because of a blurry left eye. He said oil got in the eye when two Comet players hit him in the face in the first half. Toth allowed three goals and made 11 saves on 20 shots for the victory. . . . Socker defender Brian Schmetzer dislocated his left shoulder in the first quarter when Jan Goossens landed on him. Schmetzer missed the remainder of the game, will have X-rays taken today.