Sockers Frustrate Comets : Kansas City Waits, Fails in Rematch of Western Finalists
For an entire summer, the Kansas City Comets wondered how they let a 3-1 series lead over the Sockers slip away in last season’s Major Indoor Soccer League Western Conference finals.
Not only did they wonder, but they waited. For redemption.
Friday night, the Comets let that chance slip away, too, during a 4-2 loss to the Sockers in front of 7,392 fans in the Sports Arena.
And no Comet felt worse about it than Kansas City goalkeeper Ed Gettemeier, who let Alan Willey’s I’ve-got-nothing-better-to-do-than-shoot drive from the right boards get by him for a 3-1 Socker lead late in the fourth quarter.
“It was an indoor goal,” Gettemeier said. “I had the inside post blocked, but the ball hit the boards, then hit my back, and then went in. I actually was trying to get out of the way.”
Dale Mitchell’s second goal of the game pulled Kansas City within 3-2 before Zoran Karic put the finishing touches on the Sockers’ first win of the season.
Karic, received a pass from Brian Quinn on his left foot with his back to Gettemeier. In one quick motion, he wheeled and fired a shot right-footed that, well, slipped by Gettemeier.
Afterwards, Karic flashed a smile and said that he still has a lot of moves left to show the rest of the league. So far, he’s totaled 3 goals in 2 games.
The victory evened the Sockers’ record at 1-1. Last week, the Sockers opened their season with a 5-2 loss to Los Angeles.
“Getting that first win under our belt will be good for our confidence,” Socker Coach Ron Newman said.
Kansas City always seems to come along whenever the Sockers need resuscitation. The Sockers, who have knocked the Comets out of the playoffs four times in the past five seasons, now lead the head-to-head series, 20-8.
“They do always seem to give a heck of an effort against us,” Gettemeier said.
Friday, top efforts were turned in by Quinn, who had 1 goal and 2 assists, and goalkeeper Zoltan Toth, who made 13 saves.
The Sockers took a 1-0 lead late in the first quarter when Kevin Crow fired a low shot from the left point and beat a screened Gettemeier.
Crow received a pass from Quinn and hit his left-footed shot between a couple of Kansas City defenders. Gettemeier didn’t react until the ball was by him.
Crow, too, seemed surprised when the ball went in. Maybe that’s because in 14 games against Kansas City last season (including 7 in the playoffs), he scored only once.
In the second quarter, Mitchell turned a great individual effort into a goal and tied the game, 1-1.
Mitchell, the Comets’ top goal scorer last season, won the ball at midfield from three Sockers defenders, passed back to teammate Tony Glavin, then broke free toward the Sockers’ goal.
Glavin returned the ball to him and Mitchell beat a sprawling Toth on a breakaway.
Late in the first half, Willey scored his first point as a Socker, working the ball free from Gino DiFlorio and Glavin and passing to Quinn at the top of the Kansas City box.
Quinn’s right-footed shot resulted in his first goal, an assist for Willey, and a 2-1 Sockers lead at halftime.
Socker Notes
Dr. Norman Kane, who examined Steve Zungul’s arthritic hip earlier this week, said that he expects Zungul to play for the Sockers this season. Zungul is in the midst of a two-week workout with the team to determine if he can play. Zungul said if his hip isn’t too painful and he can contribute, he’ll play. “I expect that he’ll play this season,” Kane said. “If he plays a full game on this hard surface, his hip will hurt. But it shouldn’t hurt enough to keep him from playing” . . . Defender Hormoz Tabrizi stood outside the Sockers’ locker room Friday night and said he’s worried about his back. Tabrizi, a second-year player, was expected to be one of the Sockers’ top defensive players this season, but he hurt his back in practice nearly two weeks ago. “It has been 10 days since I’ve been able to do anything,” Tabrizi said. “I hope it’s OK soon. The pain is in my lower back and it’s not going away.” . . . The Sockers’ game at Los Angeles today begins a 4-game road trip. After today, the Sockers will visit Dallas, Kansas City and Tacoma before returning to host Tacoma Sunday Nov. 27.
