Lazers to Face Kansas City Tonight

The Lazers, who beat the defending champion San Diego Sockers twice to open the season, will play the Kansas City Comets tonight at 7:30 at the Forum.

Although the Comets may not be of the same caliber as the Sockers, they swept the Lazers in the first round of last season’s playoffs.

“I’m very scared of the Comets,” Lazer Coach Keith Tozer said. “We lost three straight games to them to finish last season.

“But we have only six players returning from (last season’s) team. We’ll have to play the same way we have been (this season), to get the ball and go forward.”

The Comets (0-2), with such stars as Dale Mitchell, Jan Goossens and Kim Roentved, led the Major Indoor Soccer League in goals scored last season with 294. However, the Lazers played well defensively in their games against the Sockers, who were second in the league in scoring last season.

Lazer goalkeeper Jim Gorsek, playing with a broken finger, compiled a 1.5 goals-against average in the 2 games against his former teammates, and defender Fernando Clavijo blocked 6 shots.

Gorsek’s backup, A.J. Lachowecki, will start in goal tonight to give Gorsek a rest.

“He was in goal for the three losses (in the playoffs) last season, and he has a bone to pick against them,” Tozer said.

Newcomers Waad Hirmez and Gary Heale have scored 5 of the Lazers’ 7 goals.