Lilley Given Time to Prove He Can Cut It
Is it “uncut,” or “decut?” Whichever, it applies to Bob Lilley, the only defender with professional indoor experience brought into training camp by the defender-depleted Sockers.
After being told he was cut by Coach Ron Newman Thursday, Lilley pleaded his case to assistant coaches Brian Quinn and Erich Geyer, who then told him to stick around one more week.
All this is unknown to Newman, who put Quinn and Geyer in charge when he left for St. Louis on Friday to tend to the Major Soccer League select team, which is preparing for matches with the U.S. national team.
But Geyer thinks Newman would approve.
“When he was cut, what it did was tell him he’s got to be more aggressive,” Geyer said. “And maybe that has happened. He kind of counter-attacked and said, ‘Wait a minute, I will show you what I can do.’ ”
Said Lilley, “I just want a chance to practice with the regulars. I don’t want to quit yet.”
Lilley played for the Hershey Impact of the National Professional Soccer League the past two years and was considered one of the top defenders in that league.
In other matters, Geyer and President Ron Cady said they still have not heard from Branko Segota, the perennially late-arriving forward who spends his summers in Yugoslavia. It was thought Segota might show up on Sunday.
The Sockers will play their annual exhibition against San Diego State at 7 tonight at Aztec Bowl.
MEN’S SOCCER
Phillip Button and Leo Ronces each had a goal and an assist as USD beat Cal State Fullerton, 4-0.
Freshman Tom Tate recorded his sixth shutout and reduced his goals-against average to 0.81.
Also scoring for USD (6-0-4) were Tom Crane and Vince Bianchi. Fullerton fell to 1-4-2.
UC San Diego and Claremont, in a rematch of last year’s Division III West Regional final, played two extra 15-minute periods, 120 minutes in all, and ended in a 0-0 tie.
In last year’s final, UCSD (7-2-1) beat Claremont (1-1-4), 2-1, in overtime.
WATER POLO
No. 15 UC San Diego dropped four matches in the USC Invitational, all to higher-ranked schools, and fell to 2-12.
Kevin Vance scored seven goals and Sean Kinghorn six during the losses to: No. 3 USC (12-6), No. 9 Fresno (12-11), No. 19 Long Beach (10-3) and to No. 6 Pepperdine (15-11).
