Segota Achieves Goals: Respect and a Victory : MSL playoffs: Veteran gets two goals and two assists to help Sockers beat Cleveland in Game 1, 8-4.
On one side was the guy who earlier Friday said he was glad he is no longer a Socker. On the other was the guy who two days earlier said he’s not sure if he still wants to be a Socker.
Cleveland’s Zoran Karic, who won two MSL titles while with the Sockers, and Branko Segota, who is trying for his sixth and possibly last championship ring as a member of the Sockers, showed they are as capable of creating goals as they are creating controversy.
On Friday, Segota goals gave the Sockers a 6-4 victory in Game 1 of the championship series in front of 7,785 at the Sports Arena.
Game 2 is at 6:05 p.m. Sunday at the Sports Arena.
Segota led all scorers with two goals and two assists, possibly allowing his actions convince his teammates what his words have so far failed to do.
On Thursday, Segota was quoted in the Escondido Times-Advocate as saying, “The trend from the younger guys is not to respect anybody.”
Well, said teammate Brian Quinn, “You don’t come and say you want respect, you earn it.”
Sure enough, Segota’s skills have been convincing--and Friday’s display may have been just a hint of what is yet to come.
“He’s got so much natural ability,” Quinn continued. “And when he gets a couple games under his belt . . .”
Segota missed the final two games of the Western Division finals with a back injury and is only now rounding into shape.
As for Karic, he also has a beef with the Sockers.
“I got a bad deal when I was traded with 15 games left in the season,” Karic said. “I don’t deserve to be treated like that and now when I play against them, I want to give 200%.”
Karic’s added drive translated into a goal and an assist, both of which gave Cleveland a one-goal lead at the time.
It didn’t take Karic long to get a step ahead of his former club. A half minute into the game, he fired a blast that ricocheted off the corner work of the goal.
Three minutes later he took his second shot of the game and this time set his sights a couple degrees to the right and found his target.
Socker goalie Victor Nogueira had little chance. Karic dribbled in alone after taking an outlet pass from goalie P.J. Johns.
“The first goal was something we talk about all the time,” Sockers Coach Ron Newman said. “I tell them, ‘Don’t let it float away from you.’ But I suppose we needed that to get our concentration down.”
Sure enough, Segota tied it just over a minute later on a free kick from the top of the arc.
The free kick came after Greg Willin was called for a foul in the box. Quinn initially took the kick, sending a pass left wing for Paul Dougherty, who fired a shot wide. But referee Herb Silva blew his whistle and made the Sockers do it all over.
On the second chance, Segota took the shot that made it through the two-man wall of Michael King and Hector Marinaro and past startled goalie P.J. Johns.
Marinaro later redeemed himself for his defensive lapse when he made a run across the goal-mouth and first-timed a centering pass from Dave Hoggan and put it between Nogueira’s legs.
That made it 2-1. But a minute into the second quarter, it was 3-1 after the other guy from the ill-constructed wall, King, atoned for his error. He got a perfect crossing pass from Marco Rizzi a couple steps away from the right post. King simply tucked it in.
Segota got his second goal to make it 3-2 after Paul Dougherty hustled around Hoggan to get to a rebound which he slipped to Segota in front of the net.
Segota also had a foot in things when the Sockers tied it, 3-3. He kicked a loose ball into the corner boards, and the carom went to Alex Golovnia all alone in the box. His one-touch shot gave Johns no chance.
Hoggan, however, gave the Crunch its third and final lead of the game a minute into the second half when he beat Nogueira high and to the far post with a rocket launched from the right boards. The pass came from Karic.
Segota got an assist on the tying goal when he sent a free kick to Waad Hirmez at the top of the box. Hirmez, who often shoots high, this time got it just under the crossbar.