Sockers Top Storm With Kerr : * Soccer: Rookie helps team win, 7-6 in overtime, without the services of Brian Quinn, who is with the U.S. national team.

Life without Brian Quinn began Friday night for the Sockers at The Arena.

Quinn, who is with the U.S. National Team in Dallas for a exhibition game against Costa Rica on Sunday, gives the Sockers leadership and ball control in the midfield.

But the Sockers didn’t have too much trouble holding on to the ball against the Storm, thanks to rookie John Kerr Jr. He scored two goals, including the winner in overtime to help the Sockers defeat the Storm, 7-6.

“We miss Quinnie, but we thought that one Quinnie in hand is better than two in the bush without him,” Sockers Coach Ron Newman said. “We have to alter our game some in the midfield and that’s difficult to do sometimes.”

Newman didn’t expect to get much production out of Kerr until January. Kerr looked right at home Friday night.

Kerr scored the winner 57 seconds into overtime when he took the ball down the right boards on a pass from Ben Collins. He then juggled the ball once in the air, faking Storm midfielder Mark Santel. Kerr hit a shot to the upper left corner of the net past Storm goalie Jim Gorsek.

“I’m surprised he’s fit in this well this soon,” Newman said. “You usually don’t expect much from these rookies that soon. But he’s not your typical rookie. He’s got a great soccer background and he’s played in Ireland and in England.”

Kerr has six goals to lead the team. He credits his good start to the players around him.

“I’ve felt no pressure here at all,” Kerr said. “The reason it’s come so easy for me is that I have some great players to play with on this team. They’ve made it very comfortable.”

Storm defender Fernando Clavijo said Kerr scored a “great goal.”

“There was nothing we could do to stop him on that shot,” Clavijo said. “He hit a great shot.”

Sockers defender Kevin Crow said his team had to adjust their game plan without Quinn.

“Without Brian, we have to pressure the defenders differently,” Crow said. “Brian knows the game and this league so well. You’re always going to miss a Brian Quinn. You just have to get the guys around you to pick up the game more.”

Clavijo went on as the sixth attacker with 1:52 left in the game, and the move resulted in a goal. Ex-Socker Branko Segota scored his second of the night at 13:35 on a shot to the upper right corner to force overtime.

The Sockers had a 5-3 lead after three quarters, but mistakes put the Storm right back in the game.

The Storm (3-4) cut the Sockers lead to 5-4 when Preki scored a power-play goal at 2:06 of the fourth with Jacques Ladouceur off with his fourth foul of the half.

Ted Eck collided with Sockers goalie Victor Nogueira on the play and both fell as Preki’s shot went into the net but there was no call on the play.

The Sockers’ Paul Dougherty answered on a head ball off a long pass from Thompson Usiyan.

But with 7:37 remaining, the Sockers’ Ben Collins stopped a shot from going in and was called for an intentional handball. Preki missed on the shootout attempt, but at the same time Wes Wade was given a penalty for misconduct.

On the ensuing power play, Preki scored his third goal of the game on a pass from Daryl Doran to make it 6-5.

In the third quarter, Eck gave the Storm a 3-2 lead when he hit a Doran rebound past Nogueira.

But the lead didn’t last for long. The Sockers struck for three goals in 2 1/2 minutes. David Banks tied the game at 3-3 when he beat Gorsek to the far post. The Sockers went up 4-3 when Usiyan scored, and Banks got his second of the game at 9:28 off Clavijo for a 5-3 lead.

Gorsek kept the Storm in the game in the third quarter making several good saves, including a stop on Dougherty just outside the box.

The Sockers jumped to a 2-1 lead after the first quarter on goals by Ladouceur and Kerr--overcoming a goal by Segota 55 seconds into the game.

But St. Louis tied the game in the final minute of the half when Preki’s shot deflected off Kevin Crow and past Nogueira.