2/5/13  -  The San Diego Sockers flair for the dramatic has been reaching new heights.  From beating Las Vegas on a Brian Farber goal with 2.2 seconds left, to tying the Sidekicks on a Kraig Chiles goal with 6 seconds left, the last minute of any quarter has become their magic time.

With the Sidekicks in town for a rematch, Sockers Magic was on display again. Eddy Velez gave the Sockers a 1-0 lead with 21 seconds left in the first quarter.  Trailing 2-1 Chiles tied the game with 20 seconds left in the half.

Then, trailing 4-3 in the fourth quarter, Ze Roberto seized on a ball misplayed by Sidekicks goalkeeper Sagu to tie the game with 40 seconds left.  All that paled in comparison to the ending.  With the Sockers on the power play, Anthony Medina poked the ball free in a scramble and Velez knocked it in to win the game as time expired.

With their 10-6 win in Anaheim the next night, the Sockers have now won 50 of their last 51 games. 

 

Player of the Week

Kraig Chiles, San Diego Sockers

The Sockers 10-6 win in Anaheim lacked all of the drama of their previous few games against Dallas and Las Vegas, but it was historic nonetheless.  With five goals and an assist Kraig Chiles rewrote the PASL record books.  Chiles ended the game with 49 goals, surpassing his own league record of 46 that he set last season.  With 61 points Chiles has two games to try to meet or beat Bernie Lilavois’ record of 68.  Chiles has now scored at least one goal in 27 straight regular season games.

Kick Starters – Conversations you should be having about the PASL 

1/29/13  - After 48 straight wins over 25 months, the San Diego Sockers have finally tasted defeat once again.  The Dallas Sidekicks captured a 6-5 win on Shaun David’s breakaway goal in overtime, ending the Sockers record winning streak and dinging their all-time regular season record to 54-6 in the PASL.

The Sockers almost played Houdini one more time, reminiscent of some of their escape acts against Tijuana, Anaheim, and Las Vegas.  Dallas, clinging to a 5-4 lead with 27 seconds left, tied the ball up in San Diego’s end, but the Sockers were able to work the ball free and create a two on one break.  Brian Farber slipped the ball to Kraig Chiles who tied the game with just six seconds left.

In overtime Aaron Susi was robbed by Sagu on a point blank shot, which created a counterattack for Dallas.  David streaked down the field and unleashed the game-winning goal.  Sockers goalkeeper Riley Swift got a hand on it but could only watch helplessly as it slowly trickled into the net.

The Sockers might not even get a chance to end the Sidekicks modest one game winning streak.  The teams will meet again Friday in San Diego, but not before the Sidekicks face a stiff challenge on the road in Las Vegas Thursday,

Player of the Week

Jamie Lovegrove, Dallas Sidekicks

When the Dallas Sidekicks became the team to finally take down the Sockers it wasn’t one of their many veterans who put up gaudy numbers, it was rookie Jamie Lovegrove.  The 22-year old native of Crawley, England scored four goals for the Sidekicks, who never trailed in the game.  Lovegrove took the Sidekicks scoring lead with 20 goals and 25 points and also extended his goal-scoring streak to 11 games.

Kick Starters – Conversations you should be having about the PASL 

1/22/13 – It was a wild week of upsets in the PASL, but the San Diego Sockers were able to extend their winning streak to 47 despite a stiff challenge from the Las Vegas Legends.

The Sockers found themselves trailing 4-1 in the first half in Las Vegas, but by the end of the third quarter the game was knotted at 5-5. It looked like the game was heading for a thrilling sudden death overtime, with just six seconds left and the ball in the Sockers own end. But Diego Rovira sent a long ball into the corner where Kraig Chiles backheeled it off the boards on to the head of a rushing Brian Farber to give San Diego the win with 2.2 seconds remaining. The loss ended the Legends nine-game winning streak.

Two other notable streaks ended. The Sacramento Surge beat Toros Mexico 3-2 for their first win after an 0-11 start. The next day the Texas Strikers ended an 0-10 start by beating the Arizona Storm 9-8 on a Jordan Shadeed goal with six seconds left in the game.

The upsets continued with struggling Tacoma taking two straight games from the Anaheim Bolts, and the Harrisburg Heat handing the Detroit Waza their second loss of the season, 10-6, in Harrisburg.

The weekend ended with the Rio Grande Valley Flash holding on for an 8-6 upset of the Dallas Sidekicks. For the Heat and Flash it was their first win in four tries against the Waza and Sidekicks, respectively.

Player of the Week

Brian Farber, San Diego Sockers

Farber’s game-winning goal with 2.2 seconds left capped off a four-point night. His two goals and two assists lifted the Sockers to their 47th straight win and clinched the Pacific Division title for the 10-0 Sockers. The 2008/09 PASL MVP has recorded at least a point in all 10 games this season and 16 straight going back to last season. The Sockers are 30-0 in the regular season with Farber in the lineup.

Kick Starters – Conversations you should be having about the PASL

Sockers Streaks at 34, 47

San Diego’s regular season winning streak stands at 34. San Diego is also an all-time 30-0 at home during the regular season. Including playoffs, US Open games, and the FIFRA Club Championships, the Sockers have won 47 in a row, surpassing the US Pro Team Sports record of 40 set by the indoor football Sioux Falls Storm in 2008.

US Open Semifinal Sunday

The Detroit Waza and Chicago Mustangs will square off in the Eastern Semifinal of the US Open Arena Soccer Championships Sunday in Chicago. The Mustangs advanced with a 10-7 win over the PASL-Premier’s Cincy Saints. The winner will host the San Diego Sockers who won the Western bracket.

Magic Numbers

The Detroit Waza’s magic number to clinch the Eastern Division remained at three. Las Vegas clinched the Southwestern Division with Mexico’s loss. San Diego clinched the Pacific Division with its win and losses by Turlock and Anaheim. The Central Division is still too close to call with Dallas and Chicago in a virtual tie.

Vaquero Victorious

In just 3.9 seconds as a sixth attacker for the San Diego Sockers, Eduardo “Vaquero” Velez was credited with the win, temporarily putting him ahead of 0-11 Sacramento and 0-10 Texas. Velez didn’t make any saves and never touched the ball during his stint in goal, but earned the win by being the goalkeeper of record when Brian Farber scored his game-winning goal.

Still Perfect in Their Own Ways

The San Diego Sockers (10-0) remain the league’s only undefeated team, while the Sacramento Surge (1-11) and Texas Strikers (1-10) picked up their first wins last weekend.