San Diego Sockers Complete Weekend Road Sweep with 10-5 Win in Sacramento
Three indoor soccer games in a row with three victories – the Sockers are back with their winning ways.
The San Diego Sockers are coming home from being on the road victorious.
Three days, two cities, three games, three wins. The San Diego Sockers came to the Central Valley and left with three bags full, finishing off their most grueling road stretch of the Major Arena Soccer League season with a 10-5 win over the Sacramento Surge at the Jackson Sports Academy in Sacramento.
The Sockers (12-3) survived three kickoffs in 43 hours, capped by this Sunday afternoon matinee following Saturday night’s 13-6 win over the Surge. Resting six regular starters, San Diego received contributions from rookies Ismael Hernandez (two goals) and Edgar Aguilar (goal in his MASL debut).
“The young guys played phenomenally today,” said head coach Phil Salvagio, who improved to 102-14 in his PASL/MASL coaching career with three weekend victories, “We brought twenty guys (on the trip) this weekend, all twenty played and all twenty played well.”
Kraig Chiles, one of just a handful of players to start all three games, led the San Diego offense with a goal and four assists, increasing his point-scoring streak to sixty consecutive games. Chiles has at least one goal in all fifteen games this season.
“We rotated through some players and proved we have a deep squad,” said Chiles, who is second in the MASL in goals with 36, “(Ismael) played well with a couple goals, Edgar was phenomenal…it’s great. We have guys battling for spots every day at practice and looking for their opportunity.”
If the Surge (3-12) were hoping to spring an upset and catch the Sockers heavy legged, their dreams were extinguished with a pair of San Diego scoring runs. Dan Antoniuk, Raymundo Reza and Hernandez all tallied in the first quarter to build a quick 3-0 lead and defuse any dreams of a poor start.
After a second quarter that was scoreless for fourteen minutes, the Sockers found the back of the net twice in the final minute to build their lead out to 5-1 at halftime. Hernandez’s second goal of the game was followed by a Nick Perera rebound goal of a free kick with 0.5 seconds left on the clock.
Hernandez, an import from Spain playing just his second game with the club, raised eyebrows with his composed style on the ball and clinical finishes.
“He’s a cultured player, a very good passer of the ball and very composed,” said Chiles, “He needs to build a little muscle to compete and battle physically in our game but he’s going to be a good one.”
A 2-0 third quarter helped the Sockers put the game out of reach, with Chiles finding the back of the net on a quality connection with Reza. Brazilian rookie Ney added his tenth goal of the season.
The Surge used a pair of power plays as momentum to score four times in the fourth quarter, leading the Sockers captain to remind his team that there is more work still to be done.
“There was never a question in our mind about winning or losing this game; we wanted to put together a more complete effort,” said Chiles, “The same thing that happened last night happened tonight, we let up a bit in the fourth quarter. We really need to hammer that down and play a complete game if we want to compete with the likes of Missouri and Baltimore.
Three games in three days is sure to leave a physical toll and the Sockers, while walking proudly to their bus for the long drive home, saw many do so with a limp.
“Everybody’s sore,” said Salvagio.
The damage was more severe for midfielder Brian Farber, who suffered a broken bone in his left hand when he went down in a second half tackle. Farber will be re-evaluated in San Diego but is unlikely to let the hand keep him out of the lineup.
The Sockers return home for a pair of home games on the next two Saturdays. On January 31st, the Tacoma Stars are in town on Military Appreciation Night. Anyone with an active, reserve, retired or veteran’s ID can present it at the Valley View Casino Center box office for two free tickets to the game. Civilian tickets are available at (866) 799-GOAL. The following Saturday is the highly anticipated Alumni Night featuring the currently undefeated Baltimore Blast. The first 5,000 fans at the Sockers-Blast game will receive a free Sockers Cowbell presented by B. Wood Insurance. Tickets for both games are available online at sockers.com or in person at the Valley View Casino Center box office.
Photo Credit: Aaron Jaffe
