Socker Burn Wings With Overtime Goal

SAN DIEGO —  The Wichita Wings came to the Sports Arena on Thursday and did something the Sockers usually do: They set the tempo.

But it wasn’t enough. Despite creating a two-goal halftime advantage, then stealing momentum with about a minute remaining with a tying sixth-attacker goal from David Byrne, the Wings could not muster enough energy to get past the Sockers.

Jacques Ladouceur’s goal 4:29 into overtime gave the defending Major Soccer League champions a 6-5 victory over the Wings in front of 11,694 at the Sports Arena.

So to clinch a playoff spot, the Sockers need only to win one of their remaining eight games or benefit from one loss by the fourth-place Baltimore Blast. The top four finishers in the MSL make the playoffs.

The Sockers’ magic number to clinch first place is four. Any combination of four victories or Dallas losses will ensure the Sockers the home-field advantage through both rounds of the postseason.

There doesn’t appear much doubt the Sockers will retain their current standing, especially after Thursday’s victory over Wings, whose playoff chances are more precarious. To the Wings, a victory Thursday was all but essential. The loss drops the Wings (15-17) eight games behind the front-running Sockers and into a tie for third place with the Baltimore Blast. What’s more, the Wings are only three games away from last-place St. Louis.

The ending was a tonic for Sockers Coach Ron Newman.

“I don’t get headaches,” he said. “But if I did, I imagine I would have one right now.”

Ladouceur, who was taking passes on his inside foot all night, decided to take one on his outside foot. He was able to flick it past Wichita’s eager defenders and begin a path to the goal.

He eventually shot from some 35 feet away. Goalie Kris Peat didn’t flinch.

“I don’t think the goalkeeper ever saw it,” Ladouceur said. “There were a lot of people between me and the ball.”

Although the Wings came out with much more intensity than they usually display, the Sockers responded in the second half.

All it took was a little imagination. With the Sockers unable to work the ball inside all night, Terry Woodberry started things 10 minutes into the third quarter by unleashing a shot from the outside. His left-footer from the right point stunned Peat, playing in only his second game since returning from an elbow injury.

A little more than a minute later, Paul Dougherty scored his second of the game. Like he did on first one, Dougherty capitalized on a rebound opportunity to tie the game at 3.

It was Dougherty’s eighth goal in his past four games, and it set the stage for the Sockers to take their first lead of the game.

That happened 16 seconds into the fourth quarter, as Tim Wittman, running left to right along the top of the penalty box, got his left foot on a high bouncer and sliced it past Peat.

But the Sockers could not hold the lead--not even for a minute. Forty-seven seconds after Wittman’s goal, Wichita’s Steve Pittman beat the Sockers by sneaking up on a free kick and shooting it on goal as the Sockers were still settling their defense.

Wes Wade got the Sockers’ fifth goal midway through the final quarter, unloading from just inside the red line and putting one in off the crossbar.

“We just can’t get to that intensity level until we get hurt,” Newman said.

Indeed, Wichita took a 3-1 at halftime by countering the Sockers’ superior speed.

The Wings’ first goal came off a counterattack, a Sockers’ trademark.

This time, though, the Sockers were the victims as Chico Borja and Steve Pittman raced past the Sockers defense with Pittman finishing the chance midway through the intial quarter.

Before the play developed, Newman was trying to coax first-year player Mirko Castillo to get back on defense. Castillo, however, appeared to jog back as Pittman and Borja sped forward.

Castillo said later he lost one of his shoes on the play.

In the next quarter, Dougherty tied it for the Sockers before Kim Roentved and Danny Pena gave Wichita its lead.

Socker Notes

Before Thursday’s game, the Sockers were 9-3 in their previous 12 games, a statistic worth noting because those the games played since midfielder Brian Quinn left for the U.S. national team. What is remarkable about the record is that the Sockers have been able to maintain their tight grip on first place without replacing Quinn, considered the team’s top performer.

Defender Jimmy McGeough was signed in Quinn’s stead but has suffered numerous injuries since and has been unable to leave the disabled list. “He has a bit of a glass ankle,” Newman said of McGeough. “He reinjured it a bit (Wednesday) in practice.” Newman said McGeough estimates he will regain his stamina in a week’s time. How the ankle heals is still up in the air. “If the ball still hurts him while he’s shooting,” Newman said, “it could be a while.”

The Sockers Magic, a team of former Sockers, will play their second exhibition game at 2 p.m. Sunday at San Pasqual against a San Diego County Select team. Tickets are $3 and go to benefit area youth soccer organizations. . . . The club’s public relations department is touting four players for post-season awards. Goalie Victor Nogueira, who leads the league in goals-against average, but has gained more recognition for his ability to start counterattacks, is a candidate for Most Valuable Player. Nogueira won the award last year. Kevin Crow leads the field for defender of the year; John Kerr, who could be going for an award for most posts hit in a season, is a candidate for newcomer of the year; and Newman, who has taken a team expected to be middle-of-the-pack at best to first place, will be among candidates for coach of the year. That award is voted on by league coaches, all others are voted on by media members. . . . Coach Erich Geyer will take the Sockers reserves to Atlanta today for the Mitre National Amateur Championship tournament, which runs through Sunday. The reserves qualified for the tournament by winning the San Diego regionals Dec. 21, outscoring their opposition, 23-1, in three games. The team previously won the national championship in 1988 and 1990. Sockers developmental players Gus Castaneda, Scott Geraghty, Zico Doe and Curtis McAlister will all see playing time. “It’s a chance for everybody on the team to move forward,” Geyer said. . . . The Sockers next home game is Tuesday against the St. Louis Storm. That’s St. Patrick’s Day, and the Sockers will “celebrate” it by wearing green uniforms, which will later be auctioned off for charity.