SOCKERS WIN 10TH STRAIGHT, TOP FURY 8-2

by Craig Elsten/Sockers

ONTARIO, CA — Kraig Chiles and Juan Carlos “Charlie” Gonzalez each scored hat tricks, Boris Pardo stopped nine of eleven shots faced, and the San Diego Sockers defense blocked 16 more, as the Sockers won their tenth straight match in dominant fashion, controlling an 8-2 win over the Ontario Fury from start to finish. San Diego (13-0-1, 36 points) took a 5-0 lead at halftime and pushed out to an 8-0 advantage midway through the fourth quarter.

“Defense wins championships, and the guys put their bodies on the line,” said Pardo, who collected his league-leading tenth win after picking up MASL Defensive Player of the Week honors earlier in the day, “Great man-marking from our defenders, and our attacking players worked their butts off defensively. Credit to the entire team.”

Cesar Cerda, Guerrero Pino, and Juan Manuel Rojo each were credited with three blocks, as the Sockers defense again held four-time MVP Franck Tayou largely in check. Tayou scored the final goal of the match with the result well-decided, his first true goal against the Sockers in five matches (Tayou is credited with two, the other being an own goal).

San Diego improved to 4-0-1 against the Fury, including 3-0 in Ontario, taking 12 of 15 MASL standings points and clinching the season series. Chiles got the offense moving early, as the Sockers captain increased his personal goal streak to seven matches in a row by scoring the first two goals of the match. Chiles (15 goals, 25 points) has a twelve-match points streak, and four straight multi-point matches.

Gonzalez and Brandon Escoto (two assists) teamed up twice on goals in the first and third quarters, and “Charlie” finished his hat trick against six attackers 2:42 into the fourth quarter. The former Fury star has eight points (five goals, three assists) in his past two matches.

“We’re halfway through the season, all the guys are playing good and we’re sticking together,” said Gonzalez, “That’s what I love about this team. Everyone’s a family, and they look to pass you the ball if you’re wide open.”

Christian Gutierrez netted his 14th goal of the season, while Leonardo de Oliveira collected a goal with two assists. The Sockers took advantage of a rough first half from Ontario keeper Chris Toth, who saw goals deflect in off his foot, his hands, and the fifth of the night on a giveaway off his pass from the corner.

Nestor Hernandez scored an even-strength goal at 7:27 of the fourth to break up the shutout bid, and Tayou’s score on a power play at 8:57 concluded the scoring. The Fury (7-4-2, 22 points) fell fourteen points behind the Sockers in the MASL West Division, dropping to 3-2-2 at home.

The Sockers now enjoy their longest stretch of down-time in the 2021-22 MASL season, with no matches scheduled this weekend. The club will reconvene for a pair of home matches next weekend, beginning with the Kansas City Comets in town for a 7:35pm kickoff on Friday, February 25. Tickets are available at sdscokers.com/tickets or by calling (866) 799-GOAL.