San Diego Improves To 8-1 After Win Over El Paso

Kraig Chiles and Brian Farber each had two goals and one assist to lead San Diego to a 7-4 victory over El Paso on Sunday evening at Ron Newman Field at Pechanga Arena San Diego. The Sockers overcame another sluggish start to improve to 8-1, and take a three-game lead in the MASL's Pacific Division. 

Slow starts at home are becoming commonplace for San Diego, as El Paso scored first and increased its lead to 2-0 with 10 minutes remaining in the second period on a goal by Jorge Rios (1-1=2). It was the third consecutive home game that the Sockers allowed the first goal and also failed to find the back of the net in the first quarter. 

Chiles, who has an eight-game point streak, changed the Sockers fortunes with his team-high 12th goal at 12:08 of the second. He redirected a Guerrero Pino pass from inside the box past El Paso goalkeeper Eduardo Arevalo Gonzalez. Two minutes later, Chiles shot off the wall was put in by Brian Farber who was nestled against the wall beside the goal. The teams were level at halftime.

The only goal of the third period was courtesy of Leonardo De Oliveira (1-1=2) off an assist from Brandon Escoto (1-2=3) to give San Diego its first lead. 

The teams traded goals in the fourth quarter until Escoto gave San Diego a two-goal advantage with under three minutes remaining. Luis Ortega finished the scoring against the sixth-attacker to increase his goal streak to two games.

League-leading goalkeeper Boris Pardo, who saved a first-period shootout attempt by Rios, stopped 15 El Paso shots for his eighth win. Coyotes' netminder Gonzalez faced 41 shots and made 25 saves in the loss.

The Sockers were 0-1 on the power play, while the Coyotes were 1-1 with the man advantage.

San Diego plays twice this week, first in Tacoma on Friday, January 18, 7:05 p.m. and then returning home to meet the improving Turlock Express on Sunday, January 20, 5:05 p.m. at Ron Newman Field at Pechanga Arena San Diego. The Sockers will be celebrating Youth Sports Night with fans receiving a Free Sockers Retro Logo Hat while supplies last.  Flex, group, and single game tickets are on sale now by calling 866-799-GOAL (4625) by visiting Sockers.com or AXS.com (Search: Sockers).