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"Qeeks" and Figueroa lead Cougars to 7-3 win over Stars
Saturday Dec 19, 2009
Click here to listen to Coach Antonio Sutton's reaction to Saturday's match, and his thoughts on repeating as PASL-Pro Champions. The full interview will air on Saturday, Dec. 26 during "Coast to Coast with Zack and Greg" on 1420 AM KSTN in Stockton. The show airs from 10AM to 12PM.
SACRAMENTO – DEC. 19, 2009 – Enrique "Qeeks" Tovar netted two fourth quarter goals and Vicente "El Tigre" Figueroa scored two goals for the California Cougars during their 7-3 home win versus the Tacoma Stars in Sacramento on Saturday night.
The Cougars improved to 4-1 in Professional Arena Soccer League play with the victory, and 5-2 overall. The match was the third game in the “Arena Soccer League Triple Header” at Estadio Azteca Sports Arena in Sacramento. Tacoma also lost 7-6 in regulation in the first match of the day. That loss allowed the Estadio Azteca All-Stars to advance to the "Round of 8" in the United States Arena Soccer Open Cup Tournament.
California took a 3-1 lead to the half, but saw the lead slip to 5-3 in the fourth. Tovar floated a goal beyond then Tacoma sixth attacker Greg Howes to quiet a Stars rally in the fourth. His goal was chipped into an open net and gave the Cougars a 6-3 lead.
Tovar also scored on a shootout in the fourth to give the Cougars their seventh goal of the match. He added two assists to his two goals for a team high four points in the victory.
The shootout was brought on after Howes was given a red card in the fourth quarter. The red card was issued after Howes contested the official’s ruling regarding the pass that set up Tovar’s goal. He adamantly argued that Pedro Lupercio’s pass to Tovar skimmed the screen above the field. The officials ruled that it never touched, and that play would continue without interruption. The Stars stopped playing to argue the call, but Tovar took advantage and scored the momentum killing goal.
Lupercio picked up a field long assist on the Tovar goal in the fourth. He also scored a crucial first quarter goal that broke a 1-1 tie.
Figueroa scored the first goal of the match with 9:05 remaining in the first quarter. Jason Gjersten of the Stars equalized the match in the first with an unassisted goal. Gjerstend connected with 2:15 remaining in the quarter, but Lupercio answered back with 1:23 left.
California’s lead improved to 3-1 when Craig Scheer scored his fourth goal of the PASL-Pro season in the second.
Tacoma began a furious comeback in the third, but the rally came after goals from Nelson Santana and Figueroa. Santana connected on his with 7:35 left in the third. Figueroa’s power play goal put California up 5-1 with 5:16 left in the third.
Chris Kintz started the Stars comeback when he scored on a free kick from the shootout line early in the fourth. With the goal, Kintz became the second PASL-Pro goalkeeper to score a goal in a league match. Michael Archuleta was the other. He scored a penalty kick goal during the final seconds of the inaugural PASL-Pro match between the Cougars and the now defunct Colorado Lightning.
The rally continued when James McDonnell netted a fourth quarter goal to bring the Stars within two at 5-3.
Brian Farber extended his point streak to 21 consecutive league matches after assisting Figueroa on the first goal of the match in the first quarter.
Matt McDougall saved four of six shots faced in the second half. He started in goal in place of Jesus Molina on Saturday. Molina was out while serving a one game suspension for receiving a red card during the Open Cup loss to Estadio Azteca at Turlock Indoor Soccer.
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