Boris Pardo is the defending MASL goalkeeper of the year, and will likely win another one this year after the season he has had.

After the first two games of play in the 2022-23 MASL playoffs, Pardo made 17 saves on 17 chances, earning Pardo the no. 1 star of the game as the San Diego Sockers defeated the Mesquite Outlaws to advance to the Western Conference finals.

“That’s just the way we’ve been preaching all year, you can’t lose if you don’t give up any goals,” head coach Phil Salvagio said.

Pardo was dominant in both appearances, giving up no goals for the first time in games in which he played at least 30 minutes in. Pardo’s efforts in the series finale on Sunday night made him the fourth Sockers goalkeeper to start a shutout in the playoffs in team history, and the sixth time it has happened in the club's storied playoff history. It was also the first playoff shutout in indoor soccer since 1999, per Kenn.com’s findings in a blog post.

“That’s really nice to hear it, I’m not knowledgeable about that information but it’s so nice to hear, especially with the group of guys we have,” Pardo said when told by the voice of the Sockers Craig Elsten after the match about the rarity of what just occurred on the field. “The defense is unbelievable and we’re a unique team when we play collectively. … I’m so appreciative of the guys. They’re the best in the league, so yeah, it's a nice accomplishment.

“I feel good, I feel sharp. It’s nice to have the defenders in front of me that are working hard but I’m very proud of the boys and the effort we’ve all been putting into practices and now showing in games,” Pardo said.

The Sockers won 7-1 in the first game of the home-and-home series after a blue card penalty for tripping issued to Pardo gave the Outlaws a chance to score their lone goal on a penalty shot against Sockers’ backup goalkeeper Xavier Snaer-Williams.

In game two on Sunday night in San Diego, Pardo held a clean sheet for the first time in his career while playing at least half the game. Pardo was replaced by Snaer-Williams with 8:01 remaining in the fourth quarter while the Sockers led 7-0.

Snaer-Williams kept the game’s shutout with one save as Mesquite was held scoreless for the second time in their last six games.

“It’s great for him because you never know when you need your backup goalie to step in [for] a yellow card, a blue card, like what just happened the other day. It could be in the finals, every shift is important in the game for the goalies,” Salvagio said.

“It was nice to share it with Xavier too. I think he deserves it, I think he works hard,” Pardo said.

MORE FROM THE GAME:
• Forward captain Kraig Chiles scored a hat trick for back-to-back multi-goal efforts in a six-point playoff series.

“He’s a vet, he’s a legend, and he’s fantastic. I mean, unbelievable,” Salvagio said. “He’s the man that shows up and does a great job.”

Last year, Chiles scored nine goals and five assists in seven playoff games as the Sockers won their second consecutive MASL championship. Chiles has been an integral piece of the team since he joined the Sockers in the 2014-15 MASL season.

• One of just two losses for the Sockers this season came at the hands of the Mesquite Outlaws on the road in a closely-contested matchup that ended in a post-game scuffle that saw five total suspensions handed out.

“It was like they poked the bear. We all said, it’s okay, let them poke us. We’ll see when it comes to show up to win the championship. We’ll see what team shows up on their side. It was definitely clear as day in both games,” Pardo said about what it meant to get them back in the playoffs.

• Defender Cesar Cerda opened the game’s scoring with a first-quarter score and added on in the third quarter in his first two-goal performance since March 13, 2021. He had just four goals this season in 20 regular-season appearances for the Sockers.

Midfielders Charlie Gonzalez, Felipe Gonzalez, and Brandon Escoto each recorded a goal in the winning effort. Defender Guerrero Pino made two assists in the game as well.

UP NEXT:
The Sockers will face off against the Chihuahua Savage in a rematch of last year’s Western Conference finals as San Diego looks to defend their back-to-back titles and go for their third straight championship in the MASL.

The first game is slated for Tuesday, April 18 in Chihuahua, Mexico, at 7 p.m. before the second game and potential knockout game being played at Pechanga Arena on Friday, April 21 at 7:35 p.m.