The San Benito girls soccer team missed the playoffs last year,
but is hoping a tough preseason schedule is the difference
HOLLISTER
With 11 games still remaining on the schedule, the San Benito Lady Balers already own as many losses as they did through all of last season — 15-3-4 one year ago, 3-3-2 right now.
But after the team fell short of qualifying to the postseason last year — 4.5 power points, to be exact — coach Ben Alvarez upped the non-conference schedule this year to feature stronger teams that may offer bonus points in the long run.
“They were top-of-the-line teams,” senior Samantha Moreno said. “So us tying or losing by one — yes, we didn’t win — but it was almost a win to us. I think we have a better chance at taking TCAL now.”
Teams like Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz and Live Oak, normally strong squads that could win their respective leagues, not only offered a better preseason test for the Lady Balers, but could provide those additional power points — the X-factor for playoff bids — toward the end of the season.
Alvarez believes his team’s three losses is simply a result of a more difficult non-conference slate.
“I thought we had a chance to make it to CCS (last year), but that’s the power-point system,” Alvarez said. “This year I decided to go against better teams — powerhouses — and I just feel this is gonna help us for league.”
Gilroy employs a similar approach. The Mustangs, who won the TCAL last season at 10-1-1, went just 2-4-2 in the preseason this year, but played top teams like Scotts Valley, Presentation and defending Division I champion Monta Vista.
“They’ve been doing that the last couple years,” Alvarez said of Gilroy, which opened with a 5-0 win over North Salinas last Thursday. “When it comes time for league, they’ve dominated.”
At least in the short term, the plan is paying off for the Lady Balers as well. San Benito cruised past Notre Dame 4-0 last Thursday to open Tri-County Athletic League play, pocketing three goals in the first half alone.
The Lady Balers will host Alisal (1-0-1 TCAL, 7-0-3) Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
“We’re well-conditioned and ready,” Alvarez said. “Our touches are very good, they’re communicating well and playing as a team.”
Playing better teams during the non-conference schedule can often lead to dampened spirits, though. San Benito junior Hannah Cobb said it was difficult to tell how good the Lady Balers would be this season after several ties and close losses earlier this year — a stark contrast to the 8-1-1 mark they posted during the preseason one year ago.
“… But when we got to Notre Dame, we dominated,” said Cobb, who, along with teammate Sara Yamasaki, currently leads the Lady Balers with four goals scored. “We weren’t doing too well before, but last game (against Notre Dame) we came out strong.
“If we can just stay organized and work together, we’ll be good … Everyone on this team has a lot of talent. We just have to work together.”
Employing two different formations, including the more defensive 4-4-2 and the more offensive 4-3-3, San Benito prides itself on its offensive attack in which it seeks an endless amount of shots on goal — the formation sometimes notwithstanding.
“The 4-3-3, that’s more offensive. We get more shots off and there is more pressure on the opposition’s defense,” said Yamasaki, a junior mid. “The 4-4-2 is more composed, more organized.
“But we scored three goals during the first half in the 4-4-2 (against Notre Dame). We were organized and passed around the other team.”
While Alisal (7-0-3), Salinas (7-0-2) and Everett Alvarez (6-1-2) currently boast the best records in the TCAL, San Benito is hoping what was learned following last season’s campaign, as well as this year’s preseason, will only provide a needed edge as 4.5 points can make all the difference.
“We played a lot of tough teams in the preseason, and I think it will help us in the long run,” Yamasaki said. “We know we have to work to beat everybody.”
