Salinas’ reputation may have actually preceded them on Tuesday
night in Hollister, and it didn’t help the San Benito Lady Balers
one bit.
Using a mix of powerful, well placed kills and soft,
over-the-top tips at the net, the visiting Cowboys caught San
Benito on its collective heels Tuesday at Mattson Gym en route to
an easy three-game sweep (25-18, 25-22, 25-16) in Tri-County
Athletic League action.
HOLLISTER
Salinas’ reputation may have actually preceded them on Tuesday night in Hollister, and it didn’t help the San Benito Lady Balers one bit.
Using a mix of powerful, well placed kills and soft, over-the-top tips at the net, the visiting Cowboys caught San Benito on its collective heels Tuesday at Mattson Gym en route to an easy three-game sweep (25-18, 25-22, 25-16) in Tri-County Athletic League action.
The loss drops the Lady Balers to 6-4 in the TCAL, 16-13 overall.
“We were on our heels because they swing hard. But we couldn’t move forward, unfortunately,” said middle blocker Emily Tonascia, noting Salinas’ ability to place the ball in between San Benito’s front and back line Tuesday night.
Ellie Larronde kept the Lady Balers off balance all evening, supplying a match-high 11 kills for Salinas, which improves to 8-1 in the TCAL.
“We were supposed to be covering those,” Tonascia said of Salinas’ tips at the net. “We just couldn’t get them today.
“We were waiting for it to come to us.”
The three-game sweep was not what the Lady Balers were expecting this late in the season, especially after the team’s recent stretch of contests. Winners of four of its last five matches, including three straight 3-0 sweeps, San Benito appeared to have a mental setback Tuesday against Salinas.
“We were in the right spots, we were just hesitant,” said San Benito head coach Dean Askanas, who felt his team’s passing and digging struggled Tuesday. “Give them credit, they have good offensive players. But we just didn’t show up.”
The Lady Balers were able to stay close early on with the Cowboys in all three games, but Salinas’ ability to rifle off multiple points in a row, subsequently finding plenty of momentum as a result, led to San Benito’s undoing.
“It wasn’t really us out there playing,” libero Sam Klauer said.
In Game 1, tied at 17-17, Salinas’ Larronde and Lacee Ventura sparked a 7-0 spurt to make it 24-17. In Game 2, knotted at 14-all, back-to-back kills by Larronde and a service ace by Sarah Reams pushed the Cowboys out to a 19-14 lead. In Game 3, ahead 11-8 midway through, Salinas pulled forward by a 22-14 margin behind kills from Larronde and McKenzie Pallisou.
“We need to be ready for the tips, because they will find the holes,” said Tonascia, who had six kills Tuesday. “And we need to swing more, because tipping doesn’t win games.”
Denisia Dikes led the Lady Balers with seven kills, while Jessica Meade added six.
The Lady Balers, with just two matches remaining, have a key contest at Gilroy Thursday night. San Benito previously defeated the Mustangs in four close games on Oct. 6, and another win would ensure the Lady Balers a spot ahead of Gilroy in the TCAL standings.
“It’s critical,” Askanas said. “Our backs are to the wall.”
San Benito’s season finale is next Thursday, Nov. 5, at Notre Dame. Thursday’s match at Gilroy will start at 6:30 p.m.
“We’ve just got to brush this off and play as a team,” Klauer said.
