Notre Dame has silenced four teams already this season into
laying goose eggs. San Benito has deposited more than a trio of
goals in all but one contest.
Hollister
Notre Dame has silenced four teams already this season into laying goose eggs. San Benito has deposited more than a trio of goals in all but one contest.
In a matchup that featured the Tri-County Athletic League’s top defense in Notre Dame (six goals allowed through 10 games) and the league’s top offense in San Benito (20 goals scored in six games), it was the Lady ‘Baler attack that won out when push came to shove.
In a game that was certainly not lacking physical play, San Benito pushed a pair past Notre Dame Wednesday en route to a 2-0 league-opening win.
Of course, while the Spirits entered the contest with the least amount of goals allowed in the TCAL, it was San Benito’s defense that proved to be no pushover.
Keeper Emily Key made sure of that, as she posted her first shutout of the season for the Lady ‘Balers with 10 saves. With plenty of help from the defense, San Benito kept the Spirits off the scoreboard, despite Notre Dame having 22 shots on net and what seemed to be an endless amount of scoring opportunities.
“Their offense is actually pretty good,” Key said afterward. “We knew they were a good team from last year … So there was a lot of pressure on defense. They have a nice shot when they can get a foot on it.”
Key made two crucial stops late in the game, one coming midway in the second half with San Benito grasping to a one-goal lead.
After a long outlet pass that resulted in a breakaway for one Notre Dame forward, Key came 15 yards out of the net to make a sliding steal from the streaking Spirit.
“Emily’s fantastic play,” coach Mike Schurig said after the game, “that won’t even go in the books. That wasn’t even a save, but that was fantastic goalie work. Why bother with the save when you can shut it down?”
Despite having slightly fewer scoring chances than Notre Dame with 17 shots on net, San Benito’s offense proved why it’s the tops right now in the TCAL. They didn’t have as many shots on net as Notre Dame, but then again, they didn’t need them.
The Lady ‘Balers broke a scoreless game in the 33rd minute when Hannah Cobb lofted a centering pass from the right side. The ball was met inside the box with a three-way collision between a Notre Dame defender, Spirit keeper Lamiya Webster (8 saves), and San Benito’s Sophie Coelho.
But Coelho, the team’s leading scorer (7), somehow managed to put a leg on it before the dust settled, and the first goal of the game slowly rolled into the right side of the net.
“It was kind of crazy in there,” Coelho said. “But I managed to get a foot on it.”
The collision in front of Notre Dame’s net seemed almost appropriate for the first goal, as four yellow cards were handed out over the course of the grueling game.
The Lady ‘Balers would later add an insurance goal without taking an actual shot on net in the 67th minute.
Sara Yamasaki, who had been launching throw-ins some 30 yards downfield all game, did the same from the 10-yard line in Spirit territory.
Yamasaki’s throw-in from the left sideline darted toward the net and found the right corner after the keeper Webster nicked the ball, making it live and in play.
“I saw the goalie’s hand touch it,” said Yamasaki, who deposited a goal a couple of years ago off a throw-in. “They (Notre Dame’s defense) were big. They were physical. They did a really good job shutting us down sometimes. It was a good challenge for our offense.”
Two goals allowed is the most the Spirits (0-1-0 TCAL, 3-2-6 overall) have allowed this season in a single game.
San Benito (1-0-0, 5-2-0) will now play Friday at 6 p.m. in Gilroy (1-0, 2-2-2), who defeated Everett Alvarez 5-0 Wednesday.
“I’m expecting another tough offense from Gilroy,” Key said. “But of course, it’s nothing we can’t handle.”
