San Benito builds 3-0 lead and beats North County
Castroville – With only one win in its last four outings, the San Benito girls soccer team will take Tuesday’s 3-2 victory over North Monterey County.
But given the way the game unfolded, coach Mike Schurig was visibly frustrated, in particular the way a 3-0 game became a close contest.
“It should’ve been a bigger (margin),” Schurig said. “We let up a lot in the second half. We started playing sloppy, too relaxed.”
Both teams got off to a bit of a lethargic start to the game. Neither team had a scoring opportunity until San Benito’s JC Clayton got free on a breakaway in the 14th minute, but Condors’ goalkeeper Miranda Vest made the save.
NMC had its best chance in the 22nd minute but a cross shot was just wide right and a barrage of shots a minute later couldn’t find the net.
The ‘Balers took advantage after controlling the ball and Janessa Gillies fed a pass to freshman Sophie Coelho, who punched in the goal.
Two minutes later, Clayton got a foot on a loose ball in front of the net and scored. Four minutes later Coelho scored again for her team-leading fifth goal of the season.
“We’ve done it before where we score and it’s like a chain reaction,” Coelho said. “I think (when we scored the first goal), it motivates other people.”
The freshman has proven to be a big spark for the team, which had some struggles offensively last season and had just one player with more than four goals.
She didn’t start Tuesday, but entered the game about 10 minutes in and got goals in the 23rd and 29th minute.
“I’m very surprised,” Coelho said of her ability to make such a quick impact this season.
The Condors kept the game from getting out of hand when Maritza Hernandez fired a shot into the top left corner of the net in the 31st minute and the game went into the half with the ‘Balers comfortably in front 3-1.
While NMC struggled to find many scoring opportunities in the second half, San Benito’s offense stayed quiet as well.
“We were trying to penetrate up the middle and that just doesn’t work,” Schurig said. “They were trying to individually make things happen. They need to stick with the game plan.”
The Condors finally got the break they needed when San Benito got called for a hand ball in the box and NMC was awarded a penalty kick, which Hernandez converted in the 69th minute to trim the ‘Balers lead to one.
Fortunately for San Benito, that was as close as it got and it improved to 4-2-1 on the year, equaling last season’s win total.
“It was really important for us to get another win and get us confidence again,” Coelho said.
