Live Oak wouldn’t let Hollister High escape, wouldn’t let the
Balers’ top offensive players have any space and wouldn’t let the
Balers get a foothold at the all-important midfield.
Live Oak wouldn’t let Hollister High escape, wouldn’t let the Balers’ top offensive players have any space and wouldn’t let the Balers get a foothold at the all-important midfield.
The Acorns, using a smothering defense and an opportunistic offense, blanked the Balers 4-0 Tuesday night at Andy Hardin Field in a crucial first-place battle.
The loss means the Balers (11-4-2, 4-1-1) must win their next four games to guarantee second place in the Tri-County Athletic League and the automatic Central Coast Section berth. Three wins and a tie in the Balers’ final game at Notre Dame on Feb. 12 would also do the trick.
“Losing is not an option,” said Baler striker Jenny Maheu, who had trouble breaking loose thanks to a taut Acorns defense. “We can not lose.”
It was the Acorns (7-6-2, 5-0-1) that came out with that ‘can not lose’ attitude and saddled the pressure on the Balers from the outset.
One could sense danger early as the Baler defense looked confused. The ball was dangling outside the Baler box when Live Oak forward Michelle McDonald centered it by Baler goalie Mary Von Urff. Waiting patiently to put it in was Katrina Adam, just seven minutes into the match.
“We came out flat,” said Maheu.
“We didn’t play with the fire that we needed to play with,” said Jennifer Vandenberg, the Balers’ leading scorer. “We came out like just because we tied them the first time, we didn’t have to play hard tonight.”
The Balers, who managed five shots in the first half though none were serious, nearly made it to the intermission down just a goal. That could have been manageable for the Balers.
However, the Acorns, sensing they had the Balers on the run, wouldn’t let that happen.
Katie Renteria, who was so effective in the first match breaking down the right flank, created trouble for the Balers for much of Tuesday night. Renteria centered to McDonald, who controlled it off her chest and one-touched the bounce off the ground past a stunned Von Urff for 2-0 Live Oak 34 minutes in. It was a marvelous goal by McDonald, the Acorns’ leading scorer.
The game got testy let in the first half and culminated when an Acorns player earned a second yellow card and disqualification for allegedly kicking a Baler player while she was on the ground.
That didn’t faze the sophomore McDonald, who was just getting going. She dribbled past a Baler defender and created another shot from the far right. Von Urff came out and made a wonderful save, setting up an Acorns corner.
McDonald took the set play and sent the ball high towards Von Urff, who was guarding the near post. The ball bore in high on Von Urff, who punched at it. The ball went straight up off the top post and into goal, making it 3-0 Acorns in the 40th minute with two of those goals in the final six minutes of the first half. The Balers were not allowed to regroup by the well-drilled Acorns.
“I wasn’t trying to kick it in,” said McDonald about her corner kick goal. “We were trying a new play and I were trying to kick it flat. The ball was in goal when she hit it.”
Renteria set McDonald up with the Acorns’ final goal, though won’t be credited with the assist. McDonald’s first two efforts were blocked by Von Urff, but McDonald found that the third time was the charm as she achieved her hat trick. That follows on the heels of a five-goal performance versus Gilroy last Saturday.
“We were pumped for this game,” said McDonald. “Plus, first place was at stake. Hollister’s a good team. They can win the rest of their games.”
“She’s an excellent player,” said Baler coach Michael Schurig of McDonald. “She’s skilled, fast and well-coached.”
Schurig attempted to shed a positive light on the Balers’ dampened title hopes.
“Live Oak was very physical,” said Schurig. “We played physical at first, but not physical enough. We learn from this and be better off for it. Our CCS berth could come down to the last match with Notre Dame. They’re going to want some thing from us and we’re going to do our best to hold on to it.”
Baler bits: Schurig praised outside midfielders Michelle Sanchez and Julie Broyer for doing a “great job.” – The Balers actually outshot the Acorns 11-9. – Hollister had a big edge in direct and corner kicks. The Balers never threatened off a corner, but Vandenberg and Broyer each had good attempts on a direct. – Von Urff was credited with five saves, while Acorns goalie Ashley Garcia had five saves. –Â Unless Notre Dame can beat Live Oak in Morgan Hill on Feb. 7, the Baler streak of no league titles for girls soccer will remain intact. – Remaining dates left for the Balers: Thursday at Gilroy, Feb. 5 at North Salinas, Feb. 7 vs. Salinas, Feb. 12 at Notre Dame.
