San Benito wraps up preseason slate, will prepare for TCAL
opener on March 17 against Alisal
APTOS
The San Benito High boys volleyball team took another step forward in its development last weekend when it compiled a 3-1 record at the 16-team Spring Fling tournament in Aptos.
After winning their three pool play matches, with victories over Soquel, the King’s Academy and Monterey, the Haybalers went into the Gold Division bracket as the 3-seed. But up against 2-seed Mountain View, San Benito fell in three matches 22-25, 25-12, 13-15.
The ‘Balers were the only team from the Tri-County Athletic League to qualify to the Gold Division (there were six teams from the TCAL in Aptos), however, while San Benito managed to compile its 3-1 record without the services of middle blocker Roy Powell, who suffered an injury during last week’s match against Westmont.
San Benito head coach Luis Espinoza decided to rest Powell, as the team prepares for the TCAL opener on March 17 against Alisal.
“I’d rather him rest for league in about a week and a half,” Espinoza said. “However well we did, I accepted it because we were without one of our middles. But it showed how well this team plays and how much talent is on the this team.”
After beating Soquel in three games (25-23, 16-25, 15-13) and the King’s Academy in two (25-15, 25-21), San Benito scored its biggest win of the tournament, and perhaps of the season, when it defeated Monterey in three games (25-16, 24-26, 15-7).
“I was pretty happy we got that outcome,” Espinoza said. “It was huge. A big lift.”
The Toreadors swept the ‘Balers in two league matches last season, and have won the TCAL four years in a row.
But San Benito grabbed the first set 25-16 when Monterey made an adjustment, moving their middle blocker to the outside. The ‘Balers were unable to make the necessary adjustments in order to counter in time, however, and narrowly lost the second game 26-24.
But in the third set San Benito cruised, easily winning 15-7.
“In the third game,” Espinoza said, “we just took over.”
Now at 5-3, San Benito will have the week off before it opens the TCAL on Tuesday, March 17, against Alisal in Hollister.
TEAM 1 2 3 F
SOQUEL 23 25 13 1
SAN BENITO 25 16 15 2
TEAM 1 2 F
KING’S ACADEMY 15 21 0
SAN BENITO 25 25 2
TEAM 1 2 3 F
MONTEREY 16 26 7 1
SAN BENITO 25 24 15 2
TEAM 1 2 3 F
MOUNTAIN VIEW 25 12 15 2
SAN BENITO 22 25 13 1
