For the first 15 minutes in the TCAL opener for both teams, Gilroy and Hollister were even.
But then Gilroy senior forward Jose Pineda scored on an empty ‘Baler goal. Less than a minute later, Gilroy freshman forward Jason Olivo put a ball into the left corner of the net.
All of a sudden Gilroy had a 2-0 lead and the ‘Balers were down – for good.
“It kills you,” said Hollister head coach Juan Carlos Martinez. “That’s the way it is. Soccer is like that.”
Pineda would score another first half goal for the Mustangs – their last of the game – to win 3-0 in Gilroy Tuesday night.
Gilroy, which lost to Berkeley 2-0 in its third pool play game of the Homestead Cup Tournament, now sits at 4-2-1 overall and 1-0 in TCAL. The young ‘Balers squad, which has just two active seniors, dropped to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in TCAL.
“I think it’s great,” said Gilroy sophomore midfielder Jose Armando Hernandez about opening league play with a win. “Many teams don’t expect it from us.”
In the first 15 minutes, the Mustangs had trouble getting the ball past Hollister’s defense, which came all the way out to almost the middle of the field to pressure Gilroy. Mustang assistant coach Brian Hall credited defender Randy Moya with helping the Mustangs get the ball past the ‘Balers and up to Gilroy’s scorers. The freshman sent up the two passes that resulted in the first two goals.
“Our forwards knew how to make runs,” Moya said.
Gilroy’s first goal was the result of a crucial Hollister mistake. ‘Baler goal keeper Eddie Trujillo got caught about 20 yards out of the penalty box as Olivo attacked down the right side of the field. Olivo found Pineda by himself in the middle of the field with an open goal in front of him.
Less than a minute later, the speedy Olivo took the ball down the right side right past Hollister’s defense, cut inside and collected himself to put a nicely paced roller into the left corner of the net. At the 14:29 mark, it was Pineda again. This time, the senior trapped a pass with his back to the net, turned and fired a shot into the right side of the net from 15 yards out.
“I try to pretend to go one way,” said Pineda. “Then you take the shot.”
Hollister still couldn’t get much control of the ball in the second half but was able to hold the Mustangs, who with a comfortable lead rested many of the starters in preparation for Thursday’s game at Live Oak. The Mustangs and the Acorns matchup begins at 3:30pm.
