The New Year couldn’t have come at a better time for the San Benito girls soccer team. After back-to-back losses to start their Tri-County Athletic League season before Winter Break, the Haybalers made a resolution to rededicate themselves and put their best cleat forward.
What a difference a couple of weeks makes.
In their first action of the calendar year after an enthusiastic set of vacation practices, the ‘Balers came up big. San Benito (4-5-2, 0-2-1 TCAL) overcame a two-goal, halftime deficit to league heavyweight Live Oak to earn a 2-2 tie and a fresh outlook.
“We were motivated. We were pumped,” said ‘Balers head coach Mike Schurig. “The best thing that could’ve happened to us was that Gilroy shellacking.”
Though Live Oak (2-2-3, 1-0-1 TCAL) raced to a quick 2-0 lead with goals in the 12th and 25th minutes, San Benito made sure there would be no repeat of the 7-0 pounding it suffered to Gilroy on Dec. 13.
Just two minutes into the second half, freshman Rachel Maheu took a Brittany Huth pass in stride and found the back of the Acorns’ net.
“It was a beautiful pass,” said Schurig of Huth’s lob over the Live Oak defense.
Ten minutes later, Huth herself scored when the Acorns’ defense couldn’t clear the ball. The San Benito junior powered a shot into the net from 20 yards out to knot the game.
The ‘Balers were able to come back to force the tie largely due to the outstanding play of reserve goalie Emily Key. The freshman saved 14 of Live Oak’s 16 shots and helped San Benito survive a frantic charge by the Acorns in the game’s final five minutes.
“She just played a dynamite, dynamite game,” said Schurig, who started his traditional goalie, senior Ashley Perreira, at sweeper.
The outcome marked the fourth consecutive year in which San Benito managed a tie against the Acorns, the 10-time defending league champs. Schurig and his ‘Balers have designs on ending another trend they have against Live Oak.
“We’ve always lost the other one,” said Schurig, whose team meets each league rival twice. “That’s not going to happen this year.”
With newfound momentum under their belts, the ‘Balers return home to play Sobrato tomorrow at 3:30.
