Team eager for showdown with Acorns
Hollister – In its first home contest of the season, the San Benito girls’ water polo team gave its fans quite a show, manufacturing offense seemingly at will to swamp visiting Monterey 20-7 on Wednesday.
The whirlwind display kicked into high gear right from the start, with sprinter Shelli Reed winning the opening ball, and passing back to Kirsten Palm, who found 2-meter player Katie Buzzetta for a goal just 10 seconds into the game. Hardly a minute later in this Tri-County Athletic League contest, Buzzetta fed Stephanie Rodriguez in front of the Toreadores’ net for a quick spin and another goal.
A converted 5-meter penalty shot by Buzzetta and a long drive by Reed culminating in another goal gave San Benito a 4-0 lead with 4:32 left in the first quarter. And the ‘Balers (5-2, 2-0 TCAL) didn’t stop there, pushing their advantage to 7-1 by the end of the period, on a Kelsey Russell score in a man-up situation.
Seven minutes into the game and a six-goal lead? Five players scoring and four notching assists in the opening quarter? Yes, the offense was definitely firing on all cylinders for the ‘Balers.
“We just wanted to get ahead fast,” said Buzzetta, who scored three in the first quarter on the way to her game-high, eight-goal showing.
Monterey (2-2, 2-1 TCAL) blanked the ‘Balers in the second quarter, pulling within 7-2 on Natalie Ruelas’ goal at the 4:56 mark. But San Benito again opened up its full-throttle attack in the second half, using first-possession goals in both periods to set the tone for the ‘Who’s going to score next?’ display.
Reed, who finished with four goals, scored twice in the third quarter, and Rodriguez registered two assists as the ‘Balers built their lead to 14-3 by period’s end. And then, for good measure, San Benito spread its six fourth-quarter goals among six different players to wrap up the rout.
Junior field player Jayme Telles scored four times for the ‘Balers, and Rodriguez posted two goals and three assists.
Ruelas led the Toreadores with seven goals, and Monterey senior Lia Williams scored twice.
‘Balers head coach Lacey Sutton didn’t want to read too much into the victory against an overwhelmed opponent, saying simply “I think we did pretty well. We talked a lot. We communicated better today.”
San Benito figures to have a much tougher test Friday, when it opens play in a tournament at Independence High by facing longtime rival Live Oak at 2:40pm. Though the Acorns have moved to the Blossom Valley Athletic League, the ‘Balers are eager to prove themselves against the traditional water polo power.
“I think we’re all going to have to step it up because it’s Live Oak,” Telles said, “and we all want to beat their team.”
Added Buzzetta: “It’s going to be a big test. We’re going to have to really bring our ‘A’ game for that one; be prepared. … We’re pumped. I think we’re ready.”
The ‘Balers also face Clovis East on Friday at 6:50pm, and then return to Independence on Saturday to face TCAL rival Salinas at 10:30am.
JV Note: The San Benito JV girls’ water polo team used a balanced offensive attack to win its first contest of the season, defeating Monterey 25-3 in Hollister on Wednesday.
