The San Benito girls volleyball team has a lot to smile
about.
Granted it’s still early in the season. But the Haybalers have
won their first two games, winning all six matches.
Hollister – The San Benito girls volleyball team has a lot to smile about.
Granted it’s still early in the season. But the Haybalers have won their first two games, winning all six matches.
Their second win came Tuesday night against visiting Soquel. After two close games, San Benito (2-0) dominated the third game to close out at 25-21, 25-22, 25-15 victory.
“We were able to get some momentum after the first two games,” said coach Jennifer Beall.
The players didn’t have anything to frown about. Several of them sporadically broke into cheers and had wide smiles on their faces when they subbed out.
“We lost to Branham last year, and we were really pumped after beating them yesterday,” said senior Michelle Sanchez. “We brought that momentum in today. Everyone was having fun. Everyone was talking. We play a lot in practices, and that really helps.”
San Benito was behind 12-8 in the second game after several unforced hitting errors and six missed serves.
“There’s no reason to miss that many serves,” Beall said. “But they were able to work it out. They know the rule. If someone in front of them misses a serve, they have to get it in.”
Chelsea Fowles knocked in five consecutive successful serves in the second match, including one that bounced on the line untouched, to help the Balers tie the game at 15-15.
The teams traded points until Leslie Schipper, who led the Balers with 11 kills, hammer a ball down on the left side, and Jamie Temperino had a kill on the opposite side.
In the final game, San Benito built up a 13-2 lead behind the curve ball serves of Alyssa Fowles and the precision serves of Sanchez.
Soquel scored most of its points late in the third game, but it wasn’t enough.
“We put our subs in in the third game after it was 6-1 as I had planned if they got a big lead,” said first-year Soquel coach Brady Muller, whose team is 0-1. “Their passing was better than ours, and their serving was better. It is tough to beat a good team like that when we’re not playing 100 percent.”
Even with the subs in the third game, San Benito didn’t loose any momentum and actually gained momentum.
“They were thanking me at the end for getting them in,” Beall said. “I told them not to thank me because they deserved it. Everyone got in, and everyone did well. It is nice to know that I can I can look down my bench and put anyone in. It is sometimes hard as a coach to look past the starting lineup.”
Senior setter Stephanie Mauro was one of those who came off the bench and had a good showing.
“Our passing was on fire,” Mauro said. “And our hitters were putting everything down all over.”
San Benito will be competing in a tournament in Milpitas Saturday.
JV Note: The San Benito JV team won its second game, defeating Soquel 25-21, 25-15.
