For the second game in a row, the San Benito boys soccer team
showed that it can compete with the best.
The Balers were defeated 3-2 by visiting Gilroy on Wednesday in
cold, drizzly conditions.
For the second game in a row, the San Benito boys soccer team showed that it can compete with the best.
The Balers were defeated 3-2 by visiting Gilroy on Wednesday in cold, drizzly conditions.
“We were a little more offensively aggressive against them than we were against Live Oak,” said Baler coach Mike Warner. “We decided we wanted to go after them because we thought we were faster, and we wanted to take advantage of that speed.”
Both teams were creating opportunities early on during the game, but it was the Balers (3-5-2, 0-1-1 TCAL) who got on the board first against Gilroy (11-0-4, 2-0 TCAL).
Ernesto Lostanau scored in the sixth minute of the game as he got by a defender and took a shot on the right side that sailed into the far side of the net from just outside the 18-yard-line.
“I used to tease him about being a defender and not being able to score,” Warner said. “But we had to move him up because he is too valuable because he can make things happen and he is quick.”
Gilroy midfielder Jorge Plata evened the score up in the 30th minute, volleying in a touch pass from teammate Alfonso Motagalvan.
Everardo Diaz de Leon scored on a penalty kick 10 minutes later to put the Mustangs up 2-1.
“It was a bad call,” Warner said. “That really gave them life to help them get back into the game. I don’t think it should have been a penalty. The kid blew by Kevin (Vieirra) then stopped and let Kevin run right into him. There is no way for him to stop. It should have been a yellow card against the other player.”
Jorge Lopez tied the score at 2-2 after receiving a pass played back to him by Alfredo Arredondo to start the second half. Lopez’s shot from the middle was high but then dropped into the upper left corner of the net. It was his second goal in three games.
“It was a beautiful shot,” Warner said. “I knew it was going in even though everyone told me they thought it was going to go over the net. Even the goalie may have thought that it was going over the net.”
Diaz de Leon scored the game-winner as he dribbled through some defenders and hit the corner of the net.
“We were putting a lot of pressure on their goal,” Gilroy coach Armando Padilla said. “Their goalie (Jorge Medina) made some spectacular saves, but finally we were able to penetrate. Up to that point, their goalie was pretty much saving everything. That guy was like a cat. He really kept them in the game, big-time.”
The Balers were missing three players – seniors Willie Sanchez, Valentin Bribiescas and Genaro Zaragoza – because of academic ineligibility coming into the game, and Warner had to make some adjustments defensively to replace those guys. Two of the players were defensive starters.
“We made a lot of changes, and everyone played really well,” Warner said. “We made a lot of good runs and put a lot of pressure on them. We showed them we are a really fast team. If we could have stayed healthy and had one or two of the other starters in, there is no question we would have at least tied them if not beat them.”
Warner said he expects to have Sanchez back later in the season. Sergio Lostanau came in for Sanchez on the right side and played a solid game defensively.
The Balers, who were already short-handed coming to the game, were forced to make numerous substitutions towards the end as players like Gilbert Bailon, Arredondo and Jonathan Alouso went out injured.
The Balers will be at North Salinas on Friday.
JV note: The Gilroy JV team tied the game at 1-1 with under a minute left on a goal from Christian Flores to spoil a solid San Benito effort.
The first half started fast for both teams with excellent play on both ends of the field. Jose Carlos Vasquez anchored the defense for the Balers and denied the visitors any quality shots on goal. Try as they might, neither team could score in the first half.
Eleven minutes into the second half, center forward Joel Aguilar scored the Balers’ goal on a beautiful cross from Armando Espinoza. Defensively, Alden Wiltse, Christian Mercado and Alfredo Ortega continually spoiled Gilroy’s opportunities.
With 20 seconds left to play, Gilroy arced a high desperation shot from far out that glanced off the top bar and into the net to tie the game. The Balers had one more shot by Eddie Trujillo that thrilled the crowd but missed the mark as time ran out. The Balers (4-4-2, 1-0-1 TCAL) take on North Salinas on Friday.
