Hollister
– San Benito kept its playoff hopes alive Tuesday with an easy
three-game sweep over visiting Salinas.
Hollister – San Benito kept its playoff hopes alive Tuesday with an easy three-game sweep over visiting Salinas.
The Haybalers cruised in the first two games and then rallied in the third game to earn a 25-13, 25-11, 25-22 win.
With first-place and undefeated Monterey on the horizon Thursday, San Benito needs to beat the Toreadores and hope for an Alisal victory over Seaside to grab second place in the Tri-County Athletic League and the automatic Central Coast Section playoff berth.
“We’ll need a lot of help but we need to beat Monterey first,” coach Luis Espinoza said.
Seniors Sterling Wilson and Luis Rosales set the pace for the ‘Balers. Wilson finished with six kills and five blocks, and Rosales had five kills and two aces. Adrian Rodriguez added 10 assists.
After cruising in the first two games, San Benito found itself trailing 10-4 early in the third game. Espinoza called a time out and his team responded with five straight points and nine of the next 10 to grab a 13-11 lead.
Salinas fought back and a 6-1 spurt gave the Cowboys an 18-15 lead, but the ‘Balers closed strong, including scoring the final five points to put it away.
While a strong finish is still on San Benito’s mind, Espinoza is excited about the future.
“I’m pretty happy with my sophomores,” he said. “I’m excited for what’s going to happen in the upcoming seasons.”
Still, Espinoza is hoping his team can find enough grit to earn the upset of Monterey.
“We’ll need a lot of heart,” Espinoza said. “If we’re down we know that with our guys showing heart we’ll be able to play well.”
