In its final tune-up before taking on rival Gilroy, the San
Benito girls’ soccer team easily dispatched visiting Salinas on
Wednesday when it posted a 4-0 shutout behind a strong defense and
a pair of goals from Karly Leon.
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HOLLISTER
In its final tune-up before taking on rival Gilroy, the San Benito girls’ soccer team easily dispatched visiting Salinas last Wednesday when it posted a 4-0 shutout behind another strong defensive showing and a pair of goals from Karly Leon.
Up against a team that had actually given up fewer goals this season — Salinas had allowed just one goal in nine games — San Benito managed to find the back of the net twice in each half to remain undefeated on the year.
It will now place its 2-0 league record on the line Wednesday, as the Balers will host 2-0 Gilroy at 3:30 p.m.
The two rival schools have managed to carve out a niche atop the Tri-County Athletic League standings for the last four years, with Gilroy earning the league title four years in a row, and San Benito finishing runner-up in three of the last four seasons.
In head-to-head matches, though, the Mustangs have made sure its been a one-sided affair. Since the 2006-07 season, Gilroy is 6-1-1 against San Benito, and is currently on a two-game win streak, having outscored Alisal and Notre Dame by a 13-1 margin.
“Gilroy is a good team and we can’t afford to make any mistakes,” San Benito head coach Ben Alvarez said. “We have to stay on top of our game and execute. We have to execute exactly like we have been in practice.”
Alvarez said he plans to prepare his team for Gilroy just like how he’s prepared them for every other opponent this season, and why not? The Balers are 6-0-4 overall on the year, have won four of their last five games, and have given up all of two goals through 10 games this season.
The team’s back line of Marissa Adame, Victoria Perez, Nicole Yost and Kaitlyn Fontaine have been outstanding all year, Alvarez said. Its shutout of Salinas was especially impressive, as the Cowboys (1-1 TCAL, 8-1-1) entered the contest with the greatest scoring differential of any TCAL team — 32 goals for and just one goal against.
“Our defense is pretty solid. The kids are playing great soccer,” Alvarez said last week.
It was San Benito’s attack that vaulted the team to its fourth win in five games, though, and supplied the Cowboys with their very first loss of the season.
Daniela Ocampo put San Benito ahead in the 15th minute after receiving a corner kick from Hannah Cobb that pushed the Balers out to a 1-0 lead. Ocampo then assisted on a Karly Leon goal in the 30th minute to make it 2-0 before the half.
San Benito actually tacked on a third goal in the first half as well, but it was called back after an offsides penalty.
Still, the Balers picked up their third goal of the game in the 50th minute in the second half when Berniece Bribiesca found the corner of the net from 30 yards out off an assist by Marissa Adame. A pass by Kelly Gottron off a corner kick then helped set up Leon’s second goal of the game in the 58th minute.
“We definitely took enough shots,” Alvarez said. “We were constantly pushing and that created opportunities.”
The win sets up Wednesday’s bout between the last two remaining undefeated teams in the TCAL — San Benito (6-0-4. 2-0) and Gilroy (5-2-3, 2-0).
“We’re just gonna let the kids do it on the field,” Alvarez said. “They feel really good right now.”
TEAM 1 2 F
SALN 0 0 0
SANB 2 2 4
