The San Benito High boys’ volleyball team, in its final match of
the regular season, downed visiting Alisal in four games on Tuesday
night 25-16, 26-16, 22-25, 25-14.
HOLLISTER
The San Benito High boys’ volleyball team, in its final match of the regular season, downed visiting Alisal in four games on Tuesday night 25-16, 26-16, 22-25, 25-14.
Although statistics were not provided at press time, the key win lifts the Balers to a 13-3 record in the Tri-County Athletic League, 21-6 overall, and sews up the 2-seed entering this Thursday and Friday’s TCAL Tournament.
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The four-team playoff will include No. 2 San Benito and No. 1 Gilroy from the TCALs Valley Division, and No. 2 Seaside and No. 1 Monterey from the TCALs Coastal Division. The four teams will vie for two automatic playoffs bids to the Central Coast Section postseason, as well as the top spot in the TCAL standings.
Each match will be held at a neutral site at Watsonville High School, with the Balers squaring off against the top seed in the Coastal Division, Monterey, on Thursday night at 7 p.m.
It will no doubt be a key game for San Benito. A win on Thursday would not only vault the Balers into Friday’s championship final, but would also ensure them at least one of the two automatic bids toward CCS.
San Benito previously lost to Monterey in five games on April 7.
On Tuesday, the Balers controlled a 2-0 lead over Alisal before dropping a set to the visiting Trojans. Interim head coach Sam Klauer called it an “off day” for the team.
“There were lots of things that we’ll be working on at practice,” Klauer said. “A win is a win, but I wasn’t too satisfied.”
Specifically, Klauer wasn’t pleased with the team’s energy and communication during Tuesday’s match, but hopes to have everything corrected by the time San Benito opens the TCAL Tournament against Monterey on Thursday night in Watsonville.
In the other tournament semifinal, Gilroy and Seaside will square off.
The two winners on Thursday will advance to Friday’s championship at 7 p.m. in Watsonville, while a consolation match will be held on Friday at 5 p.m.
ALIS — 16 16 25 14
SANB — 25 25 22 25
