A preseason favorite with Salinas this year in the TCAL, North
Salinas outlasted the Balers en route to a three-set victory
(25-19, 29-27, 25-20) Tuesday night behind a powerful front line of
Julia Ashen, Ellen Yamasaki, Riley Ashen and Sara Makanani.
HOLLISTER
The Tri-County Athletic League season has begun, and San Benito has a new approach.
No longer is head coach Dean Askanas pushing his “game of attrition.”
“It’s beginning of league,” he said. “We’ve switched our philosophy from less conservative to more offensive.
“We’ve got to make swings. We’ve got to make kills.”
Although the attacking approach was noticeable on Tuesday night in Hollister, it wasn’t enough to upset visiting North Salinas. A preseason favorite with Salinas this year in the TCAL, the Vikings outlasted the Balers en route to a three-set victory (25-19, 29-27, 25-20) behind a powerful front line of Julia Ashen, Ellen Yamasaki, Riley Ashen and Sara Makanani.
The North Salinas four were capable of either slamming down a kill on any set or relying on a soft tip at the net to catch San Benito on its collective heels.
Both strategies were employed on Tuesday, and both worked rather well in the Vikings’ favor.
But Askanas felt Tuesday night’s match, although a loss, was another move in the right direction for the Balers. The team received six kills apiece from Jessica Steigelman, Megan Kelley and Katherine Breger, while sophomore Ellie Burley led San Benito for the second straight match with nine kills.
“In just three games, that was good,” Askanas said.
“I was really proud of the way they played tonight. We produced more offense than we have this season.”
Previously, San Benito employed an all-out defensive approach and tried to out-dig its opponent in order to force hitting errors or set up controlled shots. But Askanas feels, through its difficult non-conference schedule, the team’s “volleyball IQ” has improved.
“When that goes up, you can take swings,” he said. “Now we’re trying to force the issue.
“We’re not doing it perfect yet. But if we improve like we did from the preseason until now from now until the postseason, we should win some matches.”
Tuesday’s three-set battle with North High may have had a different flavor if Game 2 fell in San Benito’s favor. After the Vikings earned the first set behind four kills each from Julia Ashen and Yamasaki, as well as several tipped balls by Makanani to start the set, San Benito’s offense awoke in the second game.
While North Salinas didn’t help its cause early on with hitting errors, Steigelman and Burley traded kills at the net to push the Balers out to a 13-8 lead. Although the Vikings erased the deficit with four straight points, San Benito again pushed ahead when a Kelley kill and consecutive hitting errors by North High provided the Balers with a 21-16 cushion.
But North High’s Yamasaki took over from there. The senior mixed up-and-over tips at the net with straight-down kills to score seven points for the Vikings, including five straight to knot the second set at 22-all.
The two teams then exchanged points until the match was tied at 27 when Ashen popped consecutive kills past San Benito’s defense en route to the 29-27 victory.
The Balers’ more aggressive approach on offense didn’t change the team’s defensive mindset at all, though. In fact, in just three sets Tuesday, San Benito compiled 84 digs against North Salinas.
“That’s a lot of digs,” Askanas said.
Senior libero Sara Yamasaki led all with 20 digs total, while Steigelman and setter Raelynn Heredia, who had 19 assists in the match, posted 15 digs apiece.
Mari Vallejo added 12 digs as well.
“You have to play defense and you have to make digs, but we have to make kills as well,” Askanas added.
After going 2-2 at the Harbor Invitational last weekend, which included wins over Hillsdale and Deer Valley as well as losses to Palo Alto and Aptos, the Balers will continue with their difficult schedule on Thursday when they visit Salinas.
Match time is 6:30 p.m.
“Aptos, Palo Alto, North Salinas and Salinas,” Askanas said. “It’s just a tough run. But that’s just the way the hand got dealt.”
