There is a strong trio of teams sitting atop the Tri-County
Athletic League, but the San Benito girls volleyball team has not
been able to crack its collective code. While the Balers have had
their way with Alisal, Gilroy and Everett Alvarez this season
— San Benito has defeated each of those teams in either three or
four sets — the top-three efforts of North Salinas, Notre Dame and
Salinas, and the high-powered attack each of those teams boast,
have provided much different results.
HOLLISTER
There is a strong trio of teams sitting atop the Tri-County Athletic League, but the San Benito girls volleyball team has not been able to crack its collective code.
While the Balers have had their way with Alisal, Gilroy and Everett Alvarez this season — San Benito has defeated each of those teams in either three or four sets — the top-three efforts of North Salinas, Notre Dame and Salinas, and the high-powered attack each of those teams boast, have provided much different results.
“Very high powered, definitely,” head coach Dean Askanas said Tuesday night after the Balers suffered a three-set sweep against Salinas, 25-22, 25-17, 25-16.
“I thought Game 1 we were coming together and I thought Ellie Burley was playing a good game,” Askanas added. “But it just wasn’t enough. They are more high powered than we are.”
Burley finished with a team-high 11 kills, while teammate Ryan Asp added five kills.
Although defense has been San Benito’s bread-and-butter all season, Salinas’ front line of Alex Barbeau and Ellie Larronde proved to be as advertised. The two combined for 26 kills Tuesday, with the powerful right arm of Barbeau leading the way with 15.
“They’re much more high powered than we are and they terminate much faster,” Askanas said.
Even then, though, San Benito’s defensive effort hasn’t been the same since the start of the season, Askanas added. Matches earlier this year, in which the Balers were able to battle on defense alone, and compile nearly 100 digs in just three sets in the process, hasn’t continued through the later stages of the regular season.
San Benito’s match at Salinas on Sept. 23, for instance, saw the Balers compile 128 digs in a five-set loss to the Cowboys.
“Our defense has not been great lately. It’s not bad, but it’s certainly not what it was,” Askanas said. “We do drills to pursue those balls and get that aggressive mentality, but for some reason it just went away.”
On Tuesday, libero Sara Yamasaki led the Balers with 15 digs.
The aggressive mentality was evident during the opening set Tuesday — a 25-22 loss — but the strong Game 1 performance by the Balers didn’t lead to fruition against Salinas.
Few offensive errors by the Cowboys turned slim leads into comfortable cushions, and fast. Salinas’ 9-8 lead in Game 2, for instance, blossomed into a 23-13 margin behind kills from Barbeau, Larronde and Laura Meyenberg, while a 2-2 match in Game 3 converted into a 14-5 Salinas lead when Larronde provided a tip at the net and an ace from the service line.
She finished with four aces on the night, and had 14 digs and two solo blocks. Barbeau, meanwhile, added a pair of blocks and three aces.
Baler setter Raelynn Heredia had 18 assists in the match, while Salinas’ Chantelle Mahusay had 23 assists.
It is San Benito’s eighth straight loss to Salinas, a streak that dates back to October 2007.
The Balers (4-4 TCAL, 13-13) are off until next Tuesday when they will host Gilroy at home. Match time is 6:30 p.m.
