Girl’s Soccer – Gilroy Mustangs, 7, Sobrato, 1
Boy’s Soccer – Gilroy Mustangs 5, Sobrato 1
By Leann Shea, Staff Writer
Morgan Hill – After a sluggish beginning, the Gilroy Mustangs girls soccer team stepped up and defeated the Sobrato Bulldogs, 7-1, Tuesday afternoon.
“We kind of started out slow and unfocused,” said Gilroy coach Jose Hernandez. “Its part of what we need to work on. It’s finals week and that added a little pressure and stress.”
The Bulldogs (1-5 TCAL) caught the ‘Stangs (4-0-1 TCAL) off guard and struck first about 10 minutes into the first half when sophomore forward Ashley Grose dribbled around three Gilroy defenders on the left side and lofted the ball into the net, while in the midst of an asthma attack. Following the goal Grose immediately left the game to catch her breath.
The ‘Stangs had size and numbers on their side as they more than 10 players on their bench, compared to just two bench players for the Sobrato Bulldogs.
“This team (the Bulldogs) has a lot of heart and they don’t give up, which is all you can ask,” said Sobrato coach Susan Scigliano. “We knew Gilroy was a good team and it was going to be a tough game.”
Trailing 1-0, the ‘Stangs defense stiffened and held off the Sobrato push for the rest of the game. Then the Gilroy offense took over.
The ‘Stangs offense tied the score at 1-1 seven minutes later as senior forward Brittany Barnes drilled the ball into the left corner of the net past Sobrato’s goalkeeper Katrina Olson, who had come out to try and block the shot.
The Gilroy offense captialized on the momentum swing in its direction and extended the lead to 2-1 on JoAnn Olivo-Pedroza’s shot into the left corner of the Sobrato goal. Barnes found the back of the net again less than two minutes later with her shot past the diving Olson into the right side. Olivo-Pedroza also scored again to make the score 4-1 going into halftime on a free kick near the Sobrato goal, following a hand-ball foul on the Bulldogs.
“We’re down in numbers and we had a couple people missing today with illness,” said Scigliano. “We’re limping along.”
The second half was all Gilroy as they tacked on two more goals off the foot of junior midfielder Amanda Bruce and one goal off a direct kick by sophomore goalkeeper Maia Guerrero to extend the lead and give the ‘Stangs the 7-1 victory.
Early in the second half Gilroy’s starting midfielder/defender Jeannette Figueroa came out of the game with a right ankle injury. It was unclear how serious the injury was and whether Figueroa will play in the next game.
The ‘Stangs face the San Benito Haybalers at home on Thursday, then take on the Live Oak Acorns two times in three days, once in Morgan Hill on Saturday and then again at home on Monday.
“This year we get them (Live Oak) back-to-back,” said Hernandez. “We’re going to continue to work on finishing off our corners and trying to find our timing. We’re going to continue to build.”
