With a league showdown against Live Oak looming, Gilroy girls’ soccer coach Jose Hernandez admitted to being a little leery of Wednesday’s game at North Salinas.
“I was nervous for this one,” the second-year coach said. “There was a fear of the girls looking ahead and maybe being a little overconfident.”
By the first 20 minutes of the match, those fears had subsided.
The Mustangs quickly jumped out 2-0, took a 3-1 lead into halftime and ended up holding on for a 3-2 victory.
“They came out with the focus of setting the tempo and controlling the game,” Hernandez said. “We were clicking … passing well, clearing the ball quick on defense. I was happy with the intensity.”
North Salinas (9-6-2/1-5-1) managed goals on a first-half penalty kick and a quick steal and shoot from Tania Hernandez, the area’s leading scorer (32 goals).
For Gilroy (14-4-2/5-1-2), which beat the Vikings 4-1 on Jan. 13, junior Joann Olivo-Pedroza got the scoring started with an unassisted goal. About 10 minutes later, Luz Cortes found Amanda Bruce on a cross to give the ‘Stangs their second score.
It was a rare start for a team that traditionally waits until the second half to turn it on.
“It was one of those odd games,” Hernandez said. “It was one of the few times we actually started out hot.”
Midway through the second half, Bruce added another goal to up her season total to 11, just two behind team leader Alysha Davis.
For the sophomore and her teammates, though, the focus immediately turned to the Acorns, who they face in a 5:30pm matchup Friday at Mustang Stadium.
Live Oak, which tied Gilroy two weeks ago, is 6-0-1 in TCAL.
“Everyone is so excited,” Bruce said. “I think we’ll be very motivated.”
In the Jan. 20 Gilroy Dispatch, Acorns’ head coach Tony Vasquez told the paper that “dropping into the league is kind of a letdown,” and said facing his team “is (Gilroy’s) CCS when they play us.”
The comments – along with a column by Morgan Hill Times sports editor Jim Johnson – caught the eye of Hernandez, who showed the articles to the team recently.
“The girls wanted to play them again and as soon as the bus came back,” he said. “Then Tony’s comments and a few other things … that got a little fire in our butts.
“We’re excited about it. We can’t wait.”
