Gilroy
– Another game, another ranked opponent bites the dust.Two days
after knocking off Central Coast Section No. 2-ranked Alisal,
Gilroy was at it again only in more dominant fashion against
Alvarez.
Gilroy – Another game, another ranked opponent bites the dust.
Two days after knocking off Central Coast Section No. 2-ranked Alisal, Gilroy was at it again only in more dominant fashion against Alvarez.
The Mustangs unleashed a 17-shot attack Wednesday to down the No. 7 Eagles 3-0 in a Tri-County Athletic League encounter at Garcia-Elder Complex.
“We wanted to show them that we should have won the last time,” said defender Eric Miller, referring to the scoreless tie between the teams last month when Gilroy had two scores called back. “We’re still trying to get our respect. People still don’t respect Gilroy. We say, ‘Whatever.’ We’ll take them.”
The Mustangs were on the attack all game, outshooting Alvarez 17-2. Fourteen minutes into the game, Randy Moya scored on an assist from Humberto Pineda.
Bruce Ocana started the attack with a throw-in. Pineda emerged from a pack of three defenders and cut the ball back to Moya, who beat the goalie to the near post with a hard shot.
GHS (9-2-4 overall, 4-0-3 TCAL) scored its second goal seven seconds before halftime off the foot of Jose “Tapon” Velasquez. Andy Moya won a ball in midfield and passed to Velasquez in the penalty area. Velasquez never gave the keeper a chance to plant his feet, blasting a hard shot into the net.
The Mustangs didn’t sit on the lead. Ocana, Noel Vera, Velasquez, Victor Hernandez, Ricardo Enriquez and Forest Alvarez all had excellent scoring opportunities in the second half. But it wasn’t until Alvarez was tripped in the box that GHS got its third goal. Miller scored his first goal of the season on the free kick with 2:24 left.
“We’re definitely making a statement,” GHS co-coach Armando Padilla said. “We’re starting to come together. The chemistry is clicking now.”
Still, Brian Hall bemoaned the missed opportunities.
“We’re the most generous team in TCAL,” said Hall, the other co-coach.
Defensively, Miller and Kevin Grove blunted everything Alvarez (7-3-4, 2-3-2) attempted in front of keeper Jairo Rodriguez. Pineda and Vera distributed the ball well. And the Mustangs thrived even in the last 10 minutes of the game with their offensive leaders – Velasquez, Ocana, Pineda and Randy Moya – on the bench.
“We’re playing really well,” Miller said. “The offense is good. It is finally scoring. At the beginning of the season, we couldn’t score. That’s why we’re winning now instead of tying.”
The Mustangs get another opportunity to avenge an earlier draw when they visit San Benito at 6pm Friday. The teams tied 1-1 Dec. 15.
