GHS girls fall flat in fourth quarter of 16-8 loss to
Stevenson
The first seven games of the 2011 season have sent the Gilroy High boys water polo team through its fair share of ups and downs, more so than many teams would want in an entire season.
A 12-11 loss to Harbor at last weekend’s Watsonville Tournament sums up some of the frustrations head coach Tom Clark and the Mustangs have had to endure.
GHS overcame a five-goal, first-period deficit to take the lead only to relinquish it, and in the process lost its hole set Josh Kendrick for the season.
Despite the waves, the Mustangs have remained level in Tri-County Athletic League Valley Division play after a 17-10 triumph over Alvarez on Tuesday in Gilroy.
“The progress is good,” Clark said.
GHS (2-5 overall, 2-2 TCAL) expanded a slim one-goal halftime advantage into a defensively dominating second half.
“(Alvarez) kept transitioning better than us, and so in the third quarter, I said, ‘guys, we are better swimmers than that,'” Clark said. “Their guys weren’t open from the third through the fourth.”
Goalie Cody Froom and the Mustangs’ defense, allowed just three tallies in the second half, while pulling away in the fourth period after carrying a 12-9 cushion into that final period.
“The effort is there, but offensively we are sloppy. Guys just want to shoot and score,” Clark said. “We have to be a little more heads up out there. We could have had a lot more goals, but we took some bad shots.”
The Mustangs rely heavily on the play of senior Michael Shields to produce the goals and manufacture the offensive opportunities. Shields, recorded a game-high nine goals, one game removed from posting eight in a loss to Palma.
Shields’ three tallies, and another from Joe Vanni paced the Mustangs to a 4-2 lead after the first quarter.
Alex Degregori kept the Eagles within reach, scoring four times in the second period, the fourth tying the game at 7-7 late in the period. Vanni gave the Mustangs the one-goal boost into halftime. Brenden Riemer also had a GHS goal in the period.
Degregori knotted matters once more at 9-9 in the third, but the Mustangs countered with three unanswered goals – Shields (2) and Garrett Pipkin one.
Pipkin scored twice more in the fourth, as did Kooper Knutson while Shields punctuated his day with one final mark to close out the scoring.
The Mustangs have an anticipated rematch with Harbor scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at Harbor.
GHS girls water polo
Trailing 9-4 at the half, the Gilroy High girls water polo team lost sight of Stevenson in the fourth period as the visitors outscored the Mustangs 6-2 in the final period of a 16-8 loss Tuesday in Gilroy.
“They got stronger today, again, compared to their last game,” GHS head coach Travis Gamble said. “They played a hard game, especially in that first half. I felt like we could definitely stay in it. We fell a little short, but that’s OK.”
A pair of goals from Michelle Shields and one by Francesca Comin left the GHS and Stevenson all square at 3-3 midway through the opening quarter. However, the Pirates responded with three straight goals to conclude the opening seven minutes up 6-3.
Stevenson outscored GHS 3-1 in a tightly played second period. Two quality chances off the hand of Shields ricocheted off the crossbar and post, negating prime chances to narrow the gap at the half.
“We had a couple shots that fell close, four of them, which could have put us a lot closer there,” Gamble said.
GHS (0-4) goalie Alexia Lussier kept the Mustangs within striking distance with a flurry of saves to open the third period. Both teams managed two goals in the third and the deficit remained five heading into the closing period. The Pirates, though, found a second wind and rattled off seven goals to Gilroy’s two to pull away.
Shields ended with five goals and Abby Kienle, Comin and Katie Clark each had one tally.
GHS is on the road at Salinas at 4 p.m. Thursday.
