Lady Mustangs fall to Notre Dame, 69-46.
GILROY – The Lady Mustangs knew all about Notre Dame heading into Wednesday night’s Tri-County Athletic League contest at Gilroy High. The reigning league champion Lady Spirits – ranked third in the Central Coast Section – are always loaded with talent.
But this year Notre Dame also had the inside scoop on Gilroy as well since junior guard Nicole Daye played for the Lady Mustangs last season as a sophomore before transferring to Notre Dame this year.
“It’s really different because I see them playing and I see all my friends and I look down and I don’t have their jersey on. It’s kinda weird going against them,” Daye said. “It’s a lot easier for me because I played with them a lot in the summer so I know what a lot of them are capable of. But it’s not that bad. I have a little advantage.”
With a little added inside information, private power Notre Dame (3-0 in T-CAL, 17-1 overall) walked into garlic country and ran away with the game – handing the Lady Mustangs (1-2 in T-CAL, 12-8 overall) a 69-46 home loss.
“We pushed them to their extent and they pushed us to our extent. We pushed it and pushed it and then I think we just started to get tired. I think we’ll get them next time,” said junior center Sarah Hoeft, who is close friends with Daye. “I picked her. It was fun. We always talk (trash) to each other on the court. In real life, I know that we love each other.
“It was kinda hard because they’re all my friends. It was still cool. I loved it. I just love playing with them. I just love how they play together.”
Along with Daye’s garlic connection, another of Notre Dame’s top players – sophomore sensation Jessica Ross – is a Gilroy resident. Ross – last season’s freshman of the year – finished up with 16 points, while Daye added nine points. But the Lady Spirits were led by forward Julie Martin with 21 points and point guard Serena Benavente – last season’s most valuable player – with 13 points.
“Notre Dame is a good team and they proved it again tonight. We did cut it to four points and we played hard. We played with all our guts out on the floor,” first-year head coach Kari Williams said. “The difference is when they come down they were getting a lot of 3-on-1s, 3-on-2s with their fast break. They fill the lanes and they execute that, and they do it over and over, and they punish you.”
The Lady Mustangs made a game of it early on – keeping pace at 8-8 with five minutes remaining. But Notre Dame used a 12-2 run to close out the first quarter with a 20-10 advantage.
In the second quarter, Gilroy came out gunning – eventually trimming the gap to 24-20 with 2:27 left in the half. The scoring was spread around during the Lady Mustangs’ run as senior Laura Hennessee (12 points), senior Danell Dow (six points), senior Jenn Olvera (10 points), and Hoeft (seven points) all had baskets.
“Laura Hennessee’s been sick. She still played a great game for us, though. All three seniors (Olvera, Hennessee, Dow) played well,” Williams said. “Sarah Hoeft had a great game. Her shot just wasn’t going in, but she shot well from the free throw line – which is something she’s been working on so I’m proud of her for that.
“I’m as proud as you can be in a loss.”
The wheels started to fall off Gilroy in the final two minutes of the first half as the relentless Lady Spirits kept on running and gunning – taking a 37-24 lead into the locker room.
“The first half we played a great basketball game. This was a fun game for people to watch, to coach, to play in, everything,” Williams said. “We’d steal it a few times and then we’d give up a lay-up here and there. Eventually, they just made more shots than we did.”
As hard as they tried to stay in the game, the Lady Mustangs could not cut into the deficit – getting outscored 15-12 in the third quarter to fall behind by a 16-point margin heading into the final eight minutes.
“The second half our shots weren’t falling and theirs just kept so we kept falling behind. After that, we just got sloppy and tired and disappointed,” Dow said. “We need our perfect game and their worst game (to have a chance at the upset). They’re really good.”
In the fourth quarter, the Lady Spirits extended their lead even further – outgunning Gilroy, 17-10.
“This team has a lot of fire. They have a lot of energy. Olvera is really good. Hoeft is huge. I mean they have a lot of spirit on the team, too. They keep each other motivated,” said Daye of her former teammates. “I keep in contact with a few of the girls here. I’m making new friends… I’m doing pretty well.”
Up next, the Lady Mustangs have another tough challenge as they play host Jan. 31 to league-foe North Salinas – another top team in T-CAL – at 7 p.m.
“We’re just going to come out and try to keep the intensity that we had tonight. We have to get just as pumped up to play North Salinas as we would for Notre Dame or Hollister,” Williams said. “When you win games in this league, you have to be proud of that, especially away games… You’re going to work hard to win a game in this league.”
